Kaua‘i 1, St. Anthony 0 – Kaua‘i High School’s Red Raiders won its first ever state baseball championship at the Hawai‘i High School Athletic Association’s firstever Division II championship yesterday at the Les Murakami Stadium. The Raiders won the Wally
Kaua‘i 1, St. Anthony 0 – Kaua‘i High School’s Red Raiders won its first ever state baseball championship at the Hawai‘i High School Athletic Association’s firstever Division II championship yesterday at the Les Murakami Stadium.
The Raiders won the Wally Yonamine Foundation/HHSAA Division II State Championships with a run by Trent Allianic which came in the first inning. Batting third, he was the first to get on base when he singled to second base.
Rysan Sakamoto was then walked, advancing Allianic to second. Allianic would later score off a right-field single by Schyler Arakaki.
Kaua‘i wouldn’t get another hit until the top of the third inning when Allianic singled to Jordan Kahalekai-Bermoy at shortstop. Sakamoto followed that with a single hit to left field.
Kaua‘i head coach Hank Ibia said that among all of the games the Raiders played this season, St. Anthony was one of the hardest.
“It was really tough,” Ibia said. “The coach over at St. Anthony, Shane Dudoit, runs a good program over there.”
St. Anthony didn’t get a hit until the bottom of the third, but it was a big one. Taylor Silva and Joshua Tam-Sing both struck out swinging, then Aronne Santos tripled to the right center. Santos, though, was left on base at the end of the inning when Kahalekai-Bermoy grounded out to second base.
The Trojans would go on to post only two more hits — a single in the fourth by Buta Wilhelm and another by Ryan Rodriguez in the seventh inning, giving them a late glimpse of tying the game. But Wilhelm flied out to right field, then Matt McCraney struck out swinging and Rodriguez was stranded on base.
Ibia said starting pitcher Jordan Buster was at the heart of the win. Buster, who has been the team’s ace all season, allowed only three hits and struck out eight in seven innings.
St. Anthony’s Michael Jahns struck out three, allowed eight hits and one run for the loss.
Kaua‘i’s Aaron Soong finished 2-for-4, Arakaki went 2-for-3 with an RBI and Allianic was 2-for-4 with a run scored.
Kaua‘i also placed three players on the HHSAA State All-Tournament Team.
Allianic was selected as the third baseman, Arakaki at first base and Soong in the outfield.
Buster was named the Most Outstanding Player.
St. Anthony placed four players on the team.
Jahns was selected as a pitcher, Rodriguez for second base and Santos and Wilhelm for the out field.
Other players selected were catcher Aukai Rawlins of Moloka‘i High School, pitchers Blaise Kise of Kohala High School and Colby Lee of Kalaheo High School, shortstop Scottie Rapanot of Moloka‘i and utility Kaden Tabil also of Moloka‘i.
Kaua‘i High School state championship titles
2008 — Baseball
2005 — Golf, Boys
2004 — Golf, Boys and Girls
2001 — Golf, Girls
1995 — Bowling, Boys
1989 — Golf, Boys
1981 — Bowling, Boys
1979 — Golf, Boys
1978 — Bowling, Boys
1958 — Tennis, Girls
