Mililani boys 9-0 in OIA volleyball
By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer
MILILANI — One of the O'ahu Interscholastic Association's most intense rivalries lived up to its hype last night, as the unbeaten Mililani High School boys volleyball team staved off visiting Leilehua, 25-21, 28-26, before about 600 noisy fans.
The victory helped the Trojans (9-0) clinch at least a tie for the OIA Western Division championship — with one match remaining at 'Aiea tomorrow — plus the West's No. 1 seed in the league playoffs that begin next week.
Leilehua fell to 7-2; Mililani already defeated second-place Campbell (8-1).
"Playing Leilehua is always more intense, they always bring a bigger crowd with them," said Trojans senior outside hitter Aaron Fujimoto, who had a match-high 12 kills. "Plus, it was our last home match for the seniors, so that made it even more (intense)."
The Mules nearly disappointed the home team, however, when they went up 26-25 in the second game.
But the Trojans answered with a kill by Scott Neumann to tie it, then Puna Neumann won a joust at the net to put Mililani ahead 27-26.
Puna Neumann then landed another kill to end the match.
"We had trouble getting Puna his sets early on, but we found him in the second game and he came to play at the end," Trojans coach Kauanoe Eldredge said. "Leilehua is a strong team, and people better look out for them in the playoffs."
Among other things, the Mules showed their ability to come back from deficits in both games.
In the first game, Mililani jumped to a 16-6 lead, but Leilehua roared back to close it to 23-21 before the Trojans won it on an error and net violation.
In the second game, Mililani went up 23-19 and 24-21, but the Mules rallied and tied it at 24. An error put them up 25-24, and Puna Neumann's kill tied it again. A kill by Edward Garcia gave Leilehua a 26-25 lead, before the Neumanns scored three straight kills to win it.
"We just had to stay calm and go back to the basics," Fujimoto said of the late deficit. "We knew if we did that, we could get the sideout."
Mules coach Ernest Balignasay said several of the Trojans' points were scored later in rallies.
"They made good adjustments," Balignasay said. "We just couldn't play the second ball consistently. And it's hard to come back (from deficits)."
Puna Neumann finished with 11 kills, and Christopher Burt contributed four blocks. Garcia and Vernon Wilson each had six kills for Leilehua.
Eldredge said Fujimoto, in addition to his 12 kills, "put on a defensive show."
Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2456.
