HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL
ILH is loaded with talent once again
Within a small radius of Honolulu, there may be no finer high school volleyball to be seen.
Not just in Hawaii, but in the nation. When the Interscholastic League of Honolulu begins its boys season tomorrow, fans will see a group of teams that could certainly compete at the state tournament level.
Since 1980, every state champion has hailed from the ILH, including the last two from Punahou. Beyond the elite programs -- Punahou, Iolani (2003 state champion) and Kamehameha (state titlists in '01 and '02), the league is still powerful.
Hawaii Baptist has stepped into a higher echelon under coach Teoni Obrey, while Maryknoll and Mid-Pacific have become dangerous, as well, thanks to year-round play in club ball.
"The ILH will be more brutal than usual," Iolani coach Mike Among said. "HBA, Maryknoll and Mid-Pac will be in the mix."
First-year varsity head coach Guy Kaniho of Kamehameha sees parity.
"The league, as a whole, is one of the strongest ever because of club ball. There's also been more exposure to beach volleyball, and that's huge. It's just you and I, you have to pass and dig. You develop your skills."
Punahou coach Peter Balding points to Maryknoll's Tri Bourne as one of the best in the league.
"Mark my words, he'll be a good player at the college level or AVP," he said.
The league has a double round-robin format for boys volleyball, which means everyone will get to see everyone, top to bottom. The top, of course, is colored Punahou blue.
"I feel excited. This team makes me feel real good," Balding said. "There's some surprises, some guys coming up who are doing some good things."
Spencer McLachlin, the two-time Star-Bulletin player of the year, is back, as are setter Riley McKibbin (6-foot-3) and libero Erik Shoji (5-11).
"Spencer is very even-keeled, focused and enthusiastic," Balding said. "Riley, you know, is learning now to be a leader, to be more patient. He knows he's got young guys to work with."
Shoji, an all-state pick last season, sets the tone.
"He would be excited to play with five kindergarteners," Balding said. "He loves to compete, and he elevates the level of play of people around him. He's completely passionate and absorbed about the game, more than anyone I've coached."
The Buffanblu will get key contributions opposite Josh Bninski, who hit 9-for-10 at the state tourney, and middles Timmy Harrison (6-3) and Max Halvorson (6-6).
Iolani reached the state final last year and pushed Punahou to three sets before falling 21-25, 25-14, 25-18. The Raiders lost their magic man, Kawika Shoji (Stanford), but return national-level player Brad Lawson (6-6).
"From what I heard, he was unstoppable against the Cubans," Balding said. "He's the real deal."
Lawson has recently returned from his stint with the youth national team that won in the Dominican Republic.
Taylor Mounts (6-4) is also back, but Among has four new starters on the floor.
"We've struggled early at the HPA and Longy (Okimoto) tournaments," he said.
"We have a good core of guys. It's a matter of finding their roles. Replacing the skills that were lost to graduation is hard, but replacing the leadership is more important," Among said.
Kamehameha promoted former junior-varsity coach Guy Kaniho following the retirement of longtime guru Pono Maa.
"At this level, everything's faster and more complex," said Kaniho, who began coaching in 1994.
One of the state's top players, Jordan Inafuku, returns. Bert Matsuo and Abraham McAulton, a pair of senior setters, give Kaniho options offensively. A big addition was the return of Auwae DeRego, who played basketball at Honokaa as a freshman last year. DeRego, a 6-1 sophomore, made the varsity team at Kamehameha last season, but remained on the Big Island when a brother died.
"He said he came out for volleyball this year because I'm coaching," Kaniho said. "Physically, he's a specimen. he's our spark plug and brings the emotion."
Libero Lester Akeo and middle Micah Aiu (6-2) give the Warriors balance.
"We're not tall like Punahou or Maryknoll, which has a great team," Kaniho added.
Schools like Mid-Pacific are a fit in Division II -- the Spartans were the state runners-up last year -- but the commitment to play in the highest classification means an upward climb.
"We set a bar, so we'd like to continually improve," coach Mason Kuo said.
Reece Haine, a 6-2 setter, has drawn rave reviews from coaches around the league.
"I think he's got Division I potential," said Kuo, a former University of Hawaii player.