Kapaa High School players celebrate as they receive their gold medals after defeating Waimea 13-5 in the Division II softball state championship game Saturday night at Patsy Mink Field. The Maui News / ROBERT COLLIAS photos

KAHULUI — On a historic night for her team, island and league, Savannah Simons didn’t mind one bit that her name was mispronounced by nearly everyone all week long at the DataHouse/HHSAA Division II state softball tournament at Patsy Mink Field.

Simons smacked a two-run homer in the top of the first inning to give her Kapaa High School team a lead it would not relinquish in its 13-5 win over Waimea in the state final.

It is the first state softball title for Kapaa — and it came in the first all-Kauai Interscholastic Federation state championship game in any Hawaii High School Athletic Association sport.

Simons was named the Most Outstanding Player in the event, even as different public address announcers, coaches and Kapaa team parents said her name was pronounced “Simmons.”

“With one ‘M,’ Simons, yes,” the Warriors senior catcher said. “Some people get it, some don’t. It’s fine.”

The Kapaa and Waimea softball teams pose for photos after their state championship game Saturday at Patsy Mink Field. The game marked the first time two Kauai Interscholastic Federation teams faced off for a state title.

After her 8-for-10 three-game performance here that included two homers, three doubles, eight RBIs and six runs scored, it is doubtful that anyone from the Garden Isle will ever get Simons’ name wrong again.

The towering homer she sent well over the center-field fence in the top of the first inning on Saturday is something she will never forget.

“It just felt amazing, I was blessed with it,” Simons said. “I just … words can’t explain.”

The Warriors’ win in the finale was convincing — seven of their position players had hits in their 14-hit attack, five drove in runs and the top six hitters in the order scored runs.

Seijia Makanani pitched a complete game, allowed just two earned runs and nine hits, struck out four and walked four.

To play against their KIF rivals — the league has just three teams in most sports, including softball — was special.

The Warriors (12-3-1) won the KIF title after going 4-3-1 against the Menehunes (12-6-1), who had to beat a Big Island Interscholastic Federation team to garner the final spot in the 12-team state tournament.

“Those are like our sisters, they’re our sisters,” Simons said. “We hang out with them, everything. But, yeah, they’re like family to us.”

Waimea coach Teddy Perreira said Saturday night’s final was “really special. We’re representing Kauai, two strong teams coming from Kauai. We’ve been battling all season.

“Our team is young, we’re going to be back here. We’ll be back here again,” he said.

Both KIF teams rolled early in the tournament, outscoring three opponents 35-4 to reach the semifinals.

In the semifinals, Kapaa edged Waipahu 16-13 in a slugfest and Waimea beat Pac-Five 8-7 in a game that was protested with one out to go on Friday night. The protest was originally upheld late Friday evening before that decision was reversed on Saturday.

“It’s a blessing, it’s a blessing to coach these girls,” Kapaa coach Alani Silva said. “Waimea, they’re a really tough team. We played them all season long, they’re tough. Kauai has a lot of talent. These girls, they’re amazing.

“I knew it was going to be between us and them.”

Simons was emotional at the end of the night. She will continue her career at NCAA Division II Georgian Court University in Lakewood, N.J.

“I just wouldn’t be in the position I’m in without my team,” Simons said. “They’re just, they’re just amazing.”

Simons said she will never forget the Patsy Mink Field facility and the reception she and her team received from the Maui folks she met here.

“Oh, I love it, everyone’s so nice over here,” Simons said. “All the teams, we hung out with all the teams yesterday at our hotel. It was awesome.”

* Robert Collias is at rcollias@mauinews.com.

Kapaa3040240–13142

Waimea0030200– 593

Seijia Makanani and Savannah Simons; Taelor Camelo and Kayla Prigge. W–Makanani. L–Camelo. 2B–Kapaa, Kaia Davis-Caberto, Hailey Gibson; Waimea, Ryleah Torres, Kaled Huihui-Caberto, Hunter Akita. HR–Kapaa, Simons.

Leading hitters–Kapaa, Davis-Caberto 3-4, 3 runs; Simons 2-2, 4 runs, 2 RBIs; Kai-Lee Kupihea 3-5, 3 runs, 2 RBIs; Tira Ann Kaui 3-5, run, RBI. Waimea, Torres 3-4, 2 runs, 2 RBIs; Huihui-Caberto 3-4, run, RBI; Akita 2-4, RBI.

*****

Friday’s Result

LATE SEMIFINAL

WAIMEA 8, PAC-FIVE 7

Waimea0332000–8102

Pac-Five3002020–791

Taelor Camelo and Kayla Prigge; Miki-Ann Mochizuka and Kaiya Tom. W–Camelo. L–Mochizuka. 2B–Waimea, Sianni Sakai, Kalea Huihui-Caberto; Pac-Five, Milan Ah Yat, Rylie Kihara, Baylee Santos, Marisa Cabrera-Soto. 3B–Waimea, Huihui-Caberto, Hunter Akita. HR–Pac-Five, Ah Yat.

Leading hitters–Waimea, Sakai 2-4, RBI; Ryleah Torres 2-4, 2 runs; Huihui-Caberto 3-3, 3 runs, 2 RBIs. Pac-Five, Elyse Yoshioka 2-4, run; Ah Yat 2-3, 3 runs, 3 RBIs.

Saturday’s Results

THIRD-PLACE GAME

PAC-FIVE 8, WAIPAHU 5, 4 INNINGS

Waipahu3020–573

Pac-Five2006–881

Kristy Kitabayashi, Taylor Fukunaga (4) and Ryanne Yoshimura; Elyse Yoshioka, Miki-Ann Mochizuka (3) and Michizuka, Kaiya Tom (3). W–Michizuka. L–Kitabayashi. 2B–Waipahu, Yoshimura, Tom 2. 3B–Kendalyn Cordeiro-Feliciano. HR–Waipahu, Ah Yat.

Leading hitters–Waipahu, Yoshimura 2-2, 2 runs; Cordeiro-Feliciano 2-2, 2 runs, RBI. Pac-5, Tom 3-3, 2 runs, RBI.

FIFTH-PLACE GAME

HAWAII PREP 4, AIEA 0

Aiea0000000–022

Hawaii Prep000040x–471

Taja Souza and Trinity Caporus-Sant; Kinau Grace and Kyana Brucelas. W–Grace. L–Souza. 2B–Hawaii Prep, Kaila Kaahu.

Leading hitters–Aiea, Alina Faufata 2-3. Hawaii Prep, Kalena Akau 3-4, run; Kaahu 2-3, run, 2 RBIs; Grace 2-3, RBI.

CONSOLATION FINAL

NANAKULI 10, KAIMUKI 3, 5 INNINGS

Nanakuli03223–10101

Kaimuki00300– 362

Tiare Miura, Lexus Kotrys (5), Charyne Koko (5) and Haidyn Ioapa, Daniella Samson (5); Kira Moananu and Sue Kiko Alik. W–Miura. L–Moananu. 2B–Nanakuli, Shanti Calarruda, Samson.

Leading hitters–Nanakuli, Tili Keohuhu 2-2, run, 2 RBIs. Kaimuki, Kehai Noda 2-2.

Kapaa High School players celebrate as they receive their gold medals after defeating Waimea 13-5 in the Division II softball state championship game Saturday night at Patsy Mink Field. The Maui News / ROBERT COLLIAS photos The Kapaa and Waimea softball teams pose for photos after their state championship game Saturday at Patsy Mink Field. The game marked the first time two Kauai Interscholastic Federation teams faced off for a state title.

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