Waimea Just Misses; All-Star Time
They could almost taste another title, but the Waimea Menehune had to settle for second place after a nip-and-tuck 1-0 loss to Waipahu in the HHSAA Division II baseball state championship game.
Mikeo Rita pitched a gem on the mound, throwing 6.1 innings of three-hit ball, giving up the lone run while walking one and striking out five. Despite the hard-luck loss, Rita’s outing capped off a senior season in which he earned KIF Player of the Year honors, while Waimea manager Michael Rita took Coach of the Year after recapturing the KIF crown and obtaining the top seed in the D-II bracket.
Yes, the spring season has reached its conclusion, and with it, the KIF All-Star selections have matriculated out of the league office, courtesy of executive director Diane Nitta As always, the honorees are very deserving after putting in the hard work, so here are the final All-Star teams for the 2011-12 school year.
* Baseball: Rashaan Kuahulua (Kapa’a, P, sophomore); Alika Emayo (Waimea, C, senior); Brock Ephan (Waimea, 1B, sophomore); Byron Freitas Jr. (Waimea, 2B, junior); Jensen Koga (Kaua’i, 3B, senior); Bronson Aiwohi (Kapa’a, SS, senior); Kellen Aquino (Kaua’i, OF, senior); Jordan Kamakea (Waimea, OF, senior); Kalen Iwai (Kapa’a, OF, senior); Erin Doi (Kaua’i, Util, senior)
* Softball: Kawehi Ephan (Waimea, Player of the Year, C, senior); Teddy Perreira (Waimea, Coach of the Year); Deanna Tafiti (Waimea, P, freshman); Cassandra Dupree (Waimea, 1B, senior); Kyana Hirokane (Kaua’i, 2B, junior); Krysta Kali (Waimea, 3B, senior); Sienna Santiago (Waimea, SS, sophomore); Ulu Matagiese (Waimea, OF, junior); Bailey San Agustin-Nordmeier (Waimea, OF, sophomore); Khaya Bunao (Kaua’i, OF, freshman); Courtney La’amea (Kaua’i, Util, junior)
* Tennis: Girls Singles: Lanie-Rae Green (Waimea, sophomore), Brittney Barreira (Waimea, junior), April Oo (Island, junior), Casey Nakamura (Kapa’a, sophomore); Girls Doubles: Jennifer Grady (Kaua’i, senior) and Shay Orial (Kaua’i, senior), Rachel Umetsu (Waimea, senior) and Annalissa Hartsell (Waimea, senior), Tarryn Orial (Kaua’i, freshman) and Noelani Murray (Kaua’i, junior), Shalyn Jim (Waimea, sophomore) and Caylee Yamamoto (Waimea, junior); Boys Singles: Ryan Perez (Island, senior), Christopher Ajimura (Waimea, senior), Bradley Cano (Waimea, sophomore), Kaleopunaheleleimakikala ni Hauata (Waimea, junior); Boys Doubles: Jerik Centeno (Kaua’i, junior) and Matthew Kanna (Kaua’i, senior); Radcliff Floria (Kaua’i, junior) and Kevin Jian (Kaua’i, senior), Reginald Agaran (Kapa’a, senior) and Justin Medina (Kapa’a, senior), John Kevin Deguzman (Waimea, senior) and John Rommel Gawaran (Waimea, senior)
* Golf: Girls Team: Taylor Viquelia (Kaua’i, junior), Daezsa Tomas (Kaua’i, junior), Naea Oda (Kapa’a, freshman), Mariah Paiste (Waimea, junior), Kawena Warren (Waimea, sophomore), Jenae Park (Kaua’i, freshman); Boys Team: Justin Pono Tokioka (Kaua’i, junior), Kenji Miyata (Kapa’a, junior), Braeden Robley (Kaua’i, junior), Reyn Morioka (Kaua’i, senior), Bryden Salvador (Kapa’a, freshman), Jamie Amimoto (Kaua’i, freshman)
* Track & Field (Individual): Chelsie Domingo (Kaua’i, Junior, Girls 100 M Dash, 200 M Dash), Cameron Twiggs (Waimea, senior, Boys 100 M Dash, 200 M Dash), Cassie Wilson (Kapa’a, sophomore, Girls 400 M Dash), Henry Delos Reyes (Waimea, freshman, Boys 400 M Dash), Ashley Schnackenberg (Kaua’i, senior, Girls 800 M Run), Ryan Perez (Island, senior, Boys 800 M Run), Krista Schnackenberg (Kaua’i, freshman, Girls 1500 M Run), Joshua Herr (Kaua’i, junior, Boys 1500 M Run, 3000 M Run), Heidi Herr (Kaua’i, sophomore, Girls 3000 M Run), Kawehi Louis-Diamond (Kaua’i, junior, Girls 100 M Hurdles, 300 M Hurdles), Jonathon Tangalin (Waimea, senior, Boys 110 M Hurdles), Cullen Gutierrez (Waimea, senior, Boys 300 M Hurdles), Kristle Henry (Kaua’i, junior, Girls High Jump, Long Jump), Treston Brede (Kapa’a, senior, Boys High Jump), Christian Sarmiento (Kaua’i, sophomore, Boys Long Jump, Triple Jump), Reanna Javinar (Kaua’i, senior, Girls Triple Jump, Shot Put, Discus), Tumua Masaniai (Kapa’a, senior, Boys Shot Put), Mckenna Lopez-Estacio (Kaua’i, junior, Boys Discus)
* Track & Field (Relays): Girls 4×100 M Relay: Kaua’i (Chelsie Domingo, Reanna Javinar, Kawehi Louis-Diamond, Kristle Henry); Boys 4×100 M Relay: Waimea (Russell Aceret, Cameron Twiggs, Lopaka Ventura, Keoni Ana); Girls 4×400 M Relay: Kaua’i (Jordan Ganam, Ashley Schnackenberg, Krista Schnackenberg, Kristle Henry); Boys 4×400 M Relay: Waimea (Travis Soares, Cameron Twiggs, Henry Delos Reyes, Cullen Gutierrez)
Congratulations to the All-Stars, as well as all the KIF athletes for another exciting year!
