OIA volleyball finals set
By Wes Nakama
Advertiser staff writer
Moanalua High School's boys are one match away from claiming their first O'ahu Interscholastic Association volleyball championship and Kalani's girls will try for their first OIA crown since 1972 after semifinal victories at Kalani last night.
Moanalua defeated Kalaheo, 7-15, 15-12, 15-13, in a match ending with controversy and Kalani swept Pearl City, 15-1, 15-7.
In another semifinal doubleheader at Wai'anae, Pearl City's boys defeated Farrington, 15-4, 15-8, and Kahuku's girls defeated Wai'anae, 15-5, 15-4.
Moanalua (10-2) will play Pearl City (11-0) for the boys title at 5:30 p.m. tomorrow at Stan Sheriff Center, followed by Kalani (12-0) vs. Kahuku (9-3) for the girls championship at 7. Both matches will be televised live on Oceanic 16.
Moanalua advanced after rallying from an 11-12 deficit in the rally-scoring third game. The Menehune tied the score at 12, but on the next rally, an inadvertent whistle was blown just as Moanalua sent a free ball over the net. A replay was called, and a Moanalua player reacted by slamming his hand into the padding on the referee's stand. He was ejected from the match, and the serve but no point was awarded to Kalaheo (9-2).
Moanalua won the next point on a lift call, but Kalaheo tied it on a kill by Charles Elliott. The Menehune then won the next two points and the match on a lift and hitting error by the Mustangs.
After the match, Kalaheo coach Sivan Leoni said the ejection rule actually benefitted Moanalua, because in rally scoring a team usually would prefer to receive rather than serve. Mustangs assistant Gavin Cook said umpire Pat Akana, the OIA volleyball commissioner, explained to him that had the player only received a yellow card (warning) and not been ejected, Kalaheo would have been awarded a point. But since he was ejected, the Mustangs were only awarded the serve.
Leoni, after going home and doing research in the 2001 National Federation rule book, said that ruling was incorrect.
Citing a paragraph in Section 2, Article 8, Rule 12, Leoni said in the case of an ejected player, "a point/sideout is awarded to the oppoing team."
Under that rule, Leoni said, Kalaheo should have been up 13-12, since in rally scoring a sideout is a point.
Moanalua coach Doug Hee said he was not aware of that rule, and he apologized for his player's reaction.
"Our emotion is so high, because we have a lot of seniors," Hee said. "Nobody expected us to get this far. But he shouldn't have done it; he let his emotion get the best of him."
Setter Jacob Gaison led the Menehune with eight kills, seven on off-speed hits. Ben Schirmer added seven kills and Teruo Nagasako contributed four blocks.
Moanalua had 18 blocks total.
Justin Pedrina led Kalaheo with 10 kills and Ikaika Francis added eight kills. Shawn Ah Mow had four blocks for the Mustangs.
Kalani's girls, meanwhile, will be playing for their first OIA title since coach Dave Shoji led the Falcons to the 1972 crown.
Marisa Okamoto served Kalani to an 8-0 lead in the first game and finished with 13 kills and three aces. Tamari Miyashiro added five kills. Brandy Kele led Pearl City (10-2) with four kills.
