Waipio Champs Return To Overwhelming Welcome
HONOLULU — Hawaii’s own Little League World Champions from Waipio returned to the islands on Monday night to hundreds of cheering family, friends and fans.
The team beat Mexico 12-3 in Williamsport, Penn., on Sunday to win the Little League World Championship.
Fire trucks escorted their plane to the terminal where the lieutenant governor met the team. Then it was time for the grand homecoming.
The boys from Waipio arrived exhausted but triumphant and mobbed by fans at the Honolulu International Airport.
Family, friends and fans exploded in cheers and screams as sheriff’s deputies led the team past the exuberant crowd. Proudly holding homemade signs, the crowd pressed against the rope to greet and congratulate the boys from Waipio.
The fans, which included classmates as well as emotional grandmothers, also clutched front pages of newspapers proclaiming the team the world’s best.
There were outstretched hands and aggressive autographs seekers.
The boys were showered with leis from family, friends and people they didn’t even know.
Through it all, the boys looked stunned, but happy.
“It feels really good. I never had this much fans, ever,” player Iolana Akau said.
“It felt really great, but then it didn’t really sink in until we got here and all,” pitcher Caleb Duhay said.
“We’ve been working real hard to come this far and win it all, and I’m so happy,” player Pikai Winchester said.
“It was really hard work because we faced a lot of good teams,” player Tanner Tokunaga said. “It was one of the best feelings of my life.”
Even the coaches were overwhelmed.
“We got calls from people saying there was overwhelming support from the islands, but (the kids are) not ready for this,” coach Kiha Akau said.
The team was down 5-1 in the last inning of the U.S. Championship on Saturday against Louisiana. The boys dug deep and made an improbable comeback to play Sunday’s world championships.
“Their resiliency is what gets us going through out this tournament,” head coach Timo Donahue said.
It was an amazing string of victories for the boys and a dream come true.
However, now it is back to reality. Some of the boys will stay home from school to recover for a day, but most will be back in classes that they have missed for weeks.