The Saint Louis Crusaders met their moment. And, Benny Agbayani says, he’ll be around for more of them.

After Brotherhood marched through the Wally Yonamine Foundation/HHSAA Division I baseball championships last week, capped with a 5-0 win over Waiakea in Saturday’s championship at Iron Maehara Stadium in Wailuku, the former New York Met told Spectrum News he planned to stick around well beyond his second season.

Behind a three-hitter from senior left-hander Lincoln Pang, it was a joyous moment for the Saints, who will be inscribed on the perpetual Cartwright Cup for the third time, and first time since 2014.

As the Interscholastic League of Honolulu’s third-place team, Saint Louis completed the longshot, arduous task of winning four times and four days in a 12-team, one-and-done event that puts a premium on pitching depth.

“It feels awesome,” Agbayani said in a phone interview Monday. “I had to kind of pinch myself a little bit because it was day-by-day-by-day every game. So they really didn't have time to sit down and recuperate and after (Sunday), we kind of just sat down and kind of grasped everything.”

Agbayani’s son, senior shortstop Bruin, was named Most Outstanding Player in the tournament. The Michigan commit and MLB Draft prospect went 4-for-4 — a home run shy of the cycle — in a semifinal win over Kamehameha-Maui, then followed it up with a 2-for-3 performance with a RBI triple that he tried (unsuccessfully) to stretch into an inside-the-park home run in the title game.

Pang faced four over the minimum while pitching to contact, striking out two and walking one. Second baseman Ho‘omana Heffernan went 3-for-4. Drake Kenui caught the final out in left field off the bat of Hurley Soong, Waiakea’s hero in its semifinal win over Baldwin.

Pang, who was lightly used as a pitcher this season as he recovered from an arm injury, was told by Agbayani it was his game to win or lose that morning.

The senior said the Crusaders (15-6) approached every game as the underdog. They lost games to Pac-Five (twice) and to Division II Damien during the ILH season.

“I just came in with the right mentality, wanting the trophy more than ever,” Pang told Spectrum OC16’s Jimmy Bender. “And the defense had my back. I had one job, my coaches told me today, was just throw strikes, and I executed it (45 of 77 pitches).”

Agbayani acknowledged to Spectrum News that his longevity in the position was questioned in some corners with his son set to graduate. Agbayani coached the Iolani softball team, including his daughters, Aleia and Ailana to the 2019 championship, and was with Ailana for another state title game appearance for her senior year in 2022. He and Iolani parted ways in the ensuing offseason. (For his part, he says “they let me go.” An Iolani official did not comment Monday.)

“I don't do that kind of stuff. I'm there for the kids,” said Agbayani, who took over at Saint Louis when the school dismissed veteran George Gusman heading into the 2024 season.

“As long as I'm sane enough to coach them and I'm not making stupid mistakes, I'm going to be there for them until I can find somebody that can really fulfill my shoes or help these kids get where they need to be,” he said. “I'm there until (Saint Louis President) Glenn Medeiros or the ADs tell me I gotta go.”

Agbayani found another way to give one of his children an experience he never got. The Crusaders got to last year’s state semifinals, where they lost 1-0 to Maui High. At the time, Bruin was playing for Page High in Greensboro, N.C., so he wouldn’t have to sit out a year as an ILH-to-ILH transfer from Iolani.

Benny Agbayani starred at Hawaii Pacific and played outfielder for five years in the major leagues, most notably as a cult hero for the Mets from 1998 to 2001, but he never won a state title at his alma mater on the Kalaepohaku hillside.

“To do it with my daughters, to do it with my son is a special moment,” he said. “You can never take that away.”

“In my son's heart, I know he wanted me to coach him, but it was a blessing that I got the job at Saint Louis and he got the opportunity to come back and play at Saint Louis,” Agbayani added. “Hopefully we can win a team championship too. And I said, we just got to work hard and get there (to states). Once we get there, that's gonna be up to you to help this team win.”

It was a young group. A number of players had opportunities throughout the season, he said. Some worked out, and some didn't.

Agbayani said he thought his team had something brewing after it beat Kamehameha-Hawaii 5-1 in the first round on Wednesday.

“When Levi Perry took the mound, and we won that first game, I had a pretty good idea we’re gonna make a run,” he said. “I just kind of kept it to myself and kept it to my wife (Niela) where I just got to motivate them and let them believe that they can win this.”

Saint Louis followed it up with a 5-2 win over OIA champ Mililani on Thursday in which sophomore Jonah Brub and two relievers — Agbayani recorded two outs for the save — outdueled Kai Hirayama, who had a perfect game against Kailua in the OIA semifinals.

Jandon Perreira, a junior, combined with Trey Kaimiola on a two-hitter in the 6-1 win against KS-Maui in the semis.

The monarchy is now a dynasty.

The Damien Monarchs claimed the state Division II title for the third time in four years with their 3-1 win over Kapaa at Les Murakami Stadium on Saturday.

Coach Skyler Tengan’s program proved a threat to many of the ILH’s traditional powers during the regular season, and has now tied Maryknoll for the most D-II titles in state history with four. Tengan has authored three of them, with the Monarchs finishing runner-up to Kamehameha-Hawaii last year.

Freshman pitcher Tanaloa Seguancia was named tournament Most Outstanding Player after throwing three perfect middle innings in the title game.

“It’s honestly a blessing. My first time even playing for a school. It’s a dream come true,” Seguancia told Spectrum OC16’s Jordan Helle. “Never thought I’d even be here. I couldn’t do it without my team. … They were there for my downs and highs. I really have to thank them. It’s a team sport.”

Damien beat Pahoa 9-1 in the quarterfinals and Waianae 6-0 in the semifinals.

Damien (12-5) prevailed despite a two-hit outing by Kapaa’s Kaitin Mundon, who struck out six and walked one. Mundon went 2-for-3 with a double as the Warriors’ leadoff man.

The Monarchs scored all three of their runs in the first inning on an error, a balk and a wild pitch.

Leadoff hitter Aaron Rapoza worked a perfect seventh for the save.

Brian McInnis covers the state’s sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at brian.mcinnis@charter.com.