Fresh off of a highly successful boys basketball season, Hanalani is breaking new ground this spring by fielding varsity baseball for the first time.<\/p>\n
Interest among its student athletes and parents fueled the project, according to athletic director Keoni Haole.<\/p>\n
“This is a huge baseball community, and it’s something they’ve been asking about for a long time, so we went and started a program,” he explained. “We’re just really excited about having baseball right now. There’s a different kind of pride in representing your school.”<\/p>\n
In the past, Hanalani students wanting to play baseball could try out for Pac-Five’s team. Now the<\/p>\n
Royals are one of five Division II teams competing in the ILH, along with Pac-Five, Damien, Maryknoll and Saint Francis.<\/p>\n
“It is very unusual, and we are one of only five (playing baseball),” said Haole, who coached Hanalani to an 19-7 record on the basketball court this winter. “Some schools have tried to have one, and it didn’t work out, but we’re excited to get it up and running.”<\/p>\n
Brian Tsutsui, who was named ILH DII Coach of the Year last spring at Pac-Five, has taken over Hanalani’s varsity program as head coach.<\/p>\n
The Mililani private school drew a tough assignment for its first official ILH varsity game against two-time defending DII state champ Maryknoll March 6, which it lost 11-2. “Not what we had hoped for,” Haole said of the final score, “but Maryknoll is a good team and the favorite to win the state tournament again.”<\/p>\n
Hanalani, which has 350 students in grades 7-12, has 16 players on its varsity baseball team and 16 players on its newly formed intermediate team. The school intends to field a JV team down the road.<\/p>\n
The varsity team currently practices at Central Oahu Regional Park, with most of its games at Hans L’Orange Park in Waipahu.<\/p>\n
“We feel like we have everything in place to compete — quality facilities and a baseball-rich community,” Haole said.<\/p>\n
As part of its ILH affiliation, the school also is eligible to compete for a berth in the DII state baseball tournament. The Royals must finish first or second in the regular season to punch their ticket for the postseason.<\/p>\n
“We have a 2-of-5 chance to make it,” Haole said.<\/p>\n
Hanalani returns to action at 11:30 a.m. Saturday against Maryknoll at Hans L’Orange. Other games at the Waipahu site are against Saint Francis March 24, Damien March 25, Pac-Five March 27, Maryknoll April 2 and Saint Francis April 4. The Royals also face Damien at Ala Wai Field April 7 and Pac-Five April 8 at Goeas Field in Hawaii Kai.<\/p>\n
jackster.1969@yahoo.com<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Fresh off of a highly successful boys basketball season, Hanalani is breaking new ground this spring by fielding varsity baseball..<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":41,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[120],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-50669","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-central-oahu-sports"],"yoast_head":"\n