[ HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL ]
dennis Oda / doda@starbulletin.Com
Kanoe Kamana'o played at setter and outside hitter for Iolani this season.
Kamana'o on top Kanoe Kamana'o has been playing on the junior national team since she was 13 years old. She has traveled all over the country for competition and training, and has also competed at the club level.
of her game
5 seniors, 1 junior on first team
League All-Stars
By Tim Crouse
tcrouse@starbulletin.comShe has been selected as a Student Sports Inc. All-American, and she helped Iolani win its first state championship a season ago.
The University of Hawaii-bound senior made an impact the moment she set foot on the court for Iolani her freshman season -- and she ends her stellar high school career as the Star-Bulletin Player of the Year for the second consecutive year.
"She makes the other girls around her play better," Farrington coach Jenic Tumaneng said. "She shows a lot of maturity on the court."
Kamana'o's experience on the junior national team -- which lost to Puerto Rico in the championship game this past summer -- has been invaluable to her growth as a player.
"She has top-of-the-line instruction because of her experience on the junior national team," Kalani coach Tehani Fiatoa said. "She's probably one of the most versatile setters coming from the high-school level."
Kamana'o also helped her 18-and-under club team, Maunalani, to a second-place finish in the Jr. National Championships in Salt Lake City earlier this year. Her teammates included Kim Glass, the AVCA Freshman of the Year from Arizona, and her Wildcat teammate Bre Ladd, who was the 2001 Gatorade National High School Volleyball Player of the Year.
Kamana'o put all that experience to use this season and the Raiders qualified for the state tournament.
"Going to states again for my senior year was one of my goals," she said. "To win it was another, but we fell short."
Even though Iolani didn't follow up last year's state crown with another this year, it did make it to the quarterfinals.
"She led them well," Kamehameha coach Joey Miyashiro said. "She's always getting the kids to keep on playing and keep on going for it. She's outstanding."
Kamana'o was versatile enough to do whatever the Raiders needed. Her main job was setting, but she was also one of the Raiders' top hitters.
"She's the smartest hitter, the smartest setter," La Pietra coach Tony McInerny said. "She's got court sense like a college player.
"She's too smart for anybody to stop her."
Kamana'o can also be effective blocking at the net, and has an excellent serve to make her the most complete player in the state.
"She always seems to find the best matchups, exploit our best hitter against (the opponent's) weakness," Iolani assistant coach Chris Blake said. "Part of that is due to her experience. She's been through a lot of those situations before."
On Thursday, as she sat and watched the Hawaii Rainbow Wahine compete in the NCAA final four, Kamana'o couldn't help but think that maybe she'll get a chance to play for a national title in the not-too-distant future.
"I have imagined myself being in their shoes, just visualizing myself out there on the court setting Lily (Kahumoku) or Kim (Willoughby)," she said. "I'm very anxious (to get there). I can't wait.
"My goal is to go to UH and work my way to being a starting setter."
There's every reason to believe that she'll be able to accomplish that.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Kanoe Kamana'o, Iolani, Sr.
COACH OF THE YEAR
Mona Ah-Hoy, Kahuku
FIRST TEAM
Setter: Kanoe Kamana'o, Iolani, Sr.
Middle Blocker: Sarah Mason, St. Joseph, Sr.
Middle Blocker/Outside Hitter: Patti Hardimon, Moanalua, Sr.
Outside Hitter: Alicia Arnott, La Pietra, Sr.
Outside Hitter: Tuli Peters, Kahuku, Sr.
Outside Hitter: Mounia Nihipali, Kamehameha, Jr.
SECOND TEAM
S Kaimana Lee, Seabury Hall, Sr.
MB Lecca Roberts, Seabury Hall, Jr.
MB Lindsey Lee, St. Joseph, Jr.
OH Jazmin Paakaula, St. Joseph, Jr.
OH Tamari Miyashiro, Kalani, So.
OH Aneli Cubi-Otineru, Punahou, So.
THIRD TEAM
S Ashley Gandauli, Moanalua, Sr.S Ashley Hanohano, St. Joseph, Jr.
MB Chalice Kaapuni, Pearl City, Sr.
MB Lauren Powley, Seabury Hall, Sr.
OH Kuuipo Hayes, St. Joseph, Sr.
OH Raeceen Woolford, Iolani, Sr.
HONORABLE MENTION
Farrington: Janice Fonoti. Hawaii Baptist: Tiffany Butac. Hawaii Prep: Carly Hayashikawa. Kahuku: Lesina Funaki, Musie Olevao. Kalaheo: Meghan Watson. Kalani: Marisa Okamoto. Kamehameha: Hoku Tamayori, Kristen Ponce. Leilehua: Melissa Sekigawa. Mililani: Amber Wiedermann. University: Ashley Kau.
Hawaii School Web Sites
