LEFT: DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM
RIGHT: FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARBULLETIN.COM
Iolani’s man
in the middleBlankenship is among 4 Raiders
selected to the first squad
Iolani had a dynamic boys volleyball team this year.
There was talent all around, including Todd Blankenship, the rock at middle blocker.
"I have four words for him -- he's a team player," said coach Luis Ramirez about Blankenship, who is this year's Star-Bulletin all-state player of the year.
"He played middle blocker for us because that's where we needed him, but he's not a middle. He's usually an outside hitter or an opposite. I don't know one team that we played this year that didn't have a problem defending him because he's so versatile ... a big force."
Blankenship's consistently outstanding play was one of the main reasons the Raiders were able to wrap up their first state championship.
He had 12 kills and hit .478 with 10 digs in the 20-25, 25-15, 27-25 state-final victory over two-time defending champion Kamehameha.
"I'm really glad we were able to win it all this year, because all the players were really close on and off the court," Blankenship said. "Everybody filled their roles really well and did what we needed.
"When we lost the first game to Kamehameha, Coach took us to the side and the consensus was that we had to trust in each other. I admit I was a little worried because I knew it wouldn't be easy to take two in a row from them."
But Blankenship wasn't Iolani's only pivotal player. Setter Sean Carney was a major factor in all facets of the game on the road to the title.
Carney, defensive specialist Michael Contee and opposite Kawika Shoji made the all-state first team.
"Sean has such a great work ethic," said Ramirez, who is the all-state coach of the year. "And he was a great motivator to his teammates. He's our setter, but he did everything we asked of him.
"Kawika is a sophomore on paper only. He's been playing like a senior since he was a freshman. He's a true leader and we'll be looking for him to fill that role as he gets older."
Shoji is the son of University of Hawaii Rainbow Wahine coach Dave Shoji.
"Michael (Contee) has been playing volleyball for two years and he's made all-state both times," Ramirez said. "The incredible thing is that he's still got room for growth in the sport and he's so coachable and team-oriented."
Carney enjoyed the season for more than the victories.
"It's all you could ask for in a season," he said. "Not just because of the outcome, but for the journey along the way and the friendships we created."
Kamehameha's Adam Tuifagu and Ainoa Miyashiro, who nearly led the Warriors to their third straight state title, were chosen to the first team.
"I'm not too good at coulda, woulda, shoulda," Tuifagu said. "I like to believe that we all put everything we had into it. Overall, our season was a success. For weeks, I was hearing 'too bad this' and 'too bad that,' but that's too simplistic of a view. It's more about the friendships we made. Too often people only measure points on the scoreboard."
Tuifagu, a feared outside hitter, raved about the play of Miyashiro, a setter.
"He has an uncommon sense for the game, unbelievable vision and awesome hands," Tuifagu said.
The Warriors also placed two players on the second team -- opposite Ronson Olaso and defensive specialist Jordan Inafuku.
Two first-teamers are players of the year on Maui and the Big Island -- Seabury Hall's Corey Spence and Kealakehe's Kyle Teves. Both turned in solid performances at the states.
Boys Team
FIRST TEAM
SECOND TEAM
Pos. Player Ht. Year School S Ainoa Miyashiro 5-11 Senior Kamehameha OH Adam Tuifagu 6-1 Senior Kamehameha OH Corey Spence 6-2 Senior Seabury Hall OH Sean Carney 6-3 Senior Iolani MB Todd Blankenship 6-2 Senior Iolani MB Kyle Teves 6-1 Senior Kealakehe DS Michael Contee 5-10 Senior Iolani OP Kawika Shoji 6-2 Sophomore Iolani
HONORABLE MENTION
Pos. Player Ht. Year School OH Brandon Carr 6-1 Senior Kahuku OH Kyle Pape 6-2 Junior Iolani OH Puna Neumann 5-9 Senior Mililani MB Sam Wilhoite 6-7 Senior Kalaheo MB Casey Kaohelaulii 6-4 Senior Waimea DS Jordan Inafuku 5-10 Freshman Kamehameha OP Spencer McLachlin 6-5 Freshman Punahou OP Ronson Olaso 6-1 Junior Kamehameha
Campbell: Taetuli Tafai, John Taitin.
Damien: Kawika Lopez.
Iolani: B.J. Takushi.
Kahuku: Hapaki Kaululaau, Junior Ale.
Kamehameha: Ikaika Shelton, Ernie Vidinha.
Maui: Gene Rivera, Jeff Skrotzki, Kalaniku Clark, Ikona-Kai Wood.
Mililani: Brandon Caban, Aaron Fujimoto.
Molokai: Albert Dudoit.
Punahou: Michael China.
Seabury Hall: Casey Walsh.
Waiakea: Napua Cabatu.
Waimea: John Karratti, Jeremy McDown.
BACK TO TOP |
Punahou’s power pack
Leadership put Cubi-Otineru and
the Buffanblu above the pack
When Punahou coach Scott Rigg calls his top player a machine, he's describing her volleyball talents in a good way.
Outside hitter Aneli Cubi-Otineru is no machine off the court. The junior outside hitter is a personable young lady who has already verbally committed to play for the University of Hawaii two seasons from now.
She's also the Star-Bulletin's player of the year.
"She's the premier player in the state right now," Rigg said. "Everybody is impressed with her hitting, but the way she received serve and passed this year is something she doesn't get a lot of credit for. That was a huge part of our game when she was able to get the ball into the setter's hands so easily."
Rigg said Cubi-Otineru focused on her leadership duties a lot more this year because the Buffanblu had other reliable hitters.
"Without that leadership from Aneli, no way we win the state championship," he added.
The Buffanblu survived an 18-25, 25-19, 25-23 state championship final match against rival Kamehameha.
"We all worked hard and all wanted to win the states," Cubi-Otineru said. "We didn't only set long-term goals, but we also had goals like pillars, goals on how we were going to get there.
"It also helped a lot when Coach told us we couldn't hope. We had to believe. That attitude came in handy in the states when we had a tough road, playing against Kahuku, Moanalua and then Kamehameha. We believed."
Cubi-Otineru didn't realize the extent of her leadership ability until after the state final.
"My teammates all came up and thanked me and coaches from the other teams came up and told me how good of a job I did in leading the team," she said. "It really meant a lot and made me feel really good inside."
Two other Punahou players -- junior setter Pohai Nu'uhiwa and freshman opposite Liz Ka'aihue -- made the Star-Bulletin's first team, and Rigg was chosen as coach of the year.
"Liz was our opposite from the preseason through the last serve," Rigg said. "She's a joy to coach, a beautiful kid with a great heart.
"As for Pohai, if you told me before the season that we would be state champs with a 5-foot setter, I'd have told you to go jump in a lake. It was noticeable how good she was when she came off the court and you could see we just weren't the same team."
Nu'uhiwa said teamwork was the reason behind the Buffanblu's success.
"It had a lot to do with commitment from everyone, especially down the stretch," she said. "There's only six players on the court, but everyone contributed."
Aside from state champion Punahou, five schools placed one player each on the Star-Bulletin's all-state first team.
Kamehameha senior Mounia Nihipali is one of the outside hitters.
"We had all the talent in the world and almost all of us are athletes in other sports and we were totally pumped up for that final match," Nihipali said. "Even though we lost, it was a big accomplishment after placing third in the state the year before."
Kalani junior Tamari Miyashiro, who led the Falcons to the OIA championship, is another first-team outside hitter. Other first-teamers include Kahuku middle blocker Mona Ale, Seabury Hall middle blocker Lecca Roberts and Roosevelt defensive specialist Shellane Ogoshi.
Roberts is off to Pepperdine on a full scholarship next year.
Girls Team
FIRST TEAM
SECOND TEAM
Pos. Player Ht. Year School S Pohai Nuuhiwa 5-0 Junior Punahou OH Aneli-Cubi Otineru 5-9 Junior Punahou OH Mounia Nihipali 5-11 Senior Kamehameha OH Tamari Miyashiro 5-7 Junior Kalani MB Mona Ale 5-11 Senior Kahuku MB Lecca Roberts 6-4 Senior Seabury Hall DS Shellane Ogoshi 5-2 Senior Roosevelt OP Liz Ka'aihue 5-8 Freshman Punahou
HONORABLE MENTION
Pos. Player Ht. Year School S Marisa Okamoto 5-8 Senior Kalani OH Danie Hout 5-7 Junior Moanalua OH Kristen Ponce 5-8 Senior Kamehameha OH Jazmin Pa'akaula 5-10 Senior St. Joseph MB Melissa Aki 5-10 Senior Roosevelt MB Larissa Nordyke 5-10 Freshman Punahou DS Kathi Kobayashi 5-3 Junior Punahou OP Makana Recca 5-9 Senior Kamehameha
Farrington: Laosamoa Misa-Uli.
Hawaii Prep: Somia Quan.
Kahuku: Camilla Ah-Hoy, Musie Olevao.
Kamehameha: Anuhea Friel, Alexis Robins.
Kalani: Dara Waialae.
Kauai: Farren Higley, Kehau Silva.
Kealakehe: Antoinette Alapai.
Moanalua: Resina Nataniela, Kathleen Yee, Kepua Lee.
Punahou: Kaui Robello, Spenser Rigg.
Roosevelt: Erin Fujimoto, Monica Sequancia.
Seabury Hall: Mikell Spencer.
St. Joseph: Lindsey Lee, Ashley Hanohano.
Waipahu: Tanya Lauifi.
Word of Life: Careena Onosai.
