It was the classic “No, no, no … go, go, go” moment for Honokaa’s softball team Saturday.
Kayla Requelman broke off second with the bases loaded when she mistakenly thought a batter had walked, and when Waiakea tried to pick her off, Taylor Souza scampered home with the winning run as the Dragons secured the final spot in the Big Island Interscholastic Federation Division II playoffs.
“Finally,” coach Wesley Fujimoto said after the dramatic 16-15, nine-inning victory at Honokaa Park.
The Dragons (3-1-5) collected 21 hits, none bigger then Requelman’s three-run home run with two outs in the seventh to send the game into extra innings.
In the ninth, Requelman doubled to put runners on second and third, capping a huge game as she went 4 for 6 with five RBIs.
Honokaa chipped away at an 11-7 deficit by scoring four runs in the bottom of the fifth, but it trailed 14-11 heading into the seventh.
“They didn’t give up,” Fujimoto said. “They kept their heads even though they were down.
“The whole season they played that way, but this is the first time they pulled it off.”
Honokaa visits Hawaii Preparatory Academy on Monday with a chance to lock up the third seed in the BIIF semifinals and a doubleheader at Konawaena (6-3-1) on April 19. If the Dragons win, Kohala (4-6) would get the fourth seed and play at top-seeded Kamehameha on April 19.
‘We would rather be No. 3 than No. 4,” Fujimoto said.
Kaitlyn Agustin pitched four innings of relief to get the victory, allowing five runs on five hits with a walk and four strikeouts. At the plate, she drove in four runs and scored three times, finishing 4 for 6.
Kayla Kalauli, who started in the circle and pitched five innings, also was 4 for 6 with three runs and two RBIs. Jazry Ancheta added four hits, and Allie Shiraki and Jasmine Castro had two apiece.
As the second seed in the Division I semifinals, the Warriors (7-3) will host Kealakehe (6-4) in a doubleheader April 19.
Skyler Thomas tripled and doubled in going 3 for 5 with three runs scored and Cheylee Octavio was 2 for 3 with a triple and scored five times for Waiakea. Taylor Ogawa was 3 for 4 with two runs scored and Taylor Teves tripled with two RBIs.
Alyssa Hara went to the distance and took the loss. The freshman struck out two and walked four.
Waiakea 411 313 110 — 15 11 7
Honokaa 304 040 311 — 16 21 5
Hilo 12, Kealakehe 3: Aliesa Kaneshiro struck out 12 and pitched a two-hitter and Shalyn Guthier homered and drove in five runs for the visiting Vikings, who tallied 10 runs in the sixth to complete an unbeaten regular season.
Reisha Hoopii-Haslam was 3 for 4 and Moana Pinner finished with a double and two RBIs for Hilo (10-0), which draws Keaau (6-4) in the BIIF semifinals.
Kaneshiro walked three batters and allowed hits to Leisha Nakagawa and Tavian Taketa.
Losing pitcher Kiara Cantiberos worked 5 2/3 innings, though five of the 12 runs she allowed were unearned. She struck out two and walked two.
Hilo 001 10 (10)0 — 12 10 3
Kealakehe 102 000 0— 3 2 7
Konawaena 19, Ka‘u 1: Syleesia Jose hit a home run and Jenai Halemano and Kaila Kaupe Deleon each drove in three runs to power the Wildcats in Pahala.
Andelen Olelo Losalio and Kaupe Deleon each finished with two hits for Konawaena (6-3-1), which enters the postseason on a three-game winning streak.
Teizha Kaluna picked up the four-inning victory, yielding only five hits and a run with four strikeouts.
Kamalani Fujikawa posted two hits for the Trojans (0-9). In the circle, Fujikawa walked 13 batters in four innings.
Konawaena 463 6 — 19 11 0
Ka‘u 001 0 — 1 5 6
Kamehameha 13, Kohala 0: Kekai Wong-Yuen and Gayla Ha-Cabebe hit home runs in Kapaau as the Warriors wrapped up an 8-2 regular season.
Mykala Tokunaga struck out nine and allowed only one hit with no walks to pick up the victory. Wong-Yuen added a triple and double, and Ha-Cabebe also posted three hits with three RBIs.
Tomiko Coito hit a home run for the Cowgirls that was negated when umpires said she failed to touch home plate. Kiana Alejandro-Cazimero had her team’s hit. Ashlyn Van Zandt took the loss.
Kamehameha 410 08 — 13 11 0
Kohala 000 00 — 0 1 0
Pahoa 15, HPA 2: Ranchelle Berinobis, Erleen Oguna and Macey Mokuhalii compiled two hits apiece as the Daggers finished their season with a home victory.
Mackenzie Singleton pitched the five-inning complete game and walked only one. Faith Kamakeeaina backed her with a two-run triple for the Daggers (2-8).
In four innings, Kawena Lim-Samura struck out seven and walked three for Ka Makani (0-8).
HPA 200 00 — 2 5 0
Pahoa 544 1x — 15 8 4