Welcome back, Junior.

Kahuku senior outside hitter Junior Ale helped lead the Red Raiders to a first-round state tournament win in his first match of the season, returning to the team to help out his former teammates.

Kahuku defeated Radford, 21-25, 25-17, 25-14, at the HHSAA/NewCityNissan.com Boys Division I Volleyball State Championships last night at McKinley High School gym.

Kahuku (11-6) advances to the quarterfinals to play Maui Interscholastic League champion Moloka'i today at 3:30 p.m. Radford (14-2) plays Roosevelt at 2 p.m. today in a consolation match.

In what might be the smallest roster in state tournament history, Kahuku — depleted because of injuries, academic problems and members quitting — had only six players.

"Six players, that's small, but we have a lot of heart," Ale said.

He had 14 kills, 10 digs and two blocks, and senior outside hitter Charles Bell had a match-high 16 kills, with 10 digs, for the Red Raiders, who had to forfeit their fifth-place O'ahu Interscholastic Association match last Saturday because a player quit the team, giving them five members.

"We were sad when we only had five players," Bell said. "It's a blessing from God; we were about to take (Ale) off the roster."

Ale heard about their plight, and because he was still on the team's eligibility roster — Kahuku coach Howard Kaululaau said, "I did it for this reason. I never knew what would happen, and it worked out" — he asked Kaululaau if he could return to help out the team.

"The players were really distraught," Kaululaau said. "Saturday morning I got a call from Junior and he asked, 'Coach, what can I do to help the boys out?'"

Ale, an OIA Eastern Division second-team volleyball all-star last season, was an Advertiser All-State first-team selection for basketball, and had previously decided not to play volleyball so he could concentrate on basketball.

"I felt so sorry for the guys who trained all summer long," Ale said. "I came back for them. I just have so much love for them."

Game 1 was close, with no team gaining more than a 3-point advantage, until Radford took a 21-17 lead on a kill by senior middle blocker Glen Klaiber.

Kahuku closed to 21-20, but Radford went on a 4-1 run, winning it on a kill by senior outside hitter Anthony Babas.

Kahuku started game 2 with a 10-4 lead, led by two kills by junior middle Jarren Kaio, who also served four straight points. The Red Raiders went up 20-9 on a kill by Ale.

"If you looked at Junior during the game, he was pointing to his heart," Kaululaau said. "That's the kind of leadership role I missed."

Game 3 was all Red Raiders, who took leads of 7-2, 11-4, 18-10 and 22-13. Ale had two kills to set up match point, and Kaio ended it with a kill.

"I think (Kahuku's small roster) did affect (us)," Radford coach Damon Reyes said. "For Kahuku, it probably fired them up."

Babas finished with seven kills and Klaiber had six for Radford.

Iolani def. Castle: Iolani survived a scare from Castle, winning, 26-28, 25-14, 26-24. Game 1 was close until the end, when Castle had a 24-21 lead. But a Castle error made it 24-22, and a kill by Kawika Shoji gave the Raiders their 23rd point, with a four-hit violation tying the game at 24. A net violation by Iolani gave the Knights a 25-24 lead on their fourth game point, but Shoji tied it again at 25 on a kill. Kealli Bertlemann's kill gave the Knights a 27-26 lead, and Shoji was blocked by Keala Aulevala to give Castle the win. Iolani controlled game 2 from the start, with help from a 7-0 run that gave it a 18-7 lead. Iolani led by as much as 13-8 in game 3, but Castle, aided by seven Iolani errors, tied it at 17. The Knights went up, 24-22, but Iolani saved two match points on kills by Shoji. His third straight kill gave the Raiders their first match point, and Castle couldn't return an attempt by Bradley Lawson.

WaiAkea def. Roosevelt: Waiakea jumped ahead to an early lead of 7-1 and maintained its cushion through the rest of game 1. Things got tougher in game 2, but the Warriors defeated the Rough Riders, 25-17, 25-21. Roosevelt led 10-5 to start game 2, before the Warriors tie it at 11. The game was tied five more times before Waiakea scored three of the final four points.

Pearl City def. Kamehameha-Maui: Pearl City's Gary Panui had a team-high six kills to lead the Chargers to a win, 25-23, 25-17. Libero Michael Tanouye had eight digs for Pearl City.

Kamehameha-Maui's Kamuela Kalehuawehe-Valentin had seven kills.

Reach Leila Wai at lwai@honoluluadvertiser.com.