RICHARD WALKER / RWALKER@STARBULLETIN.COM
Kalani's Tamari Miyashiro, back, leads the undefeated Falcons against Moanalua in the OIA title match tomorrow.
Moanalua girls, Kahuku boys
challenging undefeated teams
Moanalua's Tommy Lake and Kahuku's Howard Kaululaau have something in common this week.
Both are trying to figure out how to knock off an undefeated team in a league championship game.
For Lake and his Moanalua (12-1) girls team, Kalani (13-0) stands in the way of the Oahu Interscholastic Association volleyball championship.
For Kaululaau's Kahuku (10-1) team, Mililani (12-0) is the obstacle to the boys title.
The girls and boys finals are tomorrow at 5 and 6 p.m. at the McKinley High School gym.
"Kalani has a really good team and they played an awesome (semifinal) match to beat Kahuku, so we've got our work cut out for us," Lake said.
The Menehunes lost to the Falcons 25-20, 25-23 in the regular season, and Lake thought his players' impatience was a hindrance.
"The main thing, we've got to be patient," he said.
Kalani is led by hitter Tamari Miyashiro and setter Marisa Okamoto.
"As a pair, they're the calming force for Kalani," Lake said. "Miyashiro is going to get her swings and try to catch us with her off-speed shots. There's no way we can totally stop her -- and Marisa is a great setter."
Okamoto plays club volleyball for Lake.
Hitter Alisa Hout, defensive specialist Kathleen Yee and middle blockers Courtney Adara and Sasha Silva have been among the Menehunes' steadiest performers of late, according to Lake.
As for the Kahuku boys, its only loss was to Kaimuku this year -- a match Kaululaau said the team let get away.
"We didn't play well and weren't really functioning," he said of the early season loss. "But we're pumped up and ready to go."
The boys championship match features Kahuku's size against Mililani's all-around consistency.
"We're taller, and Mililani has some short guys, but they can sky," Kaululaau said.
The Red Raiders beat the Trojans in a preseason match, but Mililani was without two starters.
Middle blocker Puna Neumann, hitter Aaron Fujimoto and setter Brandon Caban carry the Trojans.
Middle blocker Brandon Carr and outside hitters Junior Ale and Hapaki Kaululaau lead the Kahuku attack, while setter Andrew Thompson runs the offense.
The boys and girls winners earn the league's highest seed in next week's state tourney.
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