Kawaihau is District champ

LIHU‘E — The boys go back Monday night to try for the state championship, said Mikey Cardinez, a coach with the Kawaihau Community Little League Minors All-Stars.

Cardinez and the Minors All-Stars came home Thursday night after an 8-4 win over Kahalu‘u that earned the team the championship penant for the Little League District 1.

“Everyone did unreal,” Cardinez said. “They came through when they had to and they played well.”

But the road to the title was not an easy one as Kawaihau stumbled during its opening game last Friday, dropping 5-3 to the Kaneohe A.

With one loss under its belt, there was no room for another loss in the double-elimination tournament and Kawaihau battled back over the next six games, including having to better Kahalu‘u twice for the title.

Following the loss to Kaneohe A, Kawaihau began its road to success with an 11-1 win over Kainalu B and followed that with a win over Kainalu A, 7-6.

“These were really close games,” Cardinez, enjoying his first trip to the postseason as a Little League coach. “We got past Kailua A, 5-4, and then faced the team we lost to.”

Kawaihau dug deep and redeemed its opening loss to Kaneohe A with a 9-8 win in a game which appeared to be an extra-inning game, Cardinez said.

That win propelled Kawaihau from the losers’ bracket to face the undefeated Kahalu‘u team.

After winning that matchup 6-2, both teams squared off for the District Championship, Thursday, one week after the team left Kaua‘i.

“The game was pretty unreal,” Cardinez said. “The Kawaihau 11s came in for its appearance at the state tournament and came to the game. There were parents, relatives — there was purple, everywhere!”

One parent who started with the team had to return to Kaua‘i, Monday, but was following its climb, calling in a report to one of the radio stations with the request to play “Put me in, coach,” by John Fogerty.

All of that changed Thursday night when she called the station to ask for “We are the champions!,” a sentiment which was echoed by Los Angeles Lakers fans who erupted in jubilation at the Kaua‘i Beach Resort just prior to the start of the Kaua‘i Chamber of Commerce Second Quarter General Meeting.

Cardinez said when the team returns to O‘ahu, it will face Waipio at the Aiea park on Tuesday, its first step toward a state title.

“We’ll be playing at least five games,” Cardinez said. “If we can win that title, that’ll be it for us. The state title is the highest level the team can reach.”

Team members include Kaiona Nakamura, Kaenen Lacaden, Keona Nakamura, Brenton Garcia, Devin Terada, Ravin Cummings, Ekolu Rivera, Chase Basuel, Bryson Poai, Makana Still, Joel Deblin, Jayden Palenapa, Elvis Park, Wyatt Harrison.

Coaches, all first timers to post-season play, include Cardinez, Marvin Terada and Kaupena Kaauwai.