[ HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL ]

Girls race is wide open
in a very deep ILH

Folks, get a good glimpse of girls volleyball in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu when you can.

Top to bottom, it may well be the premier league in the nation. The 6-foot-4 giants of Mira Costa (Calif.) may not be present in the ILH, but skill-wise the league has few peers.

That's why finishing in the lower half of the 13-team league isn't necessarily indicative of how good -- and tough -- every team has become.

Punahou, Kamehameha, Iolani, Hawaii Baptist and Mid-Pacific are five of the top eight teams in the state.

"Besides Punahou, the rest of the ILH will be very competitive," Word of Life coach LeeAnn Satele said. "Anyone can win on any given day. Each team has solid players, with a couple of standouts, and that's because lots of girls are playing club ball in the offseason. I believe that it will come down to which team is prepared best for each game."

Even with its top player sidelined, Punahou has been brilliant in preseason. The only teams to take a set from the Buffanblu in preseason tournaments have been Kamehameha and Saint Francis.

The Troubadours were also the only team to take a set from Mira Costa, ranked second in the nation, at the Ann Kang Invitational three weeks ago.

The remaining teams are competitive: Word of Life, Maryknoll, La Pietra, Sacred Hearts, Saint Andrew's, Hanalani and Christian Academy. Not a single day off for any team in the ILH.

And the days of reckoning begin tomorrow with four matches, including Punahou's visit to Kamehameha.

Punahou simply won't be fazed. The Buffanblu have major artillery in all-state candidates Larissa Nordyke and Liz Kaaihue, both only sophomores. They are outstanding combo players who can patrol the middle and swing from the outside.

Diminutive Pomai Nuuhiwa is arguably the top setter in a league choked with talent at the position. Even Punahou's complementary players, like Kaui Robello, would be standouts at most other schools.

The big question on the minds of teams looking ahead to the state tourney is whether Aneli Otineru will return for Punahou. The senior outside hitter, who has accepted a scholarship offer to Hawaii, sat the entire preseason on academic probation.

And yet she's there every day with her team, and they continue without missing a beat. Coach Scott Rigg's team answered questions about their future without Otineru by demolishing foes at the Hawaii Invitational two weeks ago.

That leaves Kamehameha as a darkhorse. The Warriors lost plenty of firepower, including Mounia Nihipali (Fresno State) and Kristen Ponce (St. Martin's) to graduation. However, Chris Blake's team is fundamentally sound and has plenty of depth.

"It's going to be a real team effort," Blake said. "If one player drops off, we have another that can step in."

Outside hitter Chantelle Maduli (5-7, junior) and setter Doris Kometani (5-5, senior) are among the returnees. Jessica Bird (6-0, senior) is another sound player at middle. Kristal Tsukano, a junior, is one of the top servers in the state.

Iolani returns a boatload of key players, including setter Kapua Kamana'o. An infusion of new talent, including Lauren Minkel (5-9) and Monica Iosua (5-10), has helped a team that lost two middle blockers to graduation.

The aforementioned Saint Francis is a definite sleeper. Kawena Otineru, a 5-10 junior, provides a force outside, while Kanani Perry (5-4 junior) gives her team stability as the setter. A wealth of seniors, six in all, is another big plus for co-coaches Joe Otineru and Eric Perry.

Perhaps the best digging team in the state may be Hawaii Baptist. With just one player generously listed at 5-10 (Tiffany Chang), the Eagles have turned defense into an art form. In the ILH, that means withstanding slam after slam and, hopefully, wearing down less-fit teams.

Brandi Higa and Jayme Lee are among the core of Eagle defensive specialists who make life miserable for taller, impatient teams.

Mid-Pacific brings a lot of potential to the hardwood, but as the Owls showed against Punahou during the Hawaii Invitational, there is still a chasm. The Owls have Morgen Sullivan in the middle and versatile sophomore Danielle Mafua, who moves to setter this fall.

Word of Life boasts 6-foot, multi-sport standout Careena Onosai. The Firebrands aren't deep, with only eight players on the roster. However, they have the right ingredients and a veteran in Satele, who may be more familiar to some fans as former UH player LeeAnn Pestana.

Other key contributors will likely be Chanteal Satele (5-9, freshman), Shayna Onosai (5-8, sophomore), setter Dariess Wright (5-6, senior) and Charael Perry (5-6, senior). Satele and Onosai are outside hitters, while Perry is a middle.

"She's very athletic and can jump very well. She's a great team player who can swing on the outside with the best, but has sacrificed for the team," Satele said.

Sacred Hearts has remained competitive despite the loss of middle blocker Megan Burton, who transferred to Iolani and is required to sit out of sports for a year. Senior Autumn Duncan is among the Lancers' key parts.

La Pietra is young and building for the future. Ashanti Shih (5-7, middle), Leilani Marple (5-3, setter) and Sabrina Blanco (5-6, outside) are sophomores who lead the only team in the league that doesn't have a nickname.

"Ashanti works the hardest out of anyone on the team. She always has a great attitude," coach Kainoa Fialkowski said. "The great thing is they are all so young and willing to work."

Hanalani lost Jennifer Braceros to graduation, but returns senior setter Tammy Babino. Freshman Janelle Fetui (5-7) is going to be a key factor at outside hitter. "Tammy has great hands and she's come into this year having improved defensively," coach Julie Stoker said. "She's having to fill in the gap of leadership, but she's really growing into that role. What I love about Janelle is that she's only a freshman. I can't wait to see how good she'll be."

Any team that elects to take the night off against the longshots -- Saint Andrew's, Hanalani, La Pietra and Maryknoll and Christian Academy -- would be advised to pay close attention.

That is, unless Otineru returns to the court for Punahou, which would be akin to the New York Yankees acquiring Barry Bonds.

"Punahou is a solid team with lots of volleyball experience. It would take a miracle," Satele said. "I believe in miracles."