Friday, March 27, 1998
Mililani, Pearl City again
By Pat Bigold
favored in Western Division
Star-BulletinThe Mililani and Pearl City prep baseball teams always seem to find each other at the top.
They have tied for the Oahu Interscholastic Association Western Division baseball title twice in the last three years, and they open the 1998 campaign tomorrow as co-favorites.
The OIA Western Division season swings into action with five games: Radford at Mililani, Campbell at OIA runner-up Pearl City, Waipahu at Aiea, Leilehua at Waianae and Moanalua at Nanakuli.
All games start at 1 p.m. The Eastern Division opens a week from tomorrow.
Why do the Trojans and Chargers keep emerging as the teams to beat?
Mililani coach Glenn Nitta said it might be that he and Pearl City coach Mel Seki swear by fundamental baseball.
"I think Mel comes from the old school like me, willing to sacrifice when you have to, and moving runners around," said Nitta, entering his 26th season. "But he plays 'Billy Ball' a little more than me."
Pearl City, which won the division outright in 1991, 1993 and 1994, is led by right-hander Sean Yamashita, a first-team division all-star .
Mililani, which won its first OIA title last year, counters with ace left-hander Justin Cayetano, a second-team all-star who throws in the low 80s and can dominate.
Yamashita, who was 4-0 in the division schedule with a 0.72 ERA, has signed a letter of intent to play for the University of Hawaii next season.
"He's had a very good preseason," Seki said. "He's had good control and a good curve ball."
In division and postseason play, he was 7-0 with an 0.44 ERA. He struck out 62 and walked 14 in 4813 innings.
Last July, Cayetano tied Ryan Yamamoto's 1995 record of 19 strikeouts in an American Legion game, hurling West Oahu to 7-1 win over Aiea. The third-year starter had a five-inning perfect game against Nanakuli in last year's OIA playoffs.
Cayetano finished the year at 6-2 with a 1.67 ERA.
The Chargers also have right-hander Brandon Kamboka, who starred for the junior varsity last year.
Pearl City returns its top hitter from last season -- senior third baseman Brandon Bell (.500).
The offense will be complemented by senior outfielders Jonathan Fukumoto and Kevin Sochenberger.
The Chargers went 11-2 through the OIA playoffs. Their only two losses prior to the state tournament were to Mililani. The second came in the OIA playoff championship in May at Aloha Stadium.
Left-hander Gil Deliz, who Nitta said throws as hard as Cayetano, also could help the Trojans. He was a reserve outfielder last year.
Mililani returns eight seniors, but only one starter: outfielder Brendon Suga, a first-team division all-star. A third-year starter, he hit .478.
Ryan Rigor, who won the MVP award in the Rural Invitational Junior Baseball League, will play first base and DH.
The Trojans went 12-1 through the league playoffs last year.
Waipahu returns Jerome Williams, a junior right-hander who struck out 16 against Campbell in the division opener last year. But he broke his collarbone in the next game.
"He throws hard," Waipahu coach Milton Takenaka said.
Left-hander Joseph Moananu, another junior, is the Marauders' best hitter.
But Takenaka, who's been in the Marauders' dugout since 1985, has only one starter back -- infielder Ryan Ludwig.
Aiea returns seven seniors, four of them starters.
Coach Wade Hirata has experience in second-year catcher Ryan Okano, third-baseman Aaron Kagawa, outfielder David Yoshida and second baseman Paul Shubuya.
Na Alii returns right-hander Kyle Ishimitsu, a second-team division all-star who has a good fastball and curve.
There have been three coaching changes in the division.
At Waianae, Glenn Tokunaga takes over for Ralph Onzuka, who coached for 15 years. At Moanalua, Scott Yamada steps in for Ritchie Kibota. And at Nanakuli, football coach Skip Lopes takes over for Todd Tashiro, who ended a six-year winless streak two seasons ago. He led Nanakuli to six wins in its first seven games last year.
Waianae could figure into the race with several key returnees, including right-handed pitchers Kaulana Kuhaulua and Philip Sarono, center fielder Nathan Jackson and catcher Bobby Lee Tavares.