‘Iolani’s Micah Yonamine was chosen as the Gatorade Hawaii Baseball Player of the Year, the Gatorade Company announced Thursday.
The award recognizes outstanding athletic excellence, high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character on and off the field.
A 6-foot-4, 220-pound senior catcher and infielder, Yonamine led the Raiders to a 12-7 record and a third-place finish in the ILH, batting .500 with 11 home runs, 34 RBIs and a 1.150 slugging percentage.
A member of the Japanese National Honor Society, he has volunteered as an elementary school tutor and on behalf of a youth literacy outreach program.
“Micah Yonamine is one of the best hitters we’ve seen in the last 10 years and appears to be a great leader among his peers,” Punahou head coach Keenan Sue said. “We are from rival high schools, but it is always a pleasure to see Micah play the game.”
Yonamine has a 3.77 grade-point average, according to the Gatorade Company. He has signed a letter of intent to play baseball on scholarship at Illinois State in the fall.
Recent Gatorade Hawaii Baseball Players of the Year:
>> 2019: Micah Yonamine, ‘Iolani
>> 2018: Stone Parker, Kailua
>> 2017: Joey Cantillo, Kailua
>> 2016: Alex Oley, Mid-Pacific
>> 2015: Noah Shackles, Mid-Pacific
>> 2014: Kodi Medeiros, Waiakea
Wow. No postseason play nor ILH championship. It’s like the Kid from st Francis basketball team but for baseball.
Is Micah any relation to Masa Yonamine, the great Waipahu Marauder football coach from the 60’s?
Great season Micah and Iolani baseball team. Well deserved.
Mike Green, I remember one Masa Yonamine, longtime AD at Waipahu High. Not old enough to remember him as head football coach. His boy, one “Ken Yonamine”, first all-state safety for the Iolani Red Raiders in 1980. But his also missed what would have been the game winning field goal from chip shot range in the 1980 Prep Bowl against Waianae.
Larry Ginoza sent his kid to Waianae High. Waianae made his name, gave him the chance to be head coach.
Waipahu High did that for Masa Yonamine. Employed him, let him make his good name there, but he sends his keiki to Iolani. Same with Hugh Yoshida. Earned his living and worked his entire career at Leilehua High, but in return, sends his kid to Iolani to star in football.
Too bad for Iolani. Them and the top 2 finishers in the ILH season were virtually the same. But one team had to miss the state baseball tournament, which Iolani had a team very capable of winning. Back in my days growing up, 1970s, Iolani and their legendary basaball coach George Fujishige had the best baseball program in the state. Now basketball is Iolani’s sport.
Any relationship to the great Wally Yonamine?
Micah is not related to Masa Yonamine. He is, though, a relative of Wally Yonamine. Micah’s grandfather and Wally Yonamine are brothers.