Posted on: Friday, November 12, 2004
Hana, Waiakea take on ILH in boys' volleyball semis
| • | Results, schedules |
By Leila Wai
Advertiser Staff Writer
KEA'AU, Hawai'i — Hana High made the most of its return to the state playoffs, defeating Kahuku, 20-25, 25-17, 25-20, in a quarterfinal match of the HHSAA/Nissan Boys State Volleyball Championships yesterday at the Kamehameha-Hawai'i Campus gymnasium.
The Maui Interscholastic League's and fourth-seeded Hana (12-0) plays top-seeded Punahou (14-0), which beat Kohala, in one semifinal match at 6:30 tonight.
No. 2 seed Waiakea and Kamehameha-O'ahu meet in the other semifinal at 8 p.m.
Hana was successful in its first state tournament appearance in 20 years, despite a pre-match distraction.
Instead of their normal uniforms, the Dragons were wearing T-shirts printed for them yesterday morning after two players' bags were sent to Australia.
"It made us want it more," senior outside hitter Bryce Oliveira said. "It gave us more motivation."
He noted that members of the team couldn't just switch jerseys because the team would be down a point to start the match because of rules.
"We just came together; the uniforms didn't matter," said senior middle blocker Stephen Henderson, who said he regretted being unable to use the team's new uniforms that were ordered for the MIL championships.
He said just because the team won yesterday's match with their new T-shirt uniforms, he didn't think they would use them again.
"I hope not, we won MIL's with the other ones," said Henderson, who said the jerseys were scheduled to arrive in Hilo at around 11 last night.
Hana's motivation to win showed early in the first game, as it built a 16-10 lead. But led by five kills by junior outside hitter Charles Bell, Kahuku scored 13 straight points, giving it a 23-16 lead. Another kill by Bell and a Hana error ended the game.
"We thought it was going to roll over, but the ball just went in the wrong direction," Kahuku coach Howard Kaululaau said.
"All throughout the season we played slow in the first game," Hana coach Manuel Oliveira, cousin of Bryce, said.
Hana used a run of its own to capture game 2. With the score tied at 10 — the fourth tie of the game — Hana went on a 12-3 run to make it 22-13. While the Red Raiders would rally for three straight points to close to 23-16, they would score only one more as Hana closed out the game.
The Dragons continued to coast in the third game, building a 19-10 lead. Kahuku fought back to make it 22-20, but two errors and a block by Henderson ended the match.
Henderson finished with a match-high seven blocks, and Oliveira had 11 kills. Kahuku's Bell finished with a match-high 12 kills.
• • • Punahou def. Kohala, 25-8, 25-13: Top-seeded Punahou (14-0) used an obvious height advantage to easily put away the BIIF's second seed, Kohala. Senior outside hitter Kaohu Berg-Hee had eight kills and junior middle blocker Matthew Brown added six to lead the Buffanblu, the ILH champion. Kohala (15-5), with several players 5 feet 5 or shorter, struggled against Punahou's height. No player listed on Punahou's roster is shorter than 5-10; seven players are 6-3 or taller. Punahou's height allowed it to pick up eight blocks.
Kamehameha-O'ahu def. Kalaheo, 25-18, 15-10: Kamehameha made sure there were no OIA schools remaining in state title contention, handing OIA champion and third-seeded Kalaheo (13-1) its first loss of the season. Senior outside hitter Ronson Olaso had eight kills, junior outside hitter Kory Matsukado seven, and senior outside hitter Ernest Vidinha and senior middle blocker Kinsley Shelton six apiece for the Warriors (13-3), who hit .538. Kalaheo junior outside hitter Elias David had a team-high eight kills, leading the way for the Mustangs, who were held to a .184 hitting percentage. Waiakea def. Kaua'i, 25-11, 25-20: The second-seeded and Big Island Interscholastic Federation champion made quick work of Kaua'i (9-1). Aided by spurts in Game 1, the Warriors (18-1) had two six-point runs and two four-point runs. The Warriors jumped ahead again in the second game, with an 8-3 lead early. But the Red Raiders came back, tying the game at 15. The Warriors, aided by five Kaua'i errors, outscored the Red Raiders 10-5 down the stretch to win the match. Waiakea senior outside hitter Jonah Kalima and senior middle blocker Jamie Napua Cabatu had seven kills apiece. Kaua'i's Vaafuti Tavana had a match-high nine kills. CONSOLATION Kealakehe def. Nanakuli, 25-20, 26-28, 25-23: Senior outside hitter Ioane Spencer had 19 kills, 10 digs and three blocks as the Waves (13-6), the BIIF's third seed, eliminated the Golden Hawks from the tournament. Nanakuli (9-7) senior outside hitter Aaron Amaral had a team-high 15 kills for the OIA's fourth seed. GIRLS TOURNAMENT
At King Kekaulike High School
Quarterfinals
Punahou def. Kalani, 25-16, 25-18: Spencer Rigg and Larissa Nordyke each had seven kills to lead the top-seeded Buffanblu (17-0) over the Falcons (13-4), who hit .000 for the match. Aneli Cubi-Otineru, last year's Advertiser State Player of the Year, did not play for Punahou. Cubi-Otineru had 20 kills in a four-game victory over Kamehameha last Thursday when the Buffanblu captured the ILH championship. It was her first match this season after sitting out because of academic trouble.
Kahuku def. 'Aiea 24-26, 25-15, 25-22: Second-seeded Kahuku, the O'ahu Interscholastic Association champion, got a scare from 'Aiea, but rallied to advance to tonight's semifinals. Ane Vea had 16 kills and Camilla Ah Hoy 10 to help the Red Raiders (14-1) rally from a first-game loss. Lelani Kleman-Maeva put down a match-high 20 kills for Na Ali'i (12-3). Moanalua def. Kamehameha-Hawai'i 27-25, 25-16: OIA runner-up Moanalua (14-2) got 10 kills and three aces from Danie Hout and 22 assists and eight digs from Lena Yee to defeat fourth-seeded Kamehameha-Hawai'i (15-2). Kamehameha-O'ahu def. Kamehameha-Maui, 25-15, 25-18: ILH runner-up Kamehameha of O'ahu (16-2) swept past third-seeded Kamehameha-Maui (13-1) to make it an all-O'ahu semifinal. Alexis Robins had five kills and six digs for Kamehameha-O'ahu. CONSOLATION
Kaua'i def. Baldwin, 23-25, 25-20, 25-18: Tina Moger had 15 kills and four aces to lead the Red Raiders (8-3) over the Bears (11-4). At King Kekaulike High School Gymnasium (Pukalani, Maui) Wednesday First round Yesterday Consolation bracket Quarterfinals Today Semifinals Tomorrow NISSAN BOYS STATE VOLLEYBALL At Kamehameha Schools-Hawai'i (Kea'au, Big Island) Wednesday First Round Yesterday Consolation bracket Quarterfinals Today Semifinals Tomorrow
Pukalani, Maui
NISSAN GIRLS STATE VOLLEYBALL
