Red Raiders’ Sights Set On Third Straight State Appearance

Wednesday - April 21, 2010
By Jack Danilewicz
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Kahuku’s Ryan McMonigle practices his swing. Photo by Byron Lee, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

The “one-and-done” mentality of college basketball’s NCAA Tournament is very much alive in Hawaii prep baseball. As Kahuku manager Roger Van Ness breaks down the recently completed season, the bottom line for post-season skews his momentum.

Indeed, a first round loss at the OIA Tournament means an instant end to the season and another year of waiting to bid for a state tournament berth.

Kahuku’s hopes for a third straight state appearance begin Thursday with a home date versus Waialua. The winner advances to Friday’s semifinals against White Conference champion Radford. The title game is set for 4 p.m. Saturday at Central Oahu Regional Park. OC16 will air the game live with the Division II game to follow.

Should the Red Raiders make the title game, as they did last year (in a loss to Waipahu), they will have wrapped up one of just three league berths to the state tournament in May. The third-place team from the OIA Tournament also has a shot by winning a play-in game versus the No. 2 seed from the Big Island. Last year, five OIA teams made the DII state tournament, but budget cuts were the reason for that reduction, according to what was relayed to Van Ness.


“Division II is getting better and better every year, which is why I’m flustered that they’re taking away (berths) from DII and not Division I. Why are all the costs coming from Division II? It’s kind of ridiculous that only eight (DII) teams make the state tournament.”

Van Ness is more buoyed by his team’s play of late, which included a six-game win streak to close out its White Conference slate at 6-4 overall.

“It’s coming together. They have the ‘want-to.’ Now we just have to put it together.”

Van Ness liked the field, having endured the most competitive league race since taking over the Kahuku job. With parity the order of the day in the East, the Red Raiders also know they’ll be battle-tested for the post-season.

“The teams are getting better and better. McKinley gave us trouble, Waialua gave us fits. We ran into some really good teams. (Two-time defending OIA DII champion) Waipahu is good again, and Kaimuki has really stepped up, and they deserve their bye. Radford is the best I’ve seen. They’re really good.”

A matchup with Radford on Friday is what every Kahuku fan is hoping for, but Van Ness is wary of Thursday’s opponent, Waialua, which lost only 5-4 to the Red Raiders back on March 13.

“We have to get past Waialua,” he said. “Their pitcher (Justin Tantog) is good. They went with him last time, and he gave us fits. It took a double by (Samson) Mamizawa to drive in the go-ahead run.”

Mamizuma is one of several key performers for the Red Raiders, who also feature returnees J.J. Nozawa, Justin Van Ness, Michael Sabido (third base; lead-off hitter), Hekili Greycochea (shortstop; No. 2 in batting order), Evan Ramirez (second base), Taynui Nagy (pitcher/shortstop) and Iukini Hughes (pitcher).

“Samson has definitely stepped up for us defensively,” Van Ness said of his catcher. “He was the missing link that we needed this year.”

Sabido is batting close to .500 and leads the way offensively, with Hughes and Marcus Mutao also hitting for good averages.


“Michael has really stepped it up. He’s hitting around .500, and Iukini, in addition to doing a good job as a pitcher, has also been our big stick. Marcus has stepped into right and become a high school out-fielder. He can track them down. He probably runs a 4.6 forty(-yard dash).”

On the mound, Van Ness will go with either Nozawa or Hughes to start the Waialua game Thursday. On Friday, the other will go, if the Red Raiders live to see another day.

 

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