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Punahou comes back
vs. Iolani
After 21 years of high-octane volleyball in the state's toughest league, Peter Balding isn't kidding when he says this year's Punahou boys team has no star.
"This year, the star of our team is the team," Balding said after his top-ranked Buffanblu pulled off a 24-26, 25-19, 25-22 win over Iolani before a raucous capacity crowd of 1,200 last night at the Raiders' gym.
Iolani, ranked No. 2 in the Star-Bulletin Top 10, suffered its first loss after seven wins in Interscholastic League of Honolulu play. Punahou improved to 6-0 with the hard-earned win.
Spencer McLachlin, a 6-foot-6 sophomore, led the Buffanblu with 13 kills. It was far from a solo performance, though. The lanky outside hitter had just two kills in Game 3, as his teammates stepped up against the defending state champion.
Ka'ohukauikalai Berg-Hee tallied nine kills without an error, while Kealii Frank added seven kills. T.J. Zabriske, Riley McKibbin and Matthew Brown hustled for five kills apiece.
Kyle Pape pounded 16 kills with just three errors to lead Iolani. Setter/outside hitter Kawika Shoji added seven kills and a pair of aces, B.J. Takushi tallied six kills and two roofs, and Erik Tomomitsu chipped in with five kills.
"It was incredible. Kawika, you always love to play against him, and play with him," McLachlin said.
Pape, a 6-2 senior, connected on nine kills with just one error in Game 1, but Punahou was resilient. After six lead changes, Punahou had control with a 23-20 advantage.
Pape came up with three kills in a row, including a delicate dink shot as Iolani pulled within 24-23. Brad Lawson converted a bad Punahou pass into an easy kill over the middle to tie the game, and the Raiders took a 25-24 lead when Frank missed wide right on a swing from the middle.
Pape hammered a kill off a block attempt by Frank to end Game 1 and give Iolani's chorus of fans plenty to cheer about.
Iolani lost its precision in Game 2, committing nine errors. Pape had just two kills in the set, as Punahou took command down the stretch. McLachlin, who had five kills in Game 1, pounded six in the second set. The Buffanblu closed out the game with an 11-4 run to even the match.
Frank came up big in Game 3 with five kills and both of his roofs. Punahou trailed 21-20 when McKibbin's attempt glanced off the net and ricocheted off the shoulder of an Iolani defender for a game-tying point. McLachlin then roofed Pape, who tried to score from the back row. A moment later, Frank blocked Wesley Eberlin, and Punahou led 23-21.
A passing error by the Raiders gave Punahou a 24-21 lead. After Iolani cut the margin to two, Punahou came out of a timeout with a play for McKibbin, who rocketed a slam off the block for his team's final point.
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Girls
No. 1 Punahou def. No. 7 Iolani, 14-25, 25-16, 25-17: The girls' match was a glimpse into the future of Iolani (5-3). Freshman Lauren Minkel sparked an overwhelming performance by the Lady Raiders in Game 1. Her four kills, along with Punahou's nine errors, helped Iolani win easily."They started in a completely different rotation," coach Scott Rigg said of Iolani's 6-2 set. "I'm surprised they didn't go back to it."
Trailing 10-9 in Game 2 with Pohai Nu'uhiwa at serve, Punahou (9-0) went on a 10-3 run to take command. The last five points of the blitz came with senior Spenser Rigg at serve.
In Game 3, Iolani couldn't stop Larissa Nordyke. The sophomore had 13 of her 15 kills in the final two sets, including seven without an error in the last game.
Two kills by Kaui Robello helped Punahou take the lead for good, 13-12. That sparked an 11-3 run that vaulted the Buffanblu to a 22-15 lead.
Rigg credited his defensive specialists, Sydney Yogi and Kathi Kobayashi. "They gave us nice entries in Game 3," he said.
