Kohala was in Waimea last Wednesday on Hawaii Prep’s senior night for a chance at the No. 2 seed in the BIIF Division II girls volleyball playoffs. The Cowgirls went down to defeat.
Kohala was in Waimea last Wednesday on Hawaii Prep’s senior night for a chance at the No. 2 seed in the BIIF Division II girls volleyball playoffs. The Cowgirls went down to defeat.
They trekked to Honokaa on Friday, the Dragons’ senior night, for an opportunity to earn the No. 3 seed. Another setback.
“They had their crowd, they got motivated and they came out for the win,” coach Nick Lorenzo said.
All is not lost, however, for fourth-seeded Kohala. It still can get where it wants to go, it’s first trip to the HHSAA tournament since 1999, when it plays Pahoa in front of its crowd in a BIIF first-round match at 7 p.m. Tuesday in Kapaau.
“Oh, yeah, the girls know the value of this game,” said Lorenzo, who is in his first year coaching the girls team. He also coaches the boys.
The winner will advance to face top-seeded Konawaena (12-4 Red division) on Wednesday night in Kealakekua.
The BIIF owns four spots at BIIFs this season, one more than the usual. The two-time defending BIIF champion Wildcats and Ka Makani already own spots.
The Cowgirls (11-6) and Daggers (9-8) each played in the equal opportunity White division, where everyone matched up against the other 17 BIIF teams once during the regular season.
In the other first-round match Tuesday, Christian Liberty (11-5 Blue division) visits Honokaa (11-6 White). The winner plays at HPA (13-4 White) on Wednesday.
Kohala beat Division I teams Keaau and Kealakehe and played an inspired set in a loss at Waiakea, but otherwise the season went off as expected, Lorenzo said.
On Kohala’s senior day Oct. 8, it swept the Daggers, who have been to states two of the past three seasons.
“We served them tough, and they had some untimely errors,” he said. “I know that we’re going to face a different team (Tuesday).”
Giving up points and “drowning in errors” also has been a problem for Kohala as well, Lorenzo said. The emergence of sophomore Mikayla Kekoa, an imposing presence at middle blocker, could help. Kekoa is also a standout in softball.
“Whatever happens, this year will be a positive and forward motion because we’re a young team,” Lorenzo said. “I hope we can proceed and progress if everyone comes back.”
While the Cowgirls seek to end a state drought, the Canefire will try to earn the school’s first state volleyball berth in either boys or girls at Honokaa Armory.
Of Christian Liberty’s five losses, four came against teams from the White division, including a loss three-set loss to the Dragons at home.
“I don’t feel like we played our best,” Canefire coach Gary Oertel said. “It’s a matter of getting the girls to believe.”
Senior Telly Coon was her team’s most prolific source of kills during the regular season.
The Dragons, Oertel said, might not be the ultra-explosive offensively, but they are usually playing their best volleyball at the end of the season under coach Mike Fernandez.
Honokaa last went to states in 2014.
“I feel like we’ve really improved,” Oertel said, “now we just have to see if we improved enough.”