While the coach put his team's consistency in the Tai Mitchell tournament down to careful player selection and good training preparations, he also chose to single out captain Koshua Henry and right-winger Rangi Unuwai for special praise.
"[Henry is] small in stature, but hard on the line. He led from the front every game," said Wihapi.
The coach described number 14 Unuwai as an "all-round awesome rugby player".
After going down to Tauranga East 17-21 in the semi-final, the Maroon side found themselves once again competing for third-place.
Wihapi allowed himself a brief moment to wonder what might have been.
"West have been the most outstanding team over the tournament ... [but] we could have tested the Westies if we had made the final," he said.
"We'll never know."
But Wihapi said he had no regrets about his team's performances through the tournament.
"I can't ask for much more - we're very proud coaches."
Tauranga West manager Seamus Collins was ecstatic with the emphatic nature of his team's tournament win.
"It's been a fantastic week," said Collins.
"The boys have surprised us with what they have achieved in games."
The Tai Mitchell tournament is considered by many to be one of the most important events on the Bay of Plenty junior rugby calendar, and has close ties to Rotorua.
The original Tai Mitchell Shield was presented by well known Rotorua sports administrator Henry Taiporutu Mitchell in 1938, for competition among the primary school teams representing the Bay of Plenty Rugby sub-unions.
The tournament doubles as a trial for the Bay of Plenty Roller Mills team, which will represent the province at the northern regional tournament against sides from Northland, Auckland, Thames Valley, King Country, Waikato and North Harbour.
