Hurricanes Finally Arrive As Baseball Contenders

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There was no direct line to Kapolei’s breakthrough season on the baseball field this spring. If anything, the Hurricanes took the long, hard route to the high-rent district of Island baseball, to hear Kapolei coach Tom Ebanez tell it.

“We’ve been trying to get into summer leagues and tournaments for years,” he said. “We’ve been kind of knocking at the door, just like the playoffs.”

Indeed, the Hurricanes’ recent American Athletic Union League opener versus Maryknoll was a cause for celebration for Kapolei, which had never been able to play in a summer league. That predicament had left the Hurricanes at a decided disadvantage in the Oahu Interscholastic Association’s Eastern Division, which is one of the best leagues in the state.

“Part of it is that we’re a new school,” said Ebanez, noting that there were no openings. “The other teams would keep progressing, and you can end up behind the other schools (without a summer program). But the success we’ve had this season has opened a lot of doors for us. We were the 15th team added to the AAU League. I tell our kids that we should really appreciate what the (outgoing) seniors have done, and continue it. They’ve laid the foundation here.”

The Hurricanes finished with a school-best mark of 7-4 this past season and had four players - shortstop Aaron Santiago, second baseman Kalani Brackenridge, first baseman Michael Kahalehoe and out-fielder Curtis Donald - receive All-League honors. Santiago and Brackenridge were both First Team all-stars, while Kahalehoe and Donald made the Second Team. Selections are made by the conference coaches. Ebanez was also recognized by his peers as the West’s Coach of the Year, an honor he re-directed to others last week.

“It takes more than one person. It’s a collaborative effort between the kids, parents, coaches and family.”

Ebanez is expecting this summer’s AAU schedule to be a big boost for the program. Kapolei, which will play a 15-game regular season, will lose only three starters from its spring roster.

In Brackenridge and Donald, the Hurricanes will have two of the West’s top players on the field. “Kalani is a real gifted kid - all the props (credit) go to his parents,” Ebanez said of Brackenridge, who transferred from Damien prior to his sophomore season. “Now that he’s been here a year, we hope he’ll bring some leadership. He’s a hard-working kid with a good head on his shoulders.

“We expect leadership out of Curtis, too. He has a lot of talent on the field. He made a lot of great plays this season. If they can both be leaders to our young guys, we’ll be heading in the right direction with these two.”

The Hurricanes took a 2-2 AAU League record into the weekend, having beaten Maryknoll and Punahou Blue in addition to losses to Iolani Black and Saint Louis. This week, the Hurricanes meet Kalaheo at Central Oahu Regional Park Tuesday and visit Mid-Pacific for a game Thursday. Both contests begin at 4:30 p.m.

“We have 21 kids on the team this summer, so we’ll play everyone,” Ebanez said. “Our philosophy in the summer is for the kids to learn fundamentals. It’s an instructional period. We’re not concerned with wins and losses.”

Because a number of the Hurricanes have been dividing their time between baseball and spring football, which was to wrap last Saturday with the school’s annual scrimmage, Ebanez hasn’t held a summer practice yet. As an assistant varsity football coach and head jv coach, Ebanez has been performing double duty as well.

“I’m loving it,” Ebanez said of the hectic schedule. “If I hear a kid complain that they’re tired, I tell them, ‘you’re only young once.’ Right after football is over, we’ll be back to practicing (with the baseball team).”

At the conclusion of its regular season, the AAU League will hold an eight-team playoff, beginning the first week of July.