The nine seniors in the KIF are starting to feel old. The youth movement has started and all three teams have to depend on their underclassmen in order to flourish this season. With just two seniors (Kirby Yates and Shannon
The nine seniors in the KIF are starting to feel old. The youth movement has started and all three teams have to depend on their underclassmen in order to flourish this season.
With just two seniors (Kirby Yates and Shannon Oketani), the two-time defending KIF champion Kaua‘i High School baseball team has another championship on its mind.
“We’re not going to wait, we want to win today,” Red Raider head coach Hank Ibia, Jr. said.
To put things in perspective of how young the teams are this season, the Red Raiders fielded nine seniors on their roster, alone last season.
In his third year at the helm of the Kaua‘i baseball program, Ibia Jr. is very optimistic about winning his third KIF title in as many tries.
“My attitude is to be competitive every year and this is my biggest test so far with all of the young players on my roster,” Ibia Jr. said.
But when you talk about Red Raider baseball, you have to start with arguably one of the best players in the state in Kirby Yates, the younger brother of New York Mets pitcher Tyler Yates.
“We’re definitely fortunate to have him, but everybody talks about his great baseball skills, but he’s also an unselfish player with a great attitude,” Ibia Jr. said.
The senior has seen limited action in the preseason, but when he’s pitched, he’s been lethal, showcasing his major-league caliber right arm.
But Yates is more than just a hurler. The Red Raider ace can also hit with the best of them. He will also be counted on to lead the Kaua‘i hitting department as well.
Oketani, juniors Stanton Yoshimori and Dustin Pagador, along with freshmen David Buster and Cody Goias will back up Yates on the mound.
Kaua‘i will also count on first-year players at shortstop with Jonathan Gebauer, secondbase with Andrew Renaud, and Schyler Arakaki-Ibia, along with sophomore Russell McCluskey sharing duties at first.
At the plate, Yates and Oketani will carry the heavy bats, with Yoshimori and Pagador providing the back up lumber support.
“Kirby needs eight players behind him to win, so we’re going to do this as a team and that’s what I’ve stressed to the them, we’re going to do everything together,” Ibia Jr. said.
Ibia Jr. has been around the game of baseball for over 20 years and is quick to note that overlooking the two other squads is a huge mistake.
“If you take Kapa‘a or Waimea lightly, they’ll beat you, both coaching staffs are great, but all three teams are young, so it’s going to be an interesting season,” Ibia Jr. said.
The Red Raider coach also has some words of advice for fans of “The Big Red Machine.”
“If you’re a Kaua‘i High School alumnus, don’t wait to get on the boat today, because if you’re not on now, then don’t expect to get on it later on,” Ibia Jr. said.
The Red Raider roster also includes juniors Aaron Adachi and Jett Jasper, sophomores Anthony Calves, and Landon Samiano, freshmen Braden Balocan, Loren Duarte, Blake Gingerich, Micah Hee, Kaulana Judd, Kawika Sweet, and Reggie Vigilia.
Ibia Jr. is assisted by Reynard Ellis, John Gebauer, Lance Higashi, and Aaron Uyeda.
Kapa‘a High School
With just three seniors and eight freshmen, the Kapa‘a High School baseball team is in rebuilding mode.
“We basically have to play a perfect game against Kaua‘i or Waimea to do well this season,” Kapa‘a head coach Destry Iseri-Carvalho said.
The Warriors will rely heavily on senior work horse Moses Punzal both on the mound and in the batter’s box.
Punzal should be helped out by fellow senior Tyler Teves, and juniors Waylan Kupihea, and Jetson Wakuta.
At the plate, the same four will be the head hunters for the Kapa‘a baseball team, which will be featuring a brand-new scoreboard at the Ron Martin Field.
“We’re really excited about the season and this will be the first-time ever that we’ve had a scoreboard,” Iseri Carvalho said.
On March 26, which is Kapa‘a’s first home game of the season (vs. Waimea), the Warriors will unveil the scoreboard brought to the baseball squad by Kapa‘a’s Class of 1962, who put up $2,500 and the Kapa‘a athletic department, who furnished the other $2,500.
The scoreboard was purchased for $2,500, with the other half of the $5,000 for shipping costs.
Junior Ekolu Allianic and senior Joshua Teves should also contribute, but a recent injury in the Waimea Baseball Tournament to Teves, should keep him out at least six weeks.
“I think we just have to play better baseball, we have to work on the basics and really reiterate what the fundamentals are all about,” Iseri-Carvalho said.
The second-year head coach also said that pitching will definitely play a big role in their success this season.
“We gotta pitch a lot better, we’ve been giving up a lot of runs, plus we have to play good defense and keep the runs down from the other teams,” Iseri-Carvalho said.
He will be assisted by Nathan Kupihea, Jon Blaylock, Gary Gatuian, and Thomas Awong. Other Warriors on the 2005 roster include sophomores Travis Nakamura, Ace Viceo, and Kahai Nakano, freshmen Tyler Hadley, Aaron Villatora, Wesley Abalos, Jacob Planas, Evan Lotu, Alan Kahaunaele, Travis Shigeta, and William Valente-Gonsalves.
Waimea High School
Second-year head coach Nelson Mendonca has a very young team, just like the rest of the KIF, but the youth movement might bring some much needed excitement to the Menehune baseball program.
“They are very young and excited, the parents are enthused, and we’re just playing with what we were dealt with,” Mendonca said.
Although four returnees opted not to give it a go this season, the Menehune have four seniors, they plan to utilize heavily to go along with the younger players.
At the plate, Waimea will be led by seniors Kane Zalopany and Robbie Correa, juniors Quinton Natividad and Troy Yamase, along with freshmen Kevin Chiba and Keith Nonaka.
“We’re trying our best to bring up the young men that we have, to compliment the older players,” Mendonca said.
In the pitching department, the Menehune should be paced by Correa, Natividad, sophomore Bradley Frasco, along with a host of other young pitchers, who will be seeing a lot of action, according to Mendonca.
“Kapa‘a should be tough and they’ll have their wins, and Kaua‘i has the best player in the state with Kirby Yates, but they too have a young squad,” Mendonca said.
Other Menehune on the roster include freshmen Allen “Bully” Pancho, Brandon Hashimoto, Kelly Batis, and Brycen Nakamura, sophomores Braxton Parangao, Layne Fernandez, Broc Santiago, Mana Shigematsu, and Fetuele Ta‘ala, juniors Isaac Castillo and Brandon Hew, seniors Kori Sakahashi and Kellen Naka‘ahiki.
“We are looking forward to this year, giving 100 1242632n each game, which will hopefully give us a chance to come out on top of the KIF this season,” Mendonca said.
He will be assisted by Kelly Robinson, Wendall Nonaka, Russell Yonohara, Kyle Parongao, Mike Rita, and Vince Nitta.
KIF baseball’s opening day is this Saturday at Vidinha Stadium, starting at 10 a.m.
The double-header opener will be between Kaua‘i and Kapa‘a.
Dennis Fujimoto / The Garden Island
Kaua‘i High School pitcher Kirby Yates picked up the win for Kaua‘i High School in their 10-0 win over Pac 5 at the Ron Martin Baseball Tournament.
