The arrangement for years has been for Damien to automatically qualify for the HHSAA Division II baseball tournament as the ILH's only team in the lower division.
In turn, the Monarchs played a full ILH Division I schedule, taking their lumps along the way but emerging from it a better team come state tournament time. In 2022, the Monarchs went 2-12 in ILH play before winning three times in three days to win the state Division II crown. Damien won again in 2023 after going 3-11 in ILH play.
The Monarchs returned to the D-II state championship game in 2024, but were routed 12-1 by Kamehameha-Hawai‘i. On Saturday, the Monarchs redeemed themselves, topping Kapa‘a 3-1 on Saturday at Les Murakami Stadium.
What made the 2025 season different for Damien? The Monarchs proved to be one of the best teams in the state, regardless of division. They stood toe to toe with the ILH's best teams, jumping out to a 5-0 start. Damien finished its regular season 9-6, which would have put it in position to qualify for the Division I state tournament.
"It definitely was fun in the ILH, winning some games over there. Usually we've been taking some beatings," Damien head coach Skyler Tengan said after taking a Gatorade shower from his players on Saturday. "This season in general is probably one of the most fun ones I've been a part of, and I guess we'll just have to enjoy it now and then rebuild for next year."
Damien and Kapa‘a both scored all its runs in the first inning on Saturday, with the Monarchs registering just two hits in total. Cade Lurito, Tanaloa Seguaancia and Aaron Rapoza split the pitching duties for Damien, with Seguaancia striking our four in three perfect innings of relief and Rapoza locking down the save in a 1-2-3 frame in the seventh.
"Usually it's hard to win a game with two hits, but the pitching and the defense kind of carried us through, and it's kind of been our MO most of the season," Tengan said. "So, we'll definitely take it."
Added Rapoza, who was named the Division II tournament's Most Outstanding Player: "Just pure enjoyment. I'm speechless right now. I'm just so proud of the boys on how hard they worked this season."
Over at Iron Maehara Stadium on Maui, Saint Louis won the ILH Division I title with a 5-0 win over Waiakea. Senior Lincoln Pang tossed a shutout, allowing just three hits and a walk to go with his two strikeouts.
The Crusaders won a state baseball title for the first time since 2014. Meanwhile, head coach Benny Agbayani won a state title as a head coach after winning one as 'Iolani's softball coach in 2019. His son, Bruin, was named the Division I tournament Most Outstanding Player after going 8-for-14 at the plate with two triples, two doubles and a home run at the plate. He also had a save on the mound in the team's quarterfinal win over Mililani.
The Monarchs and Crusaders split their season series in 2025. Damien won 6-5 on March 22, while Saint Louis took a 4-3 game on April 3.
"Our coaches, they work their butts off to strategize and just do all the little things to help us win," Rapozo said. "We just go out there, we trust the coaches and we had nothing to lose. All the DI schools, we wanted to beat them, and we set our mind to it, and we did.
"Last year, it was just kind of frustration and disappointment, but the boys, they knew what they had to do. We all worked hard in the offseason, everyone, especially preseason. We just went out there and grinded."
Christian Shimabuku can be reached at christian@alohastatedaily.com.
