Kaniela Tuipulotu has something his little sister wants.

''His exact words will probably be, 'it is nothing until you are a state champion,' '' Moana Tuipulotu said to The Maui News after being named the Maui Interscholastic League water polo Player of the Year for the third time in a row. ''He likes to hold that one above me like a carrot.'''

Next spring, Moana Tuipulotu may have a chance to match the state title Kaniela, a current standout defensive lineman at Arizona, won at Kahuku in 2006.

Moana's Lahainaluna High School team has made back-to-back appearances in the state semifinals, previously uncharted territory for the MIL in the sport of water polo.

''I think our team has made a big impact on Oahu teams — they didn't expect us to come out and do what we did,'' Moana Tuipulotu said. ''This year we gave Kahuku a good run for their money (in a 5-4 loss in the third-place game at state). I don't know — we made our mark, but we could have done better. We could be just as good as this next year, but we are losing a lot of senior talent in Mariah Gill, Alana Hendrickson, and Michelle Fuller.''

Tuipulotu is joined on the first team, chosen by the MIL's coaches, by four teammates — Hendrickson, Fuller, Mariah Gill, and Hailey Gill. The rest of the first team includes Kamehameha-Maui's Sulun Guth and Kanoe Steward, King Kekaulike's Haley Mulvihill and Baldwin's Arielle Obrero.

The MIL Coach of the Year is Lahainaluna's Will Hutchison. He watches Mariah Gill, Hendrickson and Fuller leave, but is thankful to have Tuipulotu back for one more season as a three-time Player of the Year choice.

The Lunas often toyed with their MIL brethren as the ran their unbeaten streak in league games to 24 over three seasons.

''Third time, a hat trick for Moana,'' Hutchison said.

It is a challenge for Hutchison to find a way to keep his team focused in the regular season, including the unquestioned best player in the MIL's young four-year history in the sport.

''That is the hard thing with her — coming up with something original to keep her challenged,'' Hutchison said. ''It is all about what she does in the water. She is the focus of our offense and when we play top teams, their goal is to try and take her away to the point where she can't disrupt their offense.''

Hutchison said that Tuipulotu definitely has the potential to join her brother, who attended Lahainaluna as a freshman before transferring to Kahuku, as an NCAA Division I athlete.

''Yes, I definitely think she has got the talent to be a D-I college water polo player,'' Hutchison said. ''I really see her as a defensive player at the next level. She has big moves and a big-time shot, too, but she pretty much never gets beat (on defense) and if she gets beat she never gets beat in the same way twice.''

Hutchison also said that the foundation for the Lunas current status among the state's elite started when Hailey Gill and Tuipulotu were freshmen three seasons ago.

''That is when our program became legitimate,'' he said. ''We started making state tournaments and started becoming one of the top teams in the state of Hawaii.''

Hutchison said Tuipulotu is also conscious of setting the foundation for the future as she takes extra time to tutor youngster Kayla Wall, an MIL honorable mention selection, in practice each day.

''I've got one more year with her and the challenge for me is to put her into situations to most successfully use her prowess,'' Hutchison said. ''We are trying to utilize her talents to make the team and entire program be successful. She intimidates a lot of girls, but she also takes the time to help a player like Kayla Wall. Poor Kayla, having to face Moana every day is like having to play against (San Antonio Spurs') Bruce Bowen every day.''

Moana Tuipulotu is a hula dancer for the Old Lahaina Luau and could have a future in the entertainment industry. Her brother, for one, is looking for that to happen after college.

''I would like to be seen as a college water polo player — that is what I really want to go for if I could,'' Moana Tuipulotu said. ''UCLA has been sending me stuff about their school, but that is pretty much about it as far as schools contacting me. My brother and I talk about it all the time and he makes sure that I am doing anything I can to get a scholarship for water polo. He gets on my butt about SATs and, I don't know, all this stuff.''

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