Mackenzie Valentin wasn’t just an amazing softball player — she was the heart of her team.

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Mackenzie Valentin wasn’t just an amazing softball player — she was the heart of her team.

The 17-year-old Valentin was tragically killed June 4 in a vehicular accident on Daniel K. Inouye Highway, sending shockwaves through her family and the Hilo High community, including the Vikings softball team, where she was a four-year member.

Valentin was a talented first baseman and pitcher who wore her heart on her sleeve. She was an All-BIIF selection throughout her four years, but during her senior season, she led Hilo in hits, runs and RBI while batting .450.

Valentin posted several multi-hit games across the Vikings’ conference-runner-up campaign, including a three-hit, three-RBI performance against Konawaena in late February.

In her final game as a Viking on May 6, Valentin fittingly homered against Punahou — ending her softball career on one of the highest notes possible.

But it won’t be the highlights, monster performances and Valentin’s sheer talent that the Vikings will miss. Valentin was much more than just a great player — she was a mentor, companion and sister to everyone involved on the team. Her presence was invaluable to Hilo’s program as a team captain, which is what most of her teammates will remember her for.

Several people involved with Hilo High’s softball program graciously spoke with West Hawaii Today to commemorate Valentin, recalling the type of player, person and teammate she was on a daily basis. Three of these individuals were former teammates of Valentin — Taleila Isabel, Palehua Silva and Kaylie Caceres.

Isabel — an incoming sophomore — looked up to Valentin since their early softball days, long before they were high school teammates. Starting at catcher as a freshman, Isabel faced a lot of pressure and expectation to perform well at a young age, which understandably caused occasional frustration on the practice field.

But whenever Isabel was down, Valentin was there to pick her right back up. While Valentin was more shy and reserved off the field, Isabel expressed that she was a proud leader of women on the diamond.

“I knew that I would need someone like her to shape me up and shape up my attitude on the field,” Isabel recalled to the paper. “All of the bad moods, mistakes and the things that would make me mad, she would always tell me to calm down and let it go by showing me her beautiful smile she always had — even when she was pushing through pain or pushing through something hard.

“On the field, she was hard on everyone. Not because she wanted to be, but because she saw the potential in each and every one of us when we couldn’t see it ourselves. It really showed how much I needed her as a big sister.”

Isabel explained that Valentin’s constant encouragement and ability to relate with every player will be near impossible to replace. Because of that, Isabel wants to dedicate the rest of her high school softball career in Valentin’s honor.

“Becoming a leader like her will be difficult because she was a strong woman on and off the field, ” Isabel continued. “She showed up for me and showed up for the people she loved and supported them in her own way of supporting her loved ones.

“Now that she’s gone, my heart is shattered and is aching. To honor her and her dreams, these next three years of playing softball will be all for her — every hit, every single, every double, every triple. And maybe, even a home run. I want her to look down on me and everyone she loves and see that we’re honoring her in a passion she always loved.”

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Caceres, a four-year teammate of Valentin, echoed many of Isabel’s thoughts — praising Valentin’s leadership and ability to keep her head up, even when she herself wasn’t playing well.

“I would describe Kenz as someone who would always put others before herself,” Caceres said. “She has touched so many people’s lives, and it is truly amazing to see what she accomplished. She was someone who would make sure you had everything you needed and made sure that you were good before she took care of herself. She knew how to keep everyone’s heads up and knew how to talk the team through it when the innings got tough.”

But like Isabel, Caceres described Valentin as much different off the field. While Caceres and Valentin weren’t the best of friends at first, Caceres grew to appreciate the special relationship they built over time.

“At first we weren’t fans of each other, but honestly, that’s how the best friendships form,” Caceres said. “Kenz off the field is a totally different person — kind-hearted, caring and just full of so much laughter. She was always making her little jokes and we would all laugh. No matter how bad her jokes were, it would always end in such a good laugh.

“Her kindness touched many hearts, she would go and give food and blankets to the homeless, and as much as she wasn’t a social butterfly, little did she know that she was.

“I know she’s watching over me and everyone else. I will forever be grateful for the times that we shared and I will continue to keep her memory alive.”

Silva, a 2026 Maryknoll graduate who played with Valentin on the Vikings during their freshmen season, saw her former teammate as someone she could always count on — whether that was in softball or in life outside of the sport.

“At first, Kenz can be a little shy, but once you get to know her, she can be anything but shy,” Silva explained. “From the beginning, she made me laugh and was someone I could always count on.

“On the field, she was the kind of teammate and leader people naturally looked up to. She used to tell me she looked up to me, but honestly, I was the one looking up to her. She always knew how to keep me grounded and brought out the best in the people around her. Off the field, she was super easygoing and always just enjoyed being around her friends. She had a way of making the people feel loved, valued and cared for. I’ll always be grateful for the friendship we shared.”

Gaylen, Noelani, Hau‘oli and Ku‘uipo Kalipi — former assistant coaches for Hilo — remember young Valentin quite well from her freshman season in 2023. While their time with Valentin was short, the memories made during that season will stay with them.

“We were lucky to be a part of Mackenzie’s short time on Earth and will cherish our many memories,” they wrote to the paper. “Much aloha to the Valentin ‘ohana.”

Gary Ahu, the Vikings head coach up until Valentin’s junior season, had a short but powerful way of describing her.

“Heart. Eye of the Tiger. Family,” he said. “Mackenzie knew what it meant to play with all three values. We will miss her.”

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