The are no dynasties in Hawaii prep softball, but there is near certainty.
With ace Taryn Irimata in the circle, Campbell enters this week’s DataHouse/HHSAA Softball State Championships as the top seed. The Lady Sabers also have the No. 1 ranking in the Star-Advertiser Softball Top 10 this week, their seventh week in a row at the top.
In OIA play, Irimata struck out 100 batters with just nine walks in 75 innings with a 1.03 ERA.
At 21-1-3 overall, Campbell won its first OIA title since 2019 last week. David Perreira guided the program to its first state crown in 2010, and current coach Shag Hermosura led the team to a three-peat run from ’15 to ’17. Only one other school has won three titles in a row: Kailua (1981-83, 1995-97).
The OIA West’s rise to prominence with state championships began with Mililani’s first state crown in 2005 under Rose Antonio, followed by a state title for Pearl City (Keoke Behic) in ’06. Then came Mililani’s title run in ’09, followed by Campbell under Perreira a year later.
After a three-year run by ILH teams, Mililani won the state championship in ’14, followed by Campbell’s three-peat powered in large part by future All-American Jocelyn Alo.
Leilehua (Wendell Au) took the ’18 title, followed by ‘Iolani’s rise to the throne in ’19 (Benny Agbayani).
After two years without a state tournament, Maryknoll ascended to the title in ’22, but the Spartans did not qualify this spring.
The only blemishes on Campbell’s resume were in preseason: a scoreless tie with Kamehameha and a 3-all tie with Waianae at the Glenn Ah Sam Trojan Classic; a 5-0 loss to Maryknoll and another 0-0 tie with Kamehameha at Pac-Five’s tournament.
Star-Advertiser Softball Top 10
May 1, 2023
Rank School (1st) (Record) Pts LW
1. Campbell (9) (21-1-3, 10-0 OIA reg. season) 90 1
> bye
> next: vs. Maui-Kapolei winner, Wednesday
2. Waianae (14-3-1, 8-2 OIA reg. season) 80 2
> bye
> next: vs. Leilehua, today
3. Kamehameha (19-5-2, 8-4 ILH reg. season) 73 3
> won at No. 4 ‘iolani 9-4, Monday
> next: vs. Hilo-Mililani winner, Wednesday
4. ‘Iolani (18-6-1, 10-2 ILH reg. season) 63 4
> lost to No. 3 Kamehameha 9-4, Monday
> next: vs. Kaiser, today
5. Mililani (21-6-1, 5-5 OIA reg. season) 44 5
> bye
> next: vs. Hilo, today
6. Maryknoll (13-10, 6-6 ILH reg. season) 35 6
7. Baldwin (13-3, 11-1 MIL reg. season) 31 8
> def. King Kekaulike 11-7, Monday
> def. Maui 6-5 (8 inn), Wednesday
> next: vs. Waianae-Leilehua winner, Wednesday
8. Kaiser (19-8-2, 11-1 OIA reg. season) 27 7
> bye
> next: vs. ‘Iolani, today
9. Punahou (14-14, 6-6 ILH reg. season) 21 9
10. Kapolei (10-11, 3-7 OIA reg. season) 12 10
> bye
> next: vs. Maui, today
Also receiving votes: Waimea 9, Maui 6, Nanakuli 2, Leilehua 1, Pac-Five 1.
