The Central Pacific Bank/Big Island Interscholastic Federation Division I and II Baseball Championships took place Tuesday afternoon at Wong Stadium, helping set the stage for next week’s HHSAA championships on Oahu. See the paper in the coming days for updates and coverage on the state tournament.
Pahoa 6, Honoka‘a 1
Pahoa baseball took home the DII crown after a 6-1 rout of Honoka‘a, improving to 11-3 on the season. Although both teams combined for just five hits, the Daggers were still able to cruise to victory.
Pahoa’s Tripp Kahsen and Jayden Majamay-Orita combined for two hits, while teammate Brayden Conda recorded a game-high two RBI. Kahsen leads the Daggers in hits, runs and doubles this season.
Kahsen also pitched on the mound, and was awarded the winning pitcher after allowing just three hits and one run while striking out 11 across 104 pitches (6.0 innings). Conda additionally pitched in the final inning, striking out two. Kahsen leads all Pahoa pitchers in innings pitched, wins and strikeouts while posting a 2.19 ERA.
Finishing with an 11-3 record on the island, the Daggers closed the season winning three straight games and seven of their last eight — peaking at the perfect time in the season. Pahoa out-scored opponents 103-39. The Daggers’ best performance of the BIIF season came on April 14 against Kohala, where they blasted the Cowboys 22-2.
Pahoa will face Maui Interscholastic League (MIL) DII champion Seabury Hall at 11 a.m. Friday at Pearl City High School, where the two teams will battle for the final spot in the DII state tournament.
The Dragons were led by Josyah Napoleon-Umeda, Isaac Derego and Chrys Coelho with one hit each. Derego leads the team in hits, runs, RBI and home runs in 2025.
Napoleon-Umeda was additionally Honoka‘a’s primary pitcher, allowing one hit and four runs while striking out nine batters over 112 pitches (5.6 innings). Derego and Jayden Salazar also pitched briefly.
Napoleon-Umeda leads the team in innings pitched, wins, saves and strikeouts. He currently has an impressive 0.84 ERA.
The Dragons ended their season with a 12-3 record and a 95-36 run differential.
Waiakea 5, KSH 3
Waiakea baseball got its ultimate vengeance on fellow east-side rival Kamehameha-Hawaii.
In less-than-ideal weather conditions, the Hilo school beat KSH 5-3 in the DI title game after falling 4-2 on April 1 and tying 0-0 on March 24 in the previous two matchups. Waiakea improved to 7-3-1 on the season, and will be the BIIF’s high seed in next week’s HHSAA tournament. Waiakea’s first-round opponent is yet to be decided.
Defending state champion KSH fell to 11-1-1, suffering its first loss of 2025. Despite falling short of the BIIF crown, KSH still clinched the last BIIF spot in the DI state tournament, and will have a chance to defend its state title.
Waiakea struck first at the top of the opening inning, as Boston Kobayashi doubled to left field while teammate Clemson Julian singled to right — each scoring one run.
After scoring one run at the bottom of the third, KSH got in front in the fifth after Keagan Pacheco smacked a two-run double to left, giving his team a 3-2 lead.
But Waiakea responded in the seventh and never looked back. The winners scored three runs in the frame after Tycen Baruela secured a sacrifice fly, Jerrell Alston was beamed by a pitch and KSH committed an error.
Julian and Ivor Brooks led Waiakea with two hits each, while teammates Kobayashi, Jesse Inouye and Teyson Tamiya each logged one apiece. Brooks leads the team in hits and runs, while Clemson leads in RBI.
Logan Doran was named the game’s winning pitcher, allowing just three hits and three runs while striking out seven across 5.0 innings. Doran leads all Waiakea pitchers in innings pitched, wins and strikeouts with a 1.04 ERA.
Closer Hurley Soong concluded things for Waiakea in the final two innings, allowing no hits and no runs while striking out two. Soong leads the team in saves.
Waiakea ended the BIIF season with a 69-26 run differential and a real shot at the 2025 state title.
KSH struggled to produce offense at the plate, putting up its second-fewest scoring output this season. Pacheco, Justin Kubojiri and Noah Palea each had one hit. Kubojiri leads KSH in hits and runs, while Pacheco leads in RBI and doubles.
Palea also pitched on the mound for 5.0 innings, allowing three hits and two runs while striking out two. Shiloh Santos also saw time on the mound, allowing four hits and two runs.
