[ HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL ]
Iolani makes it
to state title match
The two-time defending state champion Kamehameha boys volleyball team isn't the favorite in today's 2003 Nissan boys volleyball state championship.
That role belongs to top-seeded Iolani, the Interscholastic League of Honolulu champion.
Still, the Warriors aren't exactly the underdog in today's battle.
Kamehameha plays league rival Iolani today at 7 p.m. at the Stan Sheriff Center for the state championship. The Raiders (17-2) have won two of the previous three meetings against the Warriors (18-2) this season.
"They've been favored all year. They're the top-seed in the tournament," said Kamehameha coach Pono Ma'a minutes after his team swept Maui Interscholastic League champion Seabury Hall yesterday. "Our job is to knock them off. We feel confident that we're going to go in and play our best.
"We've been on both sides ... it just comes down to who's better prepared for tomorrow."
Kamehameha beat Seabury Hall 25-20, 25-23 in the second semifinal of the state tournament at the McKinley High School gym to set up the all-ILH final. The Raiders advanced earlier after defeating Kealakehe.
Kamehameha setter Ainoa Miyashiro knows the Warriors will need everybody to play their part for a three-peat.
"The time that we won, we jumped on them early and we had an attack that came from all sides of the court," said Miyashiro, who was referring to the Warriors victory in the second round of ILH play. "The other times that we lost, we were kind of one-dimensional. So that will be our goal."
If yesterday was any indication, Kamehameha could be celebrating an unprecedented third straight championship. The Warriors rode the powerful arms of outside hitters Ronson Olaso (11 kills) and Adam Tuifagu (10 kills) to today's match. Sophomore Kory Matsukado also added five kills.
At times, it didn't seem like a sure thing that the Warriors would be facing the Raiders for the fourth time this season. No team had more than a two point lead until Kamehameha capitalized on a few Seabury Hall errors to pull ahead 18-14 in Game 1. From there the Warriors didn't look back and Tuifagu punctuated the game with his eighth kill of the match.
Seabury Hall had several chances but had to play catch up all of Game 2 after falling behind 5-1. Each time the Spartans got close, an unforced error would swing the momentum back to Kamehameha.
The Warriors never managed to slow Spartan outside hitter Corey Spence, who rifled a match-high 15 kills through the Kamehameha defense.
"I don't think you can (stop him). I think when a player like that is on, you just got to let him get his kills and focus on shutting down the other guys because he's a great player," Ma'a said. "As much as we adjusted our block to him, he made all his adjustments too. He's a great player. ...We couldn't take care of him but we did a pretty good job on the other guys."
Iolani 2, Kealakehe 0: Iolani knows it can't start slow again today. The Raiders were whistled for several mishandled-ball calls in Game 1 yesterday but still dispatched Kealakehe 25-21, 25-12.
"We're not taking any credit from Kealakehe, but our future is going to be determined on our side," Iolani coach Luis Ramirez said. "We have to do a lot better job mentally."
Todd Blankenship led Iolani with nine kills and three blocks. The Iolani attack eventually stabilized behind the setting and hitting combo of senior Sean Carney (five kills, four blocks) and sophomore Kawika Shoji (six kills, two aces), who fed each other constantly in the Raiders' 6-2 offense.
Game 1 went back and forth with 10 ties until Iolani took control late in the game. With the scoreboard even at 20, the Raiders closed out the game on a 5-1 run. Blankenship scored four of Iolani's last five points with three kills and a block.
"They played a great defense," Waveriders coach Roddy Yomes said. "That's what prevailed in the end."
In Game 2, Iolani scored 10 unanswered points, mostly from Kealakehe errors, to take a 13-2 lead and cruise the rest of the way.
Kyle Teves finished with seven kills for the Waveriders.
Kalaheo 2, Ka'u 0: Sam Wilhoite had 11 kills and two blocks to lead the Mustangs to a 25-23, 25-19 win over the Trojans. William Elliot chipped in six kills and two aces.
Elias Navarro led Ka'u with eight kills.
Maui 2, Mililani 1: Maui reached the fifth-place match with a come-from-behind 23-25, 25-18, 25-17 win over Mililani. The Sabers barely lost Game 1 before rebounding to win two straight over the Trojans. Ikon-Kai Wood crushed 11 kills and Maui got eight kills each from Jeff Skrotzki, Kalaniku Clark and Gene Rivera.
Puna Neumann had a match-high 13 kills for the Trojans.
Waiakea 2, Kahuku 0: The Warriors used a balanced attack to beat the Red Raiders 25-20, 25-22. James Creekmur drilled seven kills and two aces for Waiakea. Kacy Goldstein and Napua Cabatu added six kills apiece for the Warriors. Brandon Carr had seven kills and two aces for Kahuku.
Waiakea will play Maui in the fifth-place contest today at 1:30 p.m.
