After years of being "a thorn in someone's side," the Roosevelt boys volleyball team came up smelling like roses last night, winning its first O'ahu Interscholastic Association title since 1980.

Against a Kalaheo team with history on its side, Roosevelt won 25-22, 25-23, utilizing superb defense and a never-back-down attitude on offense in the OIA championship match at McKinley in front of approximately 1,200 raucous fans.

"For a long time, we've been a thorn in someone's side," Roosevelt coach Kaui Mendonca said. "I tried to convey to (the Rough Riders) that they are a force."

Both Roosevelt (14-1) and Kalaheo (13-2) advance to the state tournament. Roosevelt will receive a first-round bye as the OIA's top seed.

Kalaheo, winner of the past two OIA championships, had a decided height advantage, with 11 players 6-feet or taller. Roosevelt had three.

"It feels good," Roosevelt senior outside hitter Jordan Murakami said. "You don't want to be underdogs, but if you are, it gives you more drive."

To combat the height disadvantage, Roosevelt "worked on passing and ball control," Mendonca said. "We worked on that good first pass so we could find the slight separation in their block."

Mendonca added that he brought in players to practice to help simulate Kalaheo's tall blockers.

And Murakami, who finished with a team-high 11 kills, Uluwehi Keaunui and Kaina Palama swung away freely per their coaches' orders.

"You have to go at it," Murakami said.

Defensively, Roosevelt popped up nearly every ball. "Our back-row attitude is that nothing touches the ground," Murakami said.

Kalaheo coach Gavin Cook said: "They do a good job trying to keep the balls alive, and they make you make errors. That's the type of team that gives us fits."

The Rough Riders fell behind early in Game 1, 8-3, only to climb back to tie it at 9 on a Kalaheo service error. Again they fell behind 19-14, only to tie it at 19 on a lift call on Kalaheo. Roosevelt took the lead at 23-22 on a kill by Murakami, then closed out the game on a Kalaheo hitting error and a kill by Keaunui.

"We made errors at the wrong point in the game," Cook said. "I told the players it's not a big deal at the beginning. But I think we were up 19-14? That's hard to deal with. Part of it can be attributed to Roosevelt making plays."

In Game 2 it was the Rough Riders with the early 11-7 advantage. But the Mustangs tied the score at 13 on a Roosevelt hitting error.

The game would be tied seven more times, the last at 23-all, before a kill by Murakami gave Roosevelt match point and a hitting error on Kalaheo ended the match.

Mendonca said the Rough Riders "have never missed the playoffs," but this year's group of seniors, including Murakami, Keaunui, Bryce Kozuki, Cory Amano and Kyle Maki, have been playing together so long that it helped give Roosevelt the push it needed to win the championship.

"Being on the same team so long helps them jell," Mendonca said. "A lot of them play club too, so it gives them the competitive spirit."

Reach Leila Wai at lwai@honoluluadvertiser.com.