The Nanakuli Golden Hawks scored the go-ahead runs in the top of the seventh and then held off a St. Francis rally in the bottom of the frame to beat the Saints 5-4 and claim their first state softball title in school history.
"Right now it feels surreal. I was worried," said Nanakuli coach Ricky Gusman. "Of course St. Francis is a powerhouse coming from the ILH. The OIA has never taken (Division II) states, I checked back and Waimea was the last team to break the string of ILH champions.
"So tonight we spoke it, we heard ourselves say it. We started to believe it, and now we got it," an emotional Gusman continued. "I’m really overwhelmed right now, I’m so proud of the kids."
The final of the Division II DataHouse/HHSAA Softball State Championships was played at Patsy Mink Field on Maui.
With the scored tied at 3 in the top of the seventh, Ashley Van Gieson delivered a two-run single to left.
"It felt really good because I did it for my team, not just me, but for my teammates and all of Nanakuli," Van Gieson said.
"Ashley Van Gieson has been doing that all year for us. She’s a very uncanny player, she’s just a freshman. We have a great group of underclassmen and she’s one of them that comes everyday and works hard. She’s been consistent in big games for us," Gusman said.
Junior Chyanne Koko, voted the tournament’s MVP, pitched a complete game and struck out nine, including the final out with two runners on base.
"Last night (against Kauai) I said she did OK, tonight she did a super job. Even when she was behind the ball and there were pressure situations she came through with big strikeouts, especially the last two outs."
DataHouse/HHSAA All-Tournament Team
Gaylan Matagiese, C, Waimea
Kyana Hirokane, 1B, Kauai
Alexis Paulo-Meyers, SS, Nana.
Ashley Van Gieson, 1B, Nana.
Sienna Santiago SS, Waimea
Rachel Carlos, OF, St. Francis
Emma Kawaiaea, OF, Nanakuli
Codi Kualii, OF, KS-Hawaii
Raisa Strom-Okimoto, P, Aiea
Shaye Simms P, St. Francis
Kelsie Hee, U, St. Francis
Most Outstanding Player Chyanne Koko, P, Nanakuli
At Patsy Mink Field
| Nanakuli |
100 |
110 |
2 |
— |
5 |
11 |
5 |
| St. Francis |
011 |
010 |
1 |
— |
4 |
8 |
2 |
Chyanne Koko and Precious Paulo-Meyers. Shaye Simms and Kelsie Hee.
W—Koko. L—Simms.
Leading hitters—Nan: Emma Kawaiaea 3-4, run; Koko 2-4, 2b, RBI; Ashley Van Gieson 2-4, 2 RBIs; Kelcie DeFreitas 2-4, RBI, run. StF: Hee 2-4, HR, RBI, 2 runs; Ashley Kahapea-Wagner 2-4, RBI, run; Kenedee Passos 2-4, RBI.
Third-place game
Waimea 11, Kauai 3
At Patsy Mink Field
| Waimea |
113 |
303 |
— |
11 |
11 |
1 |
| Kauai |
102 |
000 |
— |
3 |
7 |
1 |
Deannalynn Tafiti and Gaylan Matagiese. Kailee Nii, Courtney Laamea (4) and Tammie Yoshimori. W—Tafiti. L—Nii.
Leading hitters—Waim: Sienna Santiago 2-3, RBI, 2 runs; Matagiese 3-3, 2 HRs, 6 RBIs, 2 runs; Jaelyn Rivera-Jacinto, HR, 3-4, RBI, run. Kau: Kiana Pagador 1-3, 3b, run; Karlyee Malapit 2-3, RBI.
Fifth-place game
Aiea 6, Kamehameha-Hawaii 3
At Patsy Mink Field
| KS-Hawaii |
000 |
102 |
— |
3 |
4 |
1 |
| Aiea |
100 |
05X |
— |
6 |
6 |
5 |
Mykala Tokunaga and Kekailani Wong Yuen. Raisa Strom-Okimoto and Kendra Chong.
W—Strom-Okimoto. L—Tokunaga.
Leading hitters—KSH: Elizabeth Kia 2-3, 2 RBIs; Jaylen Shiroma 1-3, 2b, run. Aiea: Strom-Okimoto 2-3, 3b, run; Vanessa Lopez-Aho 1-3, 2b, 2 RBIs.
Consolation game
Kaiser 10, McKinley 5
At Patsy Mink Field
| Kaiser |
018 |
010 |
— |
10 |
8 |
4 |
| McKinley |
000 |
302 |
— |
5 |
5 |
6 |
Lesieli Aholelei, Marissa Oda (4) and Kyra Hoohuli-Enanoria, Tiana Ching-Lake (4). Jillian Cristobal, Kimberly Amor (5) and Jaclyn Galinato.
W—Aholelei. L—Cristobal.
Leading hitters—Kais: Aholelei 1-3, 2b, RBI, run.
