HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL
Raiders win 1 for seniors
Iolani senior Leinani Keanini is too focused on the big picture to get caught up in her final home game.
The top-ranked Raiders said aloha to the seniors by knocking off No. 10 Hawaii Baptist 25-23, 25-17 yesterday in Iolani's final regular-season match at home.
The Raiders (13-0) remained in sole possession of first place in Interscholastic League of Honolulu girls volleyball by knocking off the Eagles (9-4).
"It hasn't even hit me yet," Keanini said of her final home game. "I'm just glad we were able to finish it with a good win."
Keanini finished with a team-high 12 kills and sophomore Mahina Haina had seven as the Raiders remained in control of their own postseason destiny.
Iolani earned its first No. 1 ranking of the season last week after knocking off Kamehameha, which was ranked third in the country. The Raiders have road matches at Sacred Hearts and No. 3 Punahou, which is all that stands in the way of the regular-season ILH crown and an automatic state-tournament berth.
"We have been down a little bit since beating Kamehameha," Keanini said. "This was a good win to get us going again."
Keanini put down three kills in her first four swings to help Iolani jump out to a 10-5 lead. Hawaii Baptist went on two big runs in the first game, including an 8-2 spurt that tied the game at 21.
The run forced Iolani coach Jenic Tumaneng to call timeout to help his team regroup.
"He just told us to make sure we were calm and get that first pass where we want it," Keanini said.
Iolani fell behind 22-21 but scored four of the final five points to pull out the victory.
"For us to win we have to serve the ball well and play good defense," Hawaii Baptist coach Myles Shioji said. "You have to combine us playing well and them making mistakes to beat a team like that."
The Eagles stayed close behind a pair of talented sophomores. Sarah Palmer and Cera Oliveira combined for 18 of Hawaii Baptist's 23 kills.
Palmer tied for match-high honors with 12 of those kills, but also committed five errors and took 42 swings.
The Eagles had four errors to open Game 2 as Iolani jumped out to a 6-1 lead. Keanini struggled with an error in her first five attempts in the game, but Haina picked her up with three kills and a block during a 7-1 one run that blew the match open.
"They just have so many weapons," Shioji said.
Fittingly, it was Keanini who put down the last kill of the game.
Iolani outblocked the Eagles 7-2 and hit .220 for the match. The Eagles hit .109.