Beau truly knows.
It was just two weeks ago, heading into the start of the ILH regular season, when Kamehameha catcher Beau Sylvester shared his boundless optimism and faith about the Warriors’ pitching staff.
The Warriors are 5-0 in league play (9-0 overall) with a decisive No. 1 ranking in the Star-Advertiser Baseball Top 10.
“Nope, not surprised in the slightest. This team is awesome and playing awesome baseball right now,” Sylvester said on Tuesday morning. “It’s really scary how well this team is coming together right now. This team really feels like one unit rolling through an opponent together. The tightness we have and trust in one another is unmatched this year even though every year we have a very tight group. It just doesn’t always fall into place like this year.”
There are expectations for all teams. Some embrace them and some ignore them. In the prep feature story two weeks ago, he shared his insights about the deep, talented crew of pitchers. Sylvester expects a certain level of excellence from himself and the pitching staff.
“In all honest, no one’s surprised me and it’s mostly due to the high expectations I hold them to,” he said. “Everyone is doing their job or better, and just getting on the bump and competing.”
The 6-foot, 205-pound senior will have another busy offseason once the season ends. The Washington Huskies await. He plans to major in Business Administration — the school doesn’t have a Criminal Justice and Law undergraduate degree. In Seattle, he will team up with two other Kailua residents: ‘Iolani ace Zac Tenn and Saint Louis shortstop Aiva Arquette.
Sylvester has a 3.9 grade-point average. No bouts of senior-itis. It’s quite the opposite.
“I feel great. Really, I’m just taking it all in this final year and trying to have as much fun as I can while really getting after it,” he said.
Here is more about Sylvester, who started the season with something new: a goatee.
“It’s coming off in a few weeks,” he said in early March. “I’m kind of sad. We have the song contest.”
Beau Sylvester’s lockdown staples
>> Why jersey No. 18?
“18 was my dad’s number. I’ve worn it since tee ball. Kainalu Little League. I had 30-something, but ever since then my dad said, ‘You get 18 from now on.’ I never asked why, but I would see older pictures of him and he had 18. My brother Kiai wears 18. It just runs in the family.”
>> Top 3 movies/shows
1. “Gladiator”
2. “Criminal Minds”
3. “Waterworld”
>> Top 3 food/snack/drink
1. Chicken katsu curry. “My parents make it. They get it perfect every time. Sometimes, it’ll be back-to-back weeks. Other times, a couple of months. It’s a little tedious to do by myself, but if my brother is there to help, I could probably do it.”
2. Steak. “My grandpa (Jim Sylvester) makes it.”
3. Teddy’s Bigger Burgers. “The Classic burger, bigger size and I make it plain with bacon. The real kicker is the chocolate Nutella shake.”
>> Top 3 music artists
1. Pooh Shiesty – “50 Shots”
2. Money Bag Yo – “Time Today”
3. Taylor Swift – “You Belong with Me”
>> Favorite class: English 9 and 10
“These senior classes are kind of kicking me. I haven’t found a favorite since except Microeconomics. My teacher (Scott Ashida) is really cool.”
>> Favorite teacher
“Mr. Abraham Yi. I was not a very good English student at all, but I did not even know how much I was learning because of how much fun I was having. Then I go to English 11 and I was so much better at writing and comprehending.
“He said wherever you commit to college, he wanted a jacket. After my visit, I got him one.”
>> Time machine
“I read a book in my Sci-Fi class that would make me not want to mess with going back in time ever, not even step on a cockroach. An article, we read it in class: ‘A Sound of Thunder’ (by Ray Bradbury). A shortened version, I think. There’s a movie about it. Not a chance I would step one foot on grass in the future.”
>> New life skill
“CPR. I’ve completed my whole lifeguarding course. I could go out and get a job with this certificate. I’m 18 now, so I believe I could get one. It was a class offered to us by Kamehameha.”
>> Hidden talent
“I’m able to set off some car alarms without actually touching them. I have a modified exhaust system. Sometimes coming home if I take a road that’s not that well traveled.”
>> Favorite athlete
“Bryce Harper. He’s super fun to watch. I just enjoy watching him. He’s an outfielder, great approach, awesome swing. Hits the ball a mile, way further than his body stature suggests. Just electric. He was a firecracker, but he’s getting older and assuming his role as a leader with the Phillies.”
>> Gear: bats
“For high school, DeMarini. I prefer wood, but when it comes to metal bats I don’t pay a lot of attention to year, make and model.
>> Gear: batting glove
“Franklin Chrome series.”
>> Catcher’s mitt
“My Pudge ripped. Rawlings (Heart of the Hide) was my No. 1. The Wilson (Pudge) was my backup. I was receiving on the side and it ended up ripping. They use Rawlings at UW. The Pudge wasn’t the oldest and wasn’t used. It sat for a little. It wasn’t beyond repair. My grandpa took it. He likes random little projects so I think he fixed. He uses oils.
“My grandpa never played baseball. He got into tennis late in life. He’s learning baseball as I grow up. He’s so eager to learn, the mechanics, the way the game is played.
>> Gear: fielder’s mitt
“A 20-something dollar Boombah glove. I don’t really play the field. I pitched with that one in Vegas (in January). I had fun, pitching’s fun. I wouldn’t want to do it all the time.
>> Gear: cleats
“Adizero Afterburner 5s. Ever since seventh grade. I was 11 or 10.5, but I always bought big. Now I’m a 12 and there’s cleats the past three months using what I bought in seventh grade. I would always buy one or two new pairs for me to use during the season and randomly pick up an extra pair every year. But they’re getting too hard to find now.
“The line is still being made, but the 5s are the best shoe ever made in my opinion, and they got away from it. I bought two pairs of their newest one, and that’s the most similar to the 5s.
>> Shout outs
“My parents (Mark and Kapua Sylvester). My grandparents, Jim and Bert Sylvester. Uncle Chris Yamaguchi. (Hawaii) Elite coaches Brandon Toro, Ashkhon Kuhaulua, Justin Protacio, Billy Pieper. High school coaches Daryl Kitagawa, Keith Komeiji, Jason Doi.
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