The list of junior division winners at the Haili Volleyball Tournament included the familiar East Hawaii clubs.
The list of junior division winners at the Haili Volleyball Tournament included the familiar East Hawaii clubs.
The Piopio Bears and Keaukaha Cuzins won two age groups apiece, with each denying the other a third. Pilipaa was represented as well, as was Nawahi Wiwoole.
But don’t forget about Milolii-Ka’u. Yes, the South Hawaii club is well on its way to making itself a Haili mainstay, too.
There were a few tense moments late in the second set for coach Yolanda Kuahuia, but the 10-and-under team from Milolii-Ka’u pulled through Wednesday at Hilo Civic to sweep Panaewa, adding to the 8-under title it won last year.
“It’s nice to come here and win,” Kuahuia said. “That’s what we practice for every year.”
“They practice. A lot of practice. I work them hard.”
The club is in its second year competing in Haili’s junior championships. Milolii-Ka’u’s 8-under team lost in the final against Keaukaha on Wednesday and it also competed in girls 12.
Milolii Volleyball Club was short on numbers, so it turned to its closest neighbors, to the east, for more players.
“We always played with Ka’u when I was growing up,” Kuahuia said.
It’s convenient since Milolii only has a cement court.
“When it comes to indoor courts, Naalehu was closest,” Kuahuia said.
“They entered our tournament earlier in the year,” Pilipaa coach Chris Leonard said, “and they are getting a lot kids to play, which is great to see. It’s really what we need, more kids coming out.”
Late in the 8-under final, Milolii-Ka’u lost a key point when one its youngsters forgot to pay attention, letting a serve drop in. Kuahuia worked hard to make sure there wasn’t repeat in the 10-under final.
“No matter what you tell them, they still have to work it out for themselves,” she said. “We’re trying to get them all to play. All of them. I successfully did except for one.”
The last match of the day, played in front of a large and boisterous crowd, featured a back-and-forth second set in the girls 18 final between Piopio and Haili Jrs, which was trying to tie the match.
Piopio finally shook free for a two-set victory, and the club also beat Keaukaha for the girls 14 title. The Cuzins claimed girls 12.
Leonard guided two Pilipaa teams to victory (14s and 18s) last season. While the bulk of the players that made up the 18s graduated and went on to play in college, many of his 14s returned this season and won the 16s title, coming back to beat Hi Intensity in three sets. Pilipaa had two teams in the division, finishing first and third.
“They are real young, but they do a lot of things really well,” Leonard said. “We struggle with consistency, but the goal was to play a cleaner match, less errors. They did a nice job. Let the first set slip away, but they came roaring back.”