Big Island Interscholastic Federation Division II runner-up Konawaena begins its quest for a state volleyball championship at 5 p.m. Tuesday. Big Island Interscholastic Federation Division II runner-up Konawaena begins its quest for a state volleyball championship at 5 p.m. Tuesday.
Big Island Interscholastic Federation Division II runner-up Konawaena begins its quest for a state volleyball championship at 5 p.m. Tuesday.
The Wildcats (13-5) will play La Pietra at 5 p.m. Tuesday on the campus of Farrington on Oahu in the first round of the Hawaii High School Athletic Association state tournament. Third-place squad Hawaii Prep (13-5) will follow at 7 p.m. against Hawaii Baptist.
League champion Ka‘u (16-2) earned the fourth seed and a bye. The Trojans will play at 5 p.m. Wednesday against either Waimea or Kailua. The Trojans play at Kalani.
In Division I, BIIF champion Kamehameha-Hawaii (17-0) is the fourth seed and opens play at 5 p.m. Wednesday against the Mililani-Castle winner. The Warriors play at McKinley.
Runner-up Hilo (15-2) plays Pearl City at 5 p.m. Tuesday at Kaimuki. Because of space limitations, West Hawaii Today was unable to run the brackets in today’s edition. Look for them in Tuesday’s paper.
Trojans make history
The gold medal carried so much meaning for Marley Strand-Nicolaisen, Kaila Olson and the rest of the Ka‘u girls volleyball team, which made school history on Saturday at Konawaena High’s Ellison Onizuka Gym.
Strand-Nicolaisen hammered 29 kills, and Olson nailed 16 kills to energize the Trojans over Konawaena 25-21, 25-27, 25-19, 25-15 for the Big Island Interscholastic Federation Division II championship, the school’s first ever for either the boys or girls programs.
“I can’t even explain it,” Strand-Nicolaisen said. “It’s the best feeling in the world. Our game plan was to come out hard, finish hard and bring home that medal.
“It’s just the best feeling to know that we finally did it. Working hard all year really did pay off. Our team came together as one.”
The Trojans lost to Hawaii Prep in the BIIF championship two years ago. Last season, they fell to Konawaena in the semifinals. Third time was the charm.
“Every year we got so close. We finally got it,” Olson said. “The key was we worked as a team, played as a team and everybody stayed focused.”
That showed in the way the Trojans put games to bed.
In the first game, Strand-Nicolaisen had a pair of kills, including the final point during a closing four-point run. After the Wildcats rebounded in the next game, Ka‘u closed Game 3 with another four-point scoring streak. Strand-Nicolaisen had game point, again.
Then the pattern continued in the final game — another momentum-swinging four-point run, but it came a little earlier, pushing the Trojans ahead 22-12 and gaining steam on a march toward history.
Olson rammed match point against a double-block, and then the celebration started. Hugs were everywhere. Trojans in all manner — players, parents or others in maroon T-shirts — filled the floor, making for a lasting memory.
“Practically all of Ka‘u was here,” Ka‘u athletic director Kalei Namohala said. “This BIIF championship brings pride to the community. They rally around the team all the time. It’s great to bring home a title.
“It’s awesome that they all came together. They won together as a team. They won for themselves and their community.”
Sophomore setter Kerrilyn Domondon was an unsung star, delivering hittable balls. Strand-Nicolaisen blasted the most rockets, but Olson, a fellow senior middle, made sure points came in every direction when she rotated to the front row.
Warriors win again
Acacia Kaaa wasn’t afraid to jump for joy after Kamehameha’s third straight BIIF Division I volleyball championship — a dominant performance that displayed the virtues of ball-control, balanced hitting and patience.
The senior setter spread the offense and made the Warriors dangerous from every direction in a 27-25, 25-18, 25-15 sweep over Hilo on Saturday night at Konawaena High’s Ellison Onizuka Gym, putting the finishing touches on an unbeaten BIIF season.
Kaaa sat out last season with an ACL right knee injury. After surgery, she worked herself back into shape, won the setter’s job, and earned high praise from senior outside hitter Shae Kanakaole, who smashed 16 kills, including 10 in the first set.
Kaiulani Ahuna, the other athletic outside hitter, added nine kills. Jeyci Kaili, a fellow sophomore, stretched the offense and clobbered seven kills from the right side. Pua Wong knocked down four kills and made sure the middle was a threat, too.
West Hawaii Today’s Micah Lewter contributed to this report.
