Jio, Yamaguchi lead their teams to the path to glory

There is the pain of defeat, known to all by season’s end with the exception of the champion.

For the Star-Advertiser Baseball All-State selections, the position player of the year and the pitcher of the year endured the long, arduous path. Micah Jio, Maui’s artful center fielder, and Dawson Yamaguchi, Saint Louis’ ace of aces, collected the most votes in each category from a panel of coaches and media.

Jio was steady and occasionally spectacular on the field, at the plate and on the basepaths as Maui rose from unseeded entrant to state champion at the Wally Yonamine Foundation/HHSAA State Championships.

The senior was superb through the Maui Interscholastic League season, sparking the Sabers to a second-place finish behind defending state champion Baldwin. Jio then ignited his team through the state tourney, batting a sensational .571. He went 8-for-14 and finished with six runs scored, four RBIs and a triple.

“Micah had a great season and was a huge contributor whether on the infield or tracking balls in the outfield,” Kamehameha coach Tommy Perkins said. “He worked hard on and off the field, with an exemplary GPA in his AP classes.”

Jio went 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs in a tourney-opening 12-2 win over Mililani.

The next night in the featured game at Les Murakami Stadium, Jio led off and went 2-for-4 with two runs as Maui shocked top-seeded Saint Louis 8-6. Jio also started on the mound, allowing five runs on seven hits with two strikeouts and three walks in six innings to earn the win.

In a 6-4 semifinal victory over Campbell, Jio went 1-for-2 with two RBIs and a run scored.

Jio capped the tourney with a 2-for-4 night against Waiakea, driving in a run and scoring a run as Maui defeated Waiakea 6-1 for the crown.

Jio completed the year with a .468 batting average and .677 slugging percentage, adding 24 runs, 11 RBIs and two homers.

“Micah Jio impressed us as a junior. When we went to the Maui High tournament for preseason this year, we saw he was missing because he was playing basketball,” Waiakea coach Rory Inouye said. “We knew then that Maui was going to be a really tough team. Jio has all the attributes — speed, great glove and a good bat. For him to move from center field to shortstop (during the state tournament) just shows he also had the team-first motto.”

Jio started three seasons at shortstop before moving to center field, allowing Jyrah Lalim to move in, solidifying Maui’s defense up the middle. The adjustment to the outfield was seemingly immediate. Jio worked hard on momentum footwork for throws.

“And he has so much range,” Sabers coach Chase Corniel said. “We didn’t have a lot of depth in the outfield and he was willing to make the move. That says a lot about him.”

Yamaguchi, a broad-chested left-hander with multiple weapons in his arsenal, was clutch for Saint Louis as the Crusaders captured the Interscholastic League of Honolulu championship. He seemed to get stronger as the long season extended for Saint Louis through the double-elimination playoff tourney. He finished 7-1, saved one game, and posted a miserly 0.95 ERA.

He permitted just seven earned runs in 51 2/3 innings with 33 strikeouts and just 13 walks. His win total was matched by only one other pitcher statewide — Waiakea’s Makoa Andres — and his ERA against a slew of elite competition was equalled only by Kamehameha ace Li‘i Pontes. The only remaining question: What would Yamaguchi have done if Saint Louis had advanced beyond the quarterfinal round?

That’s a question that will never be answered, but as far as individual achievement goes, it’s tough to match what Yamaguchi accomplished.

“Dawson was always confident on the mound and battled through difficult situations with his off-speed pitches,” Perkins said. “He had excellent pitch command, mound presence and never let emotions interfere with difficult situations.”

Crusaders coach George Gusman had high praise for Yamaguchi.

“Dawson was driven to help our school and this team win (an ILH) championship. After his pitching practice, he would just put on his headset to run, and then head to the weight room for his workout,” Gusman wrote via email. “Dawson would also study all the scouting and spray charts we had. He matured as a young man. He knew his practice work ethic was going to be watched by all the younger players. Dawson truly honored our school, coaches and his family with his play.”

Yamaguchi’s mastery of all pitches included a slider that he learned from former ace Christopher Chung — at midseason.

“It was before our second game against Mid-Pacific. One night, we’re practicing at Ala Wai and I felt like I needed a new pitch with the ‘it’ factor,” Yamaguchi said. “Chris was a big help. I’d been watching videos on YouTube, trying to learn. He told me what helped him get outs. The key is not forcing it.”

Kailua’s supreme senior, Joey Cantillo, was second in the pitcher voting, behind Yamaguchi and ahead of Pontes, but it was his monster numbers as a left-handed power-hitting first baseman that drew a heavy vote count, as well.

Coach of the year honors went to Maui’s Chase Corniel. Other top vote-getters were Hank Ibia of Division II state champion Kauai, Inouye, Timo Donahue of Damien, Jordan Hayslip of Hawaii Prep, Rory Pico of Campbell and Eric Tokunaga of Farrington.

“Chase deserves this award. He got his team to rally together after losing one of their best pitchers at the end of the season,” Inouye said. “His team plays great defense, pitches great and are very disciplined in their offensive approach. Their bunting is phenomenal. He has these boys playing as one team and that’s all the credit to their head coach, Chase.”

“Coach Corniel was able to keep his team motivated throughout the season,” Perkins added. “He instilled confidence and work ethic to keep them motivated. Excellent job.”

Pitcher of the Year & Position Player of the Year by Honolulu Star-Advertiser on Scribd

All-State Baseball Selections by Honolulu Star-Advertiser on Scribd