ST. GEORGE, Utah — Clifford Lee and the Kaua‘i Kupono came from behind to win the gold medal during the Huntsman Senior Games in St. George, Utah.
According to Jeffrey Kimoto, who does a lot of the reporting and collating of game facts for the senior softball team, Kupono wasn’t feeling too enthusiastic after falling 0-3 in the age 70s division pool play at the tournament that started on Oct. 10.
“The team was losing by about seven runs a game, average,” Kimoto said.
The 0-3 record put them in a lower division as the No. 2 seed, where they would be more competitive with comparable teams.
Kupono picked up the effort and started winning games, going undefeated to win its first gold medal.
During the first bracket play contest, Kupono flew to a 23-6 win over the Silver City Brewers. In the following game, Kupono took a 16-4 win over the division’s top-seeded team, Northwest Silver 70s.
The second meeting of these two teams had Kupono and Northwest Silver battling back and forth before Kupono edged the top seeded team, 18-16, for the gold medal.
“The opposing teams could not believe some of the Kupono players were in the 70s division,” Kimoto said. “Angel Madrid is 81, and Guy Ruiz is 80, and still playing in this younger division team.”
Garret Agena and Mark Simao combined on the hill for the wins, and the outfield was played by Rodney Pimental, Oscar Sagucio, Darryl Simao, Ron Chittenden and Guy Ruiz. Other participating Kupono players included Wayne Hashimoto, Neil Zaslow, Alan Hashimoto, Ronnie Matsumura, Peter Rayno, David Sable and Lawrence A. Rego.
Kauila 74s out of Kapa‘a captured the bronze medal in the 74s division play.
“Managed by Ale Lomosad and Peter Rayno Jr. and assisted by Wayne Hashimoto, Kauila just couldn’t close out games, losing by one and two runs in bracket play,” Kimoto said.
Kauila was seeded No. 2 in Division 74s bracket play. But following its 10-12 loss to SME Steel 74, was relegated to the losers bracket, where they beat the Pirates, 15-13, before dropping 11-12 to the Salty Dogs and 12-13 to the Michigan Masters 74.
Kauila players included Dennis Imamura, Joseph Fontanilla, Ronaldo Javier, Ernest Koerte, Guy Ruiz, Barr Surles, Frank Bukoski, Ronald Chittenden, Angel Madrid, Manuel Ramos, Richard Ramones, Karl Forer and George Fernandes.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 808-245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
