2019 Baseball/Softball

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Re: 2019 Baseball/Softball

Post by HS Football Fanatic »

This is an open letter to the Leilehua High softball team:

I was pulling for you in last night's D1 State final. I don't care very much for Iolani School, while Leilehua High is totally OK with me; there's nothing about that school that I dislike. So, I didn't want the Raiders to win the title, especially on TV. Worse, the Raiders' boys' volleyball team was playing for the D1 State title at the same time, and that match was also on TV, on a different channel. Therefore, I was faced with the prospect of seeing the Raiders win two State titles on the same night, and on TV. I was relieved that the Raiders' volleyball team did not prevail. (I'm trying to use diplomatic wording, as I realize that Iolani alumni can read this post, too, and I want to avoid being callously rude to them. I respect that they have feelings, too.)

Anyway, I wouldn't be creating this post if your loss were close, though it would still bother me, as this was the championship game. But, given the final score, I was very frustrated and resentful. (Well, not resentful towards you.) For the seniors, you'll be graduating this month, so there's not much you can do about that loss. But, I congratulate you for helping your school reach the title game. (Also, congratulations on your graduation, and best wishes for the future!) I wish to ask the girls who will be returning next year to remember this loss. I feel that your team and your school were humiliated, and I would love to see this humiliation avenged next season. I would also like to say the same to the JV girls who will be joining the vars next year. Of course, no one knows what the future holds, but I hope you make it to States again next year. And, if you play the Raiders again, whether it's on the first day, the title game, or any game in-between, I hope that this time you'll prevail. It doesn't have to be a blowout win, even a one-run win would suffice. After all, a win is a win. Again, I'm sorry about last night's outcome, but I hope that you'll be able to redeem your team's honor and your school's honor next season. Please do your best in any case, whether you make it to States or not. Last night's game really bothered me, and I felt bad for you. I'm just a fan of high school sports who wanted to send a message of support for you, as well as a message of encouragement for next season.

Thank you. Go Mules!

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Re: 2019 Baseball/Softball

Post by HS Football Fanatic »

Well, I regret that Mililani High lost the State D1 baseball championship, but I'm not going to post an open letter to them like I did to Leilehua High's softball team. For one, the game was relatively close, 7-3. At one point early in the game, the Trojans were up 2-0, then lost the lead, than got back to trailing 4-3. So, it's not like the Puns blew them out. Too bad the Trojans didn't pitch Shiigi against the Puns. They pitched him against Kamehameha Schools two days earlier. Shiigi pitched an outstanding game against the Warriors. Had he been able to pitch that way against the Puns, the Trojans would have had a fighting chance, no doubt. Of course, the Trojans' two errors against the Puns didn't help, though I don't know if those errors led to runs. The trouble with baseball is that it's all in the pitching rotation. Sometimes a school's ace isn't available for a title game, because he pitched less than four days earlier. (Well, I don't know if Shiigi was Mililani's ace, but the way he pitched against Kamehameha, I wouldn't be surprised if he were.) Mililani coach Hirayama said, after the title game, that the Puns have no flaws as a team. But, the Warriors beat them 7-0 near the end of the ILH regular season. Anyway, I couldn't bring myself to watch the Puns celebrate. Well, I saw it once, and it really stuck in my craw. I couldn't take it; I had to click to a different channel.

This was the second State title game in as many weeks won by a school that I'm not exactly a fan of. Mililani alumni who are pissed about the baseball outcome can at least cheer their alma mater on against the Puns when football season begins. (I'm assuming that the Open division returns this coming season.) I think the Trojans will be the underdog, but when Mililani alumni see current students of the school cheering-on the football team, and hear the band play, that might help heal the pain of the baseball loss. But, that's some three months away. All Mililani alumni can do now is bide their time, and that can be so hard sometimes. I mean, you want to take some kind of action, you want to cheer-on your old school, but you gotta wait, for months. Sucks. Championships have consequences, just as elections do.

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Re: 2019 Baseball/Softball

Post by gopunahou »

Even though we lose a lot of key seniors, we should be the favorites to take the title next year. Having Koa Eldredge will ALWAYS give us a chance. Baldwin will be our biggest threat.
Punahou Football: 12-1, 2008 ILH and State Champions! 11-0, 2013 ILH and State Champions, a team for the ages!

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Re: 2019 Baseball/Softball

Post by HS Football Fanatic »

gopunahou wrote: Sat May 18, 2019 11:43 pm Even though we lose a lot of key seniors, we should be the favorites to take the title next year. Having Koa Eldredge will ALWAYS give us a chance. Baldwin will be our biggest threat.
@gopunahou: Baldwin had been ranked #1 all season, but they may have been overrated. But then again, maybe not. The guy they were going to pitch against Mililani came-down with stomach flu, so he couldn't play. If he hadn't gotten sick, would Baldwin have beaten Mililani? The game was close enough, a 1-run difference. If they had won, that would have pitted them against Punahou. I have a hunch that if Mililani had pitched Shiigi against Punahou, they might have won. Two days earlier, he pitched a gem against Kamehameha, winning 4-0. Could he have beaten Punahou in the title game, say, 4-2? We'll never know. Anyway, does Baldwin have that many returnees, that they'll be Punahou's biggest threat? And/or, was their JV good?

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