Posted on: Tuesday, December 4, 2001

State champion Iolani places three on first team

Advertiser Staff

Iolani's girls volleyball program started innocently in 1979, shortly after the school went co-educational for the first time in its 116-year history.

Iolani coach Ann Kang, left, and Outside hitter/setter Kanoe Kamana'o led the Raiders to their first state tournament title appearance since 1987. Kang was named Coach of the Year and Kamana'o, Player of the Year after the Raiders finished this past season 20-0 and won the state championship. Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser

Leading the way was junior setter/outside hitter Kanoe Kamana'o, who was named ILH Player of the Year. Kamana'o played libero with USA Volleyball's Junior National Team at the 16-nation Junior World Championships in September, which attests to her ball-handling skills.

But at 5 feet 8, Kamana'o was needed by the Raiders to provide depth at outside hitter and to set when the rotation called for it. She also was one of Iolani's strongest servers.

Kamana'o seemed to play her best in the biggest matches. She had 12 kills to help the Raiders beat Punahou, 15-6, 3-15, 15-12, 9-15, 15-11, in the ILH championship-clinching match.

Kamana'o is joined on the ILH all-star first team by senior teammates La'akea Campbell (5-10, outside hitter) and Ashley Elliazar (5-8, outside hitter), Punahou senior Michelle Look (5-10, outside hitter) and freshman Aneli Otineru (5-9, outside hitter), La Pietra senior Nanea Holmes (5-10, setter) and St. Francis senior Liz Narkon (6-0, middle blocker).

Kang, who guided the Raiders to their first state tournament appearance since 1987, was named Coach of the Year. She credited assistants Rona Kekauoha and Chris Blake with helping develop the Raiders, who had 10 underclassmen on their roster.