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On this day in 1980, Iolani pitcher Paul Tonaki made good on a second chance. Grant Uyeno got Tonaki out of a jam in the seventh inning and Iolani beat Kamehameha 9-3 at Iolani. Tonaki was cruising to the win when the Warriors loaded the bases with two outs in the seventh inning when Uyeno came to the rescue. Tonaki took the hill and put zeroes up for the final two innings. Things turned out OK for Kamehameha, though, as […]

Richard Funai spent only two years as Waialua’s head baseball coach before becoming athletic director, but in the first of those two years he made quite an impact. On this date in 1958, Funai led his Bulldogs to an 8-5 victory over winless Castle to clinch the ROIA crown with a 9-1 record. Waialua’s victory broke Waipahu’s decade of dominance. Masa Yonamine won the title back for the Marauders the next year. Waialua hasn’t won an OIA title since. All-Star […]

On this date in 1986, Kalani pitcher Aaron Miyakawa used the weather to his advantage in holding Kalaheo hitless over seven innings in a 10-0 victory. Miyakawa walked two and allowed only three runners on base on the wet, windy day at Aloha Stadium. Matt Fujikawa saved his gem with a diving catch in left field when the score was still 1-0. Greg Taguchi led the Falcons with three hits and three RBI. Miyakawa was an OIA East All-Star that […]

Kela Marciel could do it all when he was at Iolani, and proved it on this date in 2006. The freshman got a lot of help from his teammates and needed it to come out with a win over dangerous Saint Louis. His teammates gifted him with 18 runs, 11 of them in the second inning after Marciel allowed one in his two trips to the mound. Case Miyahira and Chris Johnson both hit home runs to build a lead […]

On this date in 1992, Laramie “Lee” DeSoto had an up-and-down day but came out on top as Kailua beat Castle 4-3 to reach the OIA East final. DeSoto earned the win on the mound despite giving up the tying run by driving in the go-ahead tally in the next inning. The Surfriders set up a date with Kalaheo for the East championship two days later. Kailua completed that mission and rolled all the way to the OIA title under […]

Farrington’s John Matias died Tuesday after a long illness. Here is Dave Reardon’s story for the Star-Advertiser. Matias, a former Hawaii Islanders standout who rose to the Major Leagues, was a longtime coach for Damien and Pearl City after his playing days. But it was those playing days that he was most known for in the islands. Matias hit four home runs for Farrington against Waimea in the 1962 state baseball tournament, widely regarded as one of the greatest performances […]