LIHU‘E — The 808 Dragons baseball team from Kaimuki competed in the Continental Amateur Baseball Association Western Division Championship in Coos Bay, Ore. from August 3-8. Three Kaua‘i boys — Nakoa Ibaan, Bryton Lumabao and Shane Ogata — helped the
LIHU‘E — The 808 Dragons baseball team from Kaimuki competed in the Continental Amateur Baseball Association Western Division Championship in Coos Bay, Ore. from August 3-8. Three Kaua‘i boys — Nakoa Ibaan, Bryton Lumabao and Shane Ogata — helped the 12-year-old team compile a 9-0 record and bring home the championship.
Coached by Dean Sato, the Dragons swept through pool play, putting together a 6-0 record against teams from Washington state and Oregon. They then won their first two games in tournament-style action to reach the title game against Sports Unlimited Baseball Club from Washington.
The boys wasted no time pouncing on their opponent and scored nine runs on five hits in the first inning. They added a run in the second and another in the fourth. The Dragons surrendered just one run, thanks to good pitching and stingy defense. After four innings, they had an 11-1 victory and the tournament crown.
The Dragons’ bats never went into a slumber throughout the event, pounding away for 85 runs in their nine games played.
“The boys represented Hawai‘i well,” said Coach Sato. “It has been a pleasure coaching this team.”
He characterized the boys as “possessing a lot of heart, great hustle and good attitude.”
Of the Kaua‘i boys specifically, Coach Sato said that they hit, played defense, pitched shutout innings, did everything they were asked to do.
“They did very, very well,” he said. “All credit goes to Aaron Garcia.”
Assistant coach Garcia, who lives on Kaua‘i, trains the boys on the island. He said that it was a terrific experience for them to play against great teams from the northwest.
“They did great,” he said. “They were awesome, offensively and defensively.”
Garcia said the boys made the team after they went to Honolulu to be evaluated by the coaching staff. He has since been traveling with the boys to and from O‘ahu every weekend since January.
They would head over to play either a single game or a doubleheader, then fly back the same day. Occasionally they would be able to spend the night with a host family.
Garcia said he is hopeful that more Kaua‘i players will be joining the team next season.
“I just wish we could have had more kids experience this,” he said.
Eric Mita and Neal Nakasone also helped the team as assistant coaches.
Nolan Chang, a team parent traveling with the Dragons, noted that the Kaua‘i boys were a “driving force” and played very well the entire tournament.
“I wish we could do a luau,” said Chang, after the team’s final victory. “But we don’t have all the right ingredients.”
The rest of the 808 Dragons players were Owen Roberts, Cole Obana, Easton Takamoto, Kasey Mita, Elijah Chang, J.R. Nakasone, Michael Duke Boolukus, Scott Nishioka, Dustyn Mori and Luis Omphroy Jr.
