Maddela, Kikukawa-Teriong earn top honors | News, Sports, Jobs
Baldwin High School’s Levi Maddela (in photo) and Molokai High School’s Solomon Kikukawa-Teriong (second photo) helped lead their teams to MIL titles this season. The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photos
Levi Maddela and Solomon Kikukawa-Teriong are both well aware of the rich history of baseball in the Maui Interscholastic League.
The Baldwin and Molokai high school seniors, in fact, left their marks on the league and have several baseball traits in common, including pitching and playing center field during the 2023 season.
Their most notable trait as they depart is that Maddela and Kikukawa-Teriong are the choices of the coaches as The Maui News MIL Players of the Year, for Division I and II, respectively.
Maddela, a left-hander, had surgery last week to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder and faces a four-month rehabilitation period before he starts his career at the University of Hawaii.
“It’s really cool seeing all the Maui boys doing what they do best, making Maui proud and it excites me to know that I can be doing that next year,” Maddela said of his pending UH career.
Molokai High School’s Solomon Kikukawa-Teriong
Maddela added that he has been playing with the injury since last year and the shoulder popped out of joint several times over the last two seasons.
“I had surgery last week Thursday and everything went well. From now, I just recover and try and come back stronger,” he said. “I actually hurt my labrum my junior year during our season. It happened against Kamehameha diving back to a base and ever since that time it popped out, like, six, seven times.
“It was frustrating, it just sucked, but I just played through it and waited until this moment to have my surgery.”
Maddela, who hit .354 with four doubles and a home run and added a 3.60 ERA with 12 strikeouts in 10 innings pitched in MIL play, is joined on the league first team by Bears teammates Kade Fujioka (pitcher), Anu Chaves (catcher), Kuhio Aloy (first base) and Bryson Nakamoto (utility); Kamehameha Maui’s Raige Velez (pitcher), Halii Dudoit (second base) and Ziah Chang (outfield); and Maui High’s Nick Nashiwa (third base), Nariyuki Dumlao (shortstop), Haiden Sanchez (outfield) and Jonah Richardson (utility).
Maddela admits that being told in March that surgery was necessary “was pretty heartbreaking, but there was nothing I could do. So, all I could do is just hope for the best and work hard and have a good attitude and come back stronger than now.”
The Bears recovered from a 1-6-1 slate in the preseason to go 13-1 in MIL play, winning their 12th straight pennant and advanced all the way to the state championship game, where they lost a heartbreaking 5-4 walk-off decision to Kamehameha Kapalama.
“Yes, I’m definitely happy that we did play through it,” Maddela said. “We had our ups and downs this season and I really never thought that we were going to make it this far, but we made it that far.”
It was the second straight one-run loss in the state final for the Bears — they lost 3-2 to Waiakea at Maehara Stadium in 2022.
“It was really a grind with the boys, we especially wanted another state championship after last year,” Maddela said. “And it was an exciting ride.”
Maddela knows all about the history of Baldwin baseball: 21 state final fours, 12 state championship games, six state titles. A big reason for that is his older brother, Isaiah Maddela, who was a standout for the Bears before graduating in 2014 and then playing at Ohlone College and NCAA Division II Shorter University in Georgia.
“It’s very cool to have all these awards and all that,” Levi Maddela said. “Seeing my brother play all those years in high school and throughout college, it motivated me to be like him and he was definitely my support and my help to get me to where I am right now.”
The MIL had seven graduates on NCAA Division I rosters in 2023, including Naighel Calderon and Ben Zeigler-Namoa at UH.
Maddela can’t wait to wear “Hawaii” across his chest.
“Man, that’s exciting to hear, I plan on working hard and getting the shoulder strong and trying to earn a starting position,” Maddela said. “I can’t even explain it, I’m so happy to rep my hometown and do what all the local boys are doing and follow (Hawaii) Coach Rich Hill’s plan and try to make it to the Big West (Conference) playoffs next year.”
Kikukawa-Teriong, who makes the MIL D-II team as a utility player, is joined on the All-Star first team by Farmers teammates Hoolei Arce (pitcher), Hokuao Arce (third base), Miken Loo (shortstop), Christian Nip (outfield), Kilinahe Puhi (outfield) and Kobra Cariaga-Abafo (utility); Seabury Hall’s Bryson Tasaki (pitcher) and Braydon Cabanilla (second base); and Lanai’s Aiden Hough (catcher), Johnny Baltero (first base) and Samuel Dimaya III (outfield).
“It kind of surprised me a little bit,” Kikukawa-Teriong said of his award. “I mean, we’ve got a lot of good players on our team and I thought it could have gone either way with a lot of guys on our team, to be honest, but it’s very appreciated to make the player of the year.”
The Farmers won their ninth straight MIL D-II pennant this season behind their seven first-team All-Stars, a few of whom came back to play with the school after spending time at other schools.
“We had a lot of good fun, it was my senior year so I tried to enjoy it as much as I could and it was nice to have some of the players like Hokuao to come out from other schools and come back and play with us — it was good to be able to play with him,” Kikukawa-Teriong said. “And especially the guys from last year, I missed playing with them, so it was good to have one last ride with them this season.”
Kikukawa-Teriong said he will remember his time with the nucleus of this Farmers team forever.
“Most of them have been around since Little League days, been playing with them,” Kikukawa-Teriong said. “So, we got a good connection from especially when we were younger.”
Saven Kaahanui was the MIL D-II Player of the Year last year and the 2022 Molokai High grad is a good friend of Kikukawa-Teriong’s.
“It’s a really cool list to join,” Kikukawa-Teriong said. “My guy Saven, me and him are good friends. He kind of helped me too last year, with developing some of my skills. Yup, it’s good to be on that list with those guys.”
MIL championship coaches Craig Okita of Baldwin and Keahi Rawlins of Molokai were the choices of their peers as MIL coaches of the year.
* Robert Collias is at rcollias@mauinews.com.
• Division I Second Team
Jaxon WongKing KekaulikePitcherJr.
Kadon AntolinBaldwinPitcherJr.
Duke AloyKamehameha MauiCatcherSo.
Japheth JoaquinKamehameha MauiFirst baseSr.
Christopher MataMaui HighSecond baseSr.
Shiloh GillilandKamehameha MauiThird baseSo.
Laakea KoBaldwinShortstopSo.
Christian DominoBaldwinOutfieldJr.
Taydem HashimotoKing KekaulikeOutfieldSo.
Nakea KahalehauKamehameha MauiOutfieldSo.
Lyrik KahulaLahainalunaUtilityJr.
Jacob PoouahiKing KekaulikeUtilitySr.
• Division II Second Team
Iokepa KoanuiLanaiPitcherFr.
Kaaha Kalanikau-AkunaHanaPitcherSo.
Kawika HelekahiHanaCatcherJr.
Kian ToledoMolokaiFirst baseJr.
Jaidon VidadLanaiSecond baseFr.
Haa DancilSeabury HallThird baseFr.
Jake BarcenaLanaiShortstopSo.
Carter RosenthalSeabury HallOutfieldSo.
Liam MabbuttSeabury HallOutfieldSr.
Reece EtrataLanaiOutfieldSr.
Max StoneSeabury HallUtilitySr.
Murray BrownSeabury HallUtilityFr.
• Honorable Mention
Division I–Baldwin: Kaden Anderson, Isaac Iwamura, Caleb Miyake-Matsubayashi; Kamehameha Maui: Laiku Wong; King Kekaulike: Kamakalei Stone; Lahainaluna: Dane Markulis, Chevus Nahooikaika, Talan Toshikio, Kolaiah-Dhustin Villa; Maui High: David Vergel de Dios, Kanale Kuloloia.
Division II–Hana: Isaac Kristiansen, Zar Lecker-Tolentino, Maua Malaiakini; Lanai: Kelly Thomson; Molokai: Heath Lopez, Clarence Tanabe; Seabury Hall: Asher Halik, Kayden Volner, Max Jordan-Thobe.
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