Kahuku hitter Te'o tops in Red East
By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Wriiter
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Kahuku senior Nile Te'o gave the Red Raiders steady if not spectacular all-around play in each of their 12 regular-season matches.
The net result was a 12-0 record for Kahuku in the O'ahu Interscholastic Association's Red Conference Eastern Division and division Player of the Year honors for Te'o, a 5-foot-6 outside hitter, after a recent vote of league coaches.
Te'o contributed from every spot in the rotation, serving tough, playing solid defense, landing smart kills and helping put up timely blocks, along with other intangibles.
"Definitely she was solid all season," Red Raiders coach Uila Fotu Vendiola said. "She was one of our team captains, and she showed leadership on and off the court. She had a great season and was a big part of the success of our team."
Te'o had 16 kills in a five-set victory over Moanalua to clinch the OIA Red East title, but her value was not just in putting up big numbers.
"What she brought was consistency," Fotu Vendiola said. "She was one of our biggest weapons on offense, but even if she was a little off with her hitting, she still would contribute in other ways and make up for it with her defense or serving. She was somebody who could play all the way around (the rotation) and give you a strong all-around game."
Te'o is joined on the Red East all-star first team by fellow Red Raider Amanda Tonga, Moanalua's Carsen Mata, Latricia Taifane and Ashley Asing, Farrington's Keui Remigio and Brandy Vergado-Duclayan, and McKinley's Teri Loli.
Tonga is a 6-foot junior middle blocker, Mata a 5-7 junior setter/outside hitter, Taifane a 5-11 senior middle blocker, Asing a 5-foot senior libero, Remigio a 5-9 senior middle blocker, Vergado-Duclayan a 5-5 junior setter and Loli a 5-8 junior middle blocker.
Fotu Vendiola was named Coach of the Year.
In the OIA White Conference Eastern Division, Kailua's Kayzsa-Ann Konohia was named Player of the Year.
Konohia, a 5-6 junior outside hitter, helped the Surfriders win the White East with an 11-1 record.
She is joined on the division's all-star first team by fellow Surfriders Ashlin Akau (5-7 senior middle hitter), Nycole Masaki (5-6 junior setter) and Jasmine Mahi-Beamer (5-1 junior libero), Castle's Osana Aukuso (5-5 senior outside hitter/middle blocker) and Malie Garcia (5-3 sophomore outside hitter/setter), Kaimuki's Luisa Mikaele (6-1 senior hitter/blocker) and Puanani Akaka (5-2 junior hitter/blocker), and Kaiser's Sarah Epstein (5-9 junior hitter/blocker).
Castle's Brannan Bajet was named Coach of the Year.
Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com.