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Editor's note: With the cancelation of the spring sports season, each week we will take a look back at a game of significance from the same week of past seasons we've covered. Along with a brief summary of the game itself, we'll review the impact it had on the winning team's season and reflect upon some of the then-seniors who played a part in it.

GAME RECAP

The matchup took place on a Saturday night at historic Hans L'Orange Park and served as the OIA Division I championship game. The Chargers entered the contest with a record of 10-4 and were coming off of a hard-fought 7-6 semifinal win over Kailua just one day prior. Meanwhile, Na Menehune carried a 12-1-1 record into the game and cruised into the title bout after an 8-1 win over Leilehua in Thursday's quarterfinals and a 7-0 rout of host-Mililani in Friday's semis.

Pearl City drew first blood in the final when Kai Kealoha led off the game with a triple and scored on ground out. The score held until the top of the fifth inning, when the Chargers added a run on a Tyler Tokunaga RBI-single to score Kealoha.

But Moanalua did all of its damage in the bottom of the sixth, when it sent eight batters to the plate and scored four runs. Bronson Shim led off the frame with a double. After pinch hitter David Miyashiro reached on an error to put runners at the corners, James Higa got Na Menehune on the board with his RBI-single through the right side of the infield.

Kekoa Kaulukukui then laid down a sacrifice bunt to put a pair of runners in scoring position and Jordan DePonte was intentionally walked to load the bases for Miles Higa, James's twin brother. Miles Higa cashed in both the tying and go-ahead runs with his base-knock down the left-field line. Following a Pearl City pitching change, leadoff batter Michael Egami put down a squeeze bunt to plate DePonte for an insurance run.

The Chargers got within a run at 4-3 on a Chevas Numata sacrifice fly to score Tokunaga in the top of the seventh inning, but DePonte, who started the game at third base, got the final two outs to clinch the victory for Moanalua.

Moanalua used three pitchers in the win. Regan Lum allowed two runs on four hits with seven strikeouts and two walks in 4 2/3 innings, but did not factor into the final decision. Kamalu Kamoku was the pitcher of record, while DePonte recorded the save.

Numata was the losing pitcher for the Chargers. He gave up four runs — two of them earned — on six hits, with four strikeouts and five walks in 5 1/3 innings of work.

Pearl City was seeking to become the first school to win four consecutive OIA titles since Kailua did so from 2000 to 2003.

THE IMPACT

The win not only denied the Chargers a championship four-peat, it resulted in the only OIA baseball championship in program history for Moanalua and Scott Yamada, who is now in his 23rd season as head coach there.

This one, however, was for Zachary Manago, who passed away tragically in December of 2010, when he was fatally struck by a vehicle in a hit-and-run incident when he was riding his bicycle with a group of riders. Manago played baseball for Moanalua and had graduated in June of 2010. He was to play for Hawaii Pacific University the following year.

"This team had a mission going into the 2011 OIA championship game against Pearl City," Yamada said. "Their driving force was beloved friend and teammate Zachary Manago and the boys pulled together after the accident as they wanted to win it for Zach and his family."

Moanalua drew the No. 2 seed in the Wally Yonamine Foundation/HHSAA State Championships, which took place from May 4-7 at the University of Hawaii's Les Murakami Stadium.

After a 17-9 win over unseeded Hilo in the tournament quarterfinals, Na Menehune eked out a 4-3 semifinal victory over third-seeded Baldwin to set-up a rematch with Pearl City — this time for the state title.

The championship final, which was originally scheduled for Saturday night, was hampered by a length rain delay and eventually the game was postponed and rescheduled for the following Monday at Murakami Stadium. A pitcher's duel ensued between the Chargers' Numata and Na Menehune's Lum. The game was scoreless until the bottom of the sixth, when Bronson Shim's two-out single scored Kamoku.

However, Pearl City pulled ahead in dramatic fashion in the top of the seventh on Isaac Shim's soft liner to center to score both the tying and go-ahead runs. Numata went on to retire the Moanalua side in order in the bottom of the frame to lift the Chargers to the only state title in their program's history.

Pearl City finished with a record of 14-5 on the year, while Na Menehune posted a 15-2-1 mark.

Moanalua was represented on the All-Tournament team by first baseman Kamoku, second baseman Ross Hasegawa, third baseman DePonte and outfielder Bronson Shim.

Shortstop Tim Arakawa, who went on to star collegiately at Oklahoma State before being drafted by the Los Angeles Angels in the 23rd round (705th overall pick) in the 2015 MLB Draft, was selected as OIA East Player of the Year. He was joined on the first team by Lum, DePonte, Egami and Kamoku, while Shim was a second team selection. Yamada, in his 14th season as head coach at the time, earned Coach of the Year recognition.

HE SAID IT

"The (OIA championship) game was well-played — only one error committed by each team. Regan Lum pitched a gutty, strong four innings and the Higa brothers, James and Myles, came up clutch in the sixth inning. I was so happy for the boys because they worked so hard for it and we all missed Zach very much. The team felt accomplished and ecstatic winning for Zach and his family. After the game we visited the crash site and said a prayer. It was bittersweet. There were tears of joy and sorrow, we all missed Zach very much. The team always wanted to win for Zach and his family and this game proved to them that they had what was needed to win a state championship. They wanted to finish what they had started and had more drive after the win." -Scott Yamada

Yamada reflected upon some of the seniors on that team.

Tim Arakawa: "Tim was the glue of the team after Zach's passing. He was the youngest of the three Arakawa brothers — a combination of his older brother, Adam, and middle brother, Pete. His hardest critics were his mother and two older brothers, but (he) had the most talent of the Arakawa's."

Michael Egami: "Mike was the energy guy who couldn't sit still and was one of the most superstitious players that I ever had. On game days he had to eat a simian that I gave him. During his freshman year he was pitching in a JV game and someone took him deep, making him realize that he wasn't a pitcher and (he) went with being an outfielder."

Ross Hasegawa: "Ross was a pleasant surprise to us when he transferred to Moanalua during his sophomore year. Initially he had a hard time adjusting to our style of ball, but once he made the adjustment he became a quiet, yet steady contributor on the team."

Jordan Deponte: "Jordan always wanted to have the ball, whether on the mound or at the plate and especially when the game was on the line. His sophomore year was a turning point for him when he became a better student of the game. He started his junior and senior years for us at third base."

Brandon Kong: "Brandon was always the blue-collar guy who worked hard and never grumbled. He did a good job behind the plate controlling the pitchers during his senior year."

Todd Takabuki: "Todd knew his role on the team after transferring to Moanalua during his sophomore year. He wasn't fancy and focused on the fundamentals, allowing him to become one of our key pitchers and (he) also played first base when needed."

Kamalu Kamoku: "Kamalu also transferred to Moanalua during his sophomore year and was one oft he biggest, strongest guys that I ever had. During his senior year in a game at Kaiser, he hit the ball over the left-center fence, about three houses deep. It was the farthest ball I've ever seen, hit at an estimated 480 to 500 feet."

Regan Lum: "Regan put out gutty performances during both the OIA and state championship games. He knew his role on the team and filled in at first base, pitching and hitting when needed."

James Higa and Myles Higa: "James and Myles were clutch, big game players. Whenever we needed a clutch hit one of the Higa's were at-bat and came up clutch, making big plays offensively and defensively. The twins had different personalities: James was quiet and Myles was outgoing and kolohe."

David Miyashiro: "David was a team player and our ‘angel in the outfield.' During the OIA championship game, David started to flap his arms when the game was tight so that Zach would help us win the game and he did. David's father, coach Merl (pitching coach), was my high school baseball coach."

Bronson Shim: "Bronson was a workhorse and worked hard to be where he was, helping the team in pitching, defense and hitting. He always wanted to be on the field and became a starter during his sophomore year after beating out a senior and (he) never gave that spot back."

MOVING FORWARD

"The 2011 team remains a hard act to follow. The seniors set a precedent of winning, grinded out everything and had to overcome so much before winning this game. I knew that they would be successful no matter what and could overcome adversity time and time again. These boys would be successful, not only in baseball or their next chapter, but for the rest of their lives. I still keep in touch with a few of them and reflect upon how special their team really was." -Yamada

For the past nine years, Zachary Manago's Ride in Paradise, a tribute and memorial bike ride to celebrate the life of its namesake has taken place. This year's event, which was scheduled to take place on July 11, has been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the ride is slated to return on July 10, 2021 for its 10th edition. The last stretch of the ride takes place on Zachary M. Manago Memorial Bikeway on Ala Napunani street, which borders one side of Moanalua High School in Salt Lake. A dedication ceremony for the bikeway was held in April of 2018.

For more information on Zachary Manago's Ride in Paradise, visit https://www.hbl.org/zachsride/.