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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Thursday, April 10, 2008

PREPS
Wai'anae sweeps pair of OIA matches

Photo gallery: Waianae vs Pearl City volleyball

By Kyle Sakamoto
Advertiser Staff Writer

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Wai'anae's Aaron Fogatu fires a shot against the Pearl City double block in the second game.

JOAQUIN SIOPACK | The Honolulu Advertiser

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It took a while for Wai'anae head volleyball coach Fulton Dela Cruz and star player Aaron Fogatu to be reunited.

Now that they are, everything is just perfect.

Fogatu had 11 kills and just two hitting errors as host Wai'anae beat Pearl City, 25-15, 25-20, last night in an O'ahu Interscholastic Association Red West match.

Fogatu, a 5-foot-9 junior outside hitter, played two years for Dela Cruz as a youth in the Wai'anae Police Activities League. He is in his first year of high school volleyball after breaking his arm playing football.

"Aaron played for me when he was younger," Dela Cruz said. "He played a couple years with me and I ended up coaching high school ball. I'm glad to have him on the team. With the weapons he has, I'm glad to have him on my side."

Fogatu said he played for Dela Cruz as an 8- and 10-year-old. Back then, Dela Cruz said he "definitely" knew Fogatu would be a star volleyball player when he reached high school.

In other matches last night, Pearl City beat 'Aiea, 25-15, 25-14; and Wai'anae beat 'Aiea, 25-13, 25-18.

Wai'anae, ranked No. 4 in The Advertiser's Top 10 poll, improved to 8-0. No. 10 Pearl City is 5-3 and 'Aiea dropped to 2-6.

"We just wanted to keep our undefeated streak, and just push hard and work as a team," Fogatu said.

In the opening match, Wai'anae and Pearl City were tied seven times and there were four lead changes before either team reached double figures.

An 8-0 Wai'anae run with Mickey Molina serving gave the Seariders a 15-8 lead. Fogatu had three kills during the rally.

"We were trying to dig deep and we had that 8-0 run, and we tried to put the game away and not let them back in," Fogatu said.

The lead reached 21-11 after a double block by Eulopa Te'o and Anthony Robinson.

The Seariders led the second game 20-19 before pulling away. Robinson had two kills, and Marcus Fonoti had a kill and an ace on the match-ending 5-1 run. The other point came on a Chargers' hitting error.

Robinson, a 6-foot junior, added eight kills and two aces for Wai'anae.

"Anthony is an all-around guy," Dela Cruz said. "I love the way he plays. He's a year-round player."

For the match, Wai'anae had 30 kills, five aces and one block. It also had 14 hitting errors and seven service errors.

Pearl City had 10 kills, one ace and two blocks. The Chargers also had 18 hitting errors and six service errors.

"It was very disappointing," said Pearl City coach Bryson Martin. "I don't think we understood how big a game it was. We lost a lot of points on our errors."

PEARL CITY DEF. 'AIEA

Donovan Nieves had six kills and two aces, and Johnovan Tyrell added five kills as the Chargers beat Na Ali'i, 25-15, 25-14, in the second match of the night.

Pearl City's Scott Braceros served the first eight points of the match and the Chargers led by as many as 23-12 in the first game.

In the second game, Camren Nebrija served six in a row as Pearl City took a 9-2 lead.

Pearl City substituted freely during the match.

"I told them their job as upperclassmen and starters is to get the young guys in," Martin said.

WAI'ANAE DEF. 'AIEA

Desmond Dela Cruz had four kills and four aces, Aaron Robinson had seven kills, and Fonoti added six kills as the Seariders beat Na Ali'i, 25-13, 25-18, in the final match.

Fogatu (4 kills) and Anthony Robinson (3 kills) only played the first game.

Reach Kyle Sakamoto at ksakamoto@honoluluadvertiser.com.