Peters' leadership vital to Red Raiders
By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer
 |
| Kahuku's Michelle Tuli Peters showed off her "excellent" leaping ability against St. Joseph's last year.
Advertiser library photo • Nov. 15, 2001 |
"She's an excellent leaper," Kahuku coach Mona Ah Hoy said of her returning outside hitter. "That's what (college) coaches first notice."
Peters, who prefers to be called by her middle name Tuli (short for Tulimalefo'i), is one of five returning starters for the defending O'ahu Interscholastic Association girls' champions, who placed fifth in last year's state tournament.
The other four senior returnees are setter Lesina Funaki, outside hitter Nicole Po'uha, middle blocker Krisha Kai and defensive specialist Alberta Letoa. In fact, most of Kahuku's players have been playing since they were fourth- graders for the North Shore Volleyball Club, an offseason club to which they still belong.
"We've been together pretty long," said Peters, a second-team all-state selection last year. "We pretty much know how to play together."
The lone starter lost by graduation is Grace George, a second-team all-state pick.
Peters played a vital role in helping the Red Raiders upset then-previously undefeated Kalani, 15-12, 15-8, for the OIA championship last season. She tallied 15 kills, 11 digs and two blocks in the match.
Ah Hoy said Peters provides the team with leadership, which she has learned as the oldest of three children in a single-parent home. After her father passed away in 1997, Peters said her mother, Mary, furthered her education at Brigham Young-Hawai'i. Now she teaches seventh and eighth grade special education at Kahuku High and Intermediate.
"It's good" that she is on campus, Peters said of her mother. "She knows what's going on around school."
Meanwhile, Peters is hoping she can go to college, too, preferably on a volleyball scholarship. Fresno State and San Jose State, as well as Utah Valley State junior college, have shown interest in Tuli, Ah Hoy said.
Although she plays soccer (forward) and basketball (guard and post), Peters said volleyball is her future. She credits Ah Hoy for her success.
"Because she was a former player, she's been there, done that," Tuli said. "She helps me in every aspect of the game."
The Red Raiders are coming off a strong preseason, winning McKinley's 32-team Longy Okamoto Classic (they beat Punahou and Kamehameha in the semifinals and final, respectively) after placing fifth in the Iolani tournament. This past weekend, Kahuku won its own tournament at BYUH.
The Red Raiders open the season Thursday against McKinley.
Peters is not the only all-star returning to the OIA courts this season.
Kalani sophomore outside hitter Tamari Miyashiro was a second-team all-state pick last year and shared OIA East co-Player of the Year honors with Moanalua outside hitter Patti Hardimon, an honorable mention all-state selection as a junior last year.
Hardimon's Menehune also are contenders in the OIA. They won the Kamehameha tournament.
• • •
Today
ILH
Boys at 5 p.m., girls at 6:30 p.m.
Punahou at Kamehameha
Maryknoll at Mid-Pacific
Thursday
OIA East
JV girls 5 p.m., varsity girls 6 p.m., varsity boys 7 p.m., unless noted
Kailua at Kalani
McKinley at Kahuku
Kaimuki at Farrington
Kalaheo at Kaiser
Moanalua at Roosevelt
Friday
ILH
Boys at 5:30 p.m., girls at 7 p.m., unless noted
University at Damien (boys)
University vs. St. Francis at Damien (girls)
Lutheran at Iolani (boys)
La Pietra at Iolani (girls)
St. Andrew's vs. Hanalani at Sacred Hearts (girls), 5:30 p.m.
Hawai'i Baptist at Sacred Hearts (girls), 7 p.m.
Hanalani vs. Lutheran (boys), 5:30 p.m.
Hawai'i Baptist vs. St. Louis (boys), 7 p.m.
Saturday
ILH
St. Andrew's vs. St. Francis at Damien (girls), 1:30 p.m.
Lutheran at Damien (boys), 3 p.m.
Punahou at Hawai'i Baptist (boys), 1:30 p.m.
Punahou at Hawai'i Baptist (girls), 3 p.m.
Maryknoll at Iolani (girls), 1:30 p.m.
Maryknoll at Iolani (boys), 3 p.m.
Sacred Hearts vs. Hanalani at Klum (girls), noon
La Pietra vs. University at Klum (girls), 1:30 p.m.
Lutheran vs. University at Klum (boys), 3 p.m.
St. Louis vs. Hanalani at Klum (boys), 4:30 p.m.
Kamehameha at Mid-Pacific (girls), 5:30 p.m.
Kamehameha at Mid-Pacific (boys), 7 p.m.
OIA West
JV girls at 10 a.m., varsity girls at 11 a.m., boys at noon
Radford at Wai'anae
Waialua at Pearl City
Nanakuli at Leilehua
'Aiea at Mililani
Waipahu at Campbell
