WAIMEA — Blue on blue took to the field in the second game as the host Waimea Menehune tangled with the Waiakea Warriors, both squads garbed in similar blue uniforms. “One is pants, the other is shorts,” is how one
WAIMEA — Blue on blue took to the field in the second game as the host Waimea Menehune tangled with the Waiakea Warriors, both squads garbed in similar blue uniforms.
“One is pants, the other is shorts,” is how one spectator described the difference between the two teams at the 2003 Waimea High School Thanksgiving softball invitational tournament that opened on Thursday at the Waimea Canyon Park.
Waiakea jumped out to an early lead, crossing their first score on a wild pitch, followed by an RBI single from their thirdbase Paige Kurosawa.
That lead stood until the sixth frame when Waimea capitalized off Elise DuPonte, the Waiakea hurler.
Moani Durant opened the books with an RBI single scoring Daeleen Perreira in the fifth, and in the sixth frame, Melissa Moreno, courtesy running for Waimea pitcher Lynette Perreira, scored on a Daeleen Perreira RBI single to deadlock the contest.
Daeleen scored as Alexis Nawai banged an RBI double to deep leftfield for the go-ahead followed by another RBI by Tasha Prem scoring Nawai.
Durant continued the flood of runs with a two-RBI single with Prem delivering another pair of runs on a single before the game was called on time with the Menehune in control 8-2.
The Menehune continued their winning ways with a 6-2 win over the Kaimuki Bulldogs to wrap up their opening day at the tournament that features 15 teams, including three from Kaua‘i’s high schools playing in three divisions – the red, green, and blue.
Pool play opened the Thursday games and will continue through Friday with the elimination rounds starting on Saturday.
Ryan Souza, coach for the Baldwin Bears, said their team has been coming to this tournament for as long as it has been running, Souza “inheriting” the tour from his father who used to bring the girls to the tournament as a means of building the team.
The Bears, savoring their 2-1 opening round win against Iolani with hard ice and a game of cards, said they are staying at the “community center” and will be leaving Sunday after arriving Wednesday morning.
“They used to have this tournament when I used to coach Kailua. We used to come to this tournament,” said coach Howard Okita of the Hawai‘i Pacific University as he watched the ongoing contest between Kapa‘a and Moanalua unfolding on one of three fields where games were being played.
Kacie Allen, whose dad Bryan used to manage the Kaua‘i Coconut Beach Resort, is a freshman pitcher for the Mililani Trojans, and along with her team, was battling the Kaua‘i Red Raiders on a third field.
The Trojan team who finished second in the OIA, dropping the championship to Kailua in 2002, demonstrates the caliber of play being brought to the Waimea Canyon Park by the 15 teams, many of whom will appear on the roster of the HHSAA state championships early in 2004.
Traditionally, the Waimea tournament has always attracted the top teams in the state, many coaches saying the long weekend experience is an asset towards building their team’s cohesiveness.
Partial results from the opening day had Kaimuki falling to Kahuku 7-2, Mililani blanking Sacred Hearts 9-0, Moanalua shutting out Maryknoll 5-0, Baldwin nipping Iolani 2-1, Waimea coming back against Waiakea 8-2, Punahou shutting out Maui 10-0, and Waimea outlasting Kaimuki 6-2. Full results of day one can be found on page B2.
Following the games, the food booth people were already previewing the 22 turkeys that were prepared to host the girls, coaches, and supporters to a Waimea-style Thanksgiving.
