Maui High Wins Boys Div. I State Baseball Championship

Maui High head coach Chase Corniel talks to OC16 after ending a state championship drought of 35 years Saturday with a 6-1 victory over Waiakea at Les Murakami Stadium. Photo from OC16 broadcast.

By MauiNow Staff

Can you say, “Maui No Ka Oi!”

The Sabers from Maui High School have been saying it all week at the Wally Yonamine Foundation Division I State Baseball Tournament, and Saturday the unseeded team from the Valley Isle earned its first state baseball crown in 35 years.

The Sabers defeated Waiakea 6-1 in the first all-Neighbor Island DI finale since 2012 when Waiakea beat Baldwin 5-2.

A Les Murakami Stadium crowd of 1,925 watched Maui High continue its hot-hitting streak, bunching together five runs on five hits in the bottom of the sixth inning. The Sabers finished with 39 hits in 114 at bats.

“They were awesome. They put the gas to the pedal and never looked back,” said Maui High head coach Chase Corniel, before getting a Gatorade shower as he was being interviewed after the game by OC16. “I’m very proud of them. We would like to thank all the Maui fans back home and the ones who followed us here. We would like to thank the parents, the administration — Michael Ban, Jamie Yap and all the vice-principals — and Coach Lee Yonamine, who developed this program. I’m just proud of this team.”

Maui High’s Mikito Barkman had three hits Saturday and was chosen OC16’s Impact Player of the Game. Photo from OC16 broadcast.

Corniel said he was too overwhelmed to be able to describe what it is like to win a state championship after 35 years.

“I’m speechless, I can’t describe it, but I’m just happy that these guys bounced back and played together. These kids are just amazing, they are very talented and I wish them the best, especially the seniors.”

For the second straight season the Neighbor Island teams prevailed as DI and DII state champions, respectively. Last year it was Baldwin and Kamehameha-Hawaii who emerged tournament winners. On Saturday, Kauai claimed its second Division II state title since the Hawaii High School Athletic Association adopted a two-tournament system.

The win also marks the MIL’s first back-to-back state titles since Molokai won in 1999 and 2000.

The Sabers closed out the season with a 14-5 record, not bad considering the team finished third in the Maui Interscholastic League, behind league champion Baldwin and runner-up Kamehameha-Maui.

Win or lose, a hero’s welcome was being planned for the Sabers when they return home this morning. Saturday’s victory snapped another drought, as it’s been 22 years in between state championships. The last one came in boys track and field in 1995.

Maui High’s Micah Jio flashes the “shaka” sign to friends in the stands after hitting a triple Saturday in a 6-1 win over Waiakea. Photo from OC16 broadcast.

An invasion of Royal Blue — the Sabers’ team colors — is expected at 8:30 a.m., at Kahului Airport, for when the team arrives.

The Sabers’ strong middle defense put four infielders on the All-Tournament Team. Senior catcher Bryant Nakagawa, Waylin Golis-Bacos (third base), Jyrah Lalim (shortstop) and Kao Mindoro (second baseman) were among the infielders selected. The lone outfielder was Micah Jio, the senior leadoff batter and multi-position player who batted .500 in the tournament with nine runs scored and four RBIs.

The biggest contributor, however, was Maui High junior Mikito Barkman, the DI tourney’s Most Outstanding Player. Barkman, who gave up just one earned run, scattered four Waiakea hits in six innings of work for his second win in as many days. The right-hander also beat Campbell in relief at Friday’s semifinals.

Maui High softball player Nawai Kaupe shows her support for the team, following Micah Jio’s triple in the sixth inning. The senior leadoff batter was one of six Saber players named to the All-Tournament Team, following the school’s 6-1 win over Waiakea Saturday. Photo from OC16 broadcast.

At the plate, Barkman was equally successful, going 7 for 11 with four RBIs. Against Waiakea he was 3-for-3.

“We know we have a good defense backing our pitcher, we just had to make plays,” said Barkman, the OC16’s Impact Player of the Game. “It feels unbelievable, I can’t believe this is happening to us tonight.”

The Sabers led 1-0 going into the sixth inning, before No. 9 batter Lalim ripped a two-run double. Lalim had clutch at-bats late in every game, finishing 1 for 3 with a run scored and two RBIs Saturday.

Wally Yonamine Foundation Division I Baseball Tournament

Waiakea Warriors vs. Maui High School
Apr 29, 2017 at Les Murakami Stadium

Waiakea Warriors 1 (17-3,3-1 HHSAA)

Maui High 6 (14-5,4-0 HHSAA)