Has it really been 20 years?
That was the most common sentiment shared on Thursday night among members of the 2005 West O‘ahu Little League team, the first from Hawai‘i to win a Little League World Series title.
The All-Star team from ‘Ewa Beach was among the inductees in the Hawai‘i Sports Hall of Fame's Class of 2025, along with world champion weightlifter Anthony Leiato, former University of Hawai‘i football star Chad Owens and Olympic sailing medalists David McFaull and Michael Rothwell.
Players from the 2005 West O‘ahu Little League team, now in their early 30s, created a legacy that continues to be perpetuated by Hawai‘i's best Little League teams. Back in 2005, they were making Hawai‘i's third appearance in the Little League World Series since 1988.
Since West O‘ahu's victory in 2005, eight teams from the state have made it to Williamsport, Pa., with Waipio Little League winning the 2008 title and Honolulu Little League winning it all in 2018 and 2022. Honolulu Little League is back in the 2025 tournament, led by manager Gerald Oda.
The recent and massive influx of Hawai‘i teams making the Little League World Series followed a trail blazed by West O‘ahu Little League. The entire state was captivated and galvanized by the team's unbeaten summer 2005 run, capped by Michael Memea's walk-off home run against defending LLWS champion Curacao in the title game.
"Looking back at it, man, 20 years is something crazy," Memea told Aloha State Daily on Thursday. "It feels like yesterday that we were there."
Memea's baseball journey continued at Damien before transferring to Campbell. He then played one season at Linn-Benton Community College in Oregon before ultimately calling it a career.
Memea moved to North Las Vegas five years ago, where he works in the security department of a local high school. He briefly coached baseball, but now coaches wrestling. On the Mainland, he says "not too many" people recognize him from his championship moment on national television.
After flying back to the Islands for Thursday's induction banquet, Memea says he remains in touch with some of his former teammates via social media.
"People remind me all the time about the World Series. I try not to talk about it too much," Memea said. "I try to keep humble, but it feels like yesterday that we were playing, especially when we watch other Hawai‘i teams playing."
With Honolulu Little League's run at the 2025 LLWS set to get underway on Friday against Connecticut's Fairfield National Little League, Memea says he'll be tuning in.
"Not just for the Little League World Series, but any team from Hawai‘i, any sport I usually follow," Memea said. "I got my Spectrum (cable), I got ESPN. So, I watch Hawai‘i sports all the time. It's awesome, just cheering for them."
When 2005 West O‘ahu Little League All-Star manager Layton Aliviado gave a brief speech following the team's induction, he attributed the team's success to "practicing until dark." Every player on the roster is done playing baseball competitively, though some play recreationally. Some, such as Maryknoll head baseball coach Alaka‘i Aglipay, continue to give back to the game.
Ever the competitor, when Memea was asked how the 2005 team stacks up against the other Hawai‘i teams that have won the Little League World Series, he still gives the boys from ‘Ewa Beach the edge.
"Being kind of biased because it's our team, but I feel like we would (win) because of all that running, all that extra stuff we did just to even get there," he said. "Our coaches made sure we stayed in top shape. Just to the team that's in Williamsport right now: good luck with everything. Listen to your coaches. Just go out there and have fun."
Christian Shimabuku can be reached at christian@alohastatedaily.com.
