Hilo junior Kawai Ua and Waiakea junior Jordyn Hayashi dominate on the volleyball court in different ways, and they’re on opposite ends of a seesaw. One ferociously swings for a kill while the other prevents it.
Hilo junior Kawai Ua and Waiakea junior Jordyn Hayashi dominate on the volleyball court in different ways, and they’re on opposite ends of a seesaw. One ferociously swings for a kill while the other prevents it.
Ua, a 5-foot-7 outside hitter, was an offensive force and sparked the talent-laden Vikings to their first BIIF championship since 2001.
Hayashi, a 5-4 libero, was equally productive on the other side of the ball for the Warriors, who have the top defender in league history.
In joining Ua as the BIIF Division I Player of the Year, Hayashi becomes the first ever libero to be named POY, as selected by the Hawaii Tribune-Herald, West Hawaii Today, and the league’s coaches.
Other Vikings on the first team are junior outside hitter Lexi Paglinawan, junior setter Kailee Kurokawa, and sophomore opposite Taina Leao.
Other Warriors on the first team are senior outside hitter Kakano Maikui and senior setter Taniah Ayap.
Kamehameha senior opposite Kailee Yoshimura also made the first team. In matches against the top teams (Hilo, Waiakea, and Konawaena), she averaged nearly 13 kills per match.
Throughout league history, there has been POY honorees at outside hitter, middle blocker, and setter but none at libero, an unsung position but vital in the first two touches of the ball: serve-receive passing and serving.
Hayashi excels at both and also with passing praise to Ua, her volleyball sister.
They’re linked together in another way. Both are on the Piopio Bears club team, coached by Laura Thompson. They’ll be Piopio and POY sisters forever.
“My reaction to being named POY with Kawai is that I’m very shocked and happy. I’m so glad I get to share this with her,” Hayashi said. “I am honestly so honored and happy. I can’t even put my feelings into words.
“Kawai is an amazing player, teammate, and individual on and off the court. She has the drive to get things done and is extremely motivated and determined to get a positive outcome and learning experience.”
Ua returned that praise right back.
“Sharing POY with Jordyn is great,” Ua said. “She’s such an amazing player and an amazing friend. She’s so supportive and always so joyful. No matter what, she’s always there for you, so it’s a great opportunity to be sharing player of the year with her.”
The value of both can be found in their performances at the HHSAA Division I state tournament.
In a four-set loss to eventual state champion Iolani in the quarterfinals, Ua pounded a team-high 13 kills against a block much taller than her.
Ua took a team-high 37 swings and hit just .027 with 12 errors but compiled 10 digs, finding another way to contribute.
Hilo coach Drew Fernandez pointed out that Ua brought more to the team than just offense and defense for his Viks, who return all of their starters.
Sometimes, determination is a valuable asset like jumping high and hitting hard.
“This year, she had the will to always want the ball,” he said. “Throughout the year, her passing improved, but her hitting made her our go-to player, no matter if she was in the front or back row.
“She knew where to hit and didn’t care who she was up against. She wanted to swing at the ball. We told her to play the game but play smart and swing at the ball.”
In a five-set loss to Kapolei, the OIA’s No. 3 team, in the first round, the Warriors had a disadvantage in firepower. The Hurricanes lived up to their nickname and slammed more kills, 64-54.
When Kapolei’s thunder shots didn’t find the floor, Hayashi was there to pop balls up. She recorded 31 digs.
Like Ua, Hayashi’s skill-set is easy to see. She moves well laterally, reads the court and has a solid passing platform.
And Waiakea coach Ashley Hanohano echoed Fernandez that intangibles can turn players into a POY.
“The whole thing of her being POY, she deserves it, and we’re so proud of her. She works so hard year round,” Hanohano said. “In the summer, she went to the Long Beach libero camp. She just returned from the USA High Performance in Arizona. She works on different aspects of her game.
“She’s being doing different things. She knows serving is really important. She improved her serves even after a great season she had the year before.”
Good thing going
The Vikings not only return all their starters, but also everyone plays club ball. Besides Ua, Paglinawan and Kurokawa are also on the Piopio Bears.
Hilo figures to be the early favorite for a BIIF title repeat, considering Waiakea loses senior starters Maikui, Ayap, and outside hitter Cassie Emnase, who was honorable mention.
However, Kamehameha will be dangerous because the roster is loaded with young talent, including two standout freshmen hitters in 6-foot Nani Spaar and 5-7 Tiani Bello, who looks like an Ua clone with her athleticism and hitting power.
Should the Viks reach states next season, the same roadblocks will be in the way: Iolani and runner-up Kamehameha-Kapalama. Both return their best players.
Hilo remains the only BIIF team to win a state title with a pair in 1972 and ’74 under Luella Aina, who’s in the Big Island Sports Hall of Fame.
That’s confirmation a state title for a BIIF team isn’t impossible. Besides, Ua has a firm grip on the steering wheel of the Vikings ship.
“My goal for next season is to work hard on the court but also to be a great team player and support my teammates when they have their highs and lows,” Ua said.
Ball never drops
Maybe it’s a good idea to not count Waiakea out, especially with Hayashi back to lead the defensive coverage.
“She’s every coach’s dream. You can’t get down on her because she sets goals and surpasses them,” Hanohano said. “We have to scold her for getting down on herself. She wants to have a perfect game 100 percent of the time. She’s a great teammate. She doesn’t get down on anybody but herself. She’s encouraging and has a constant work ethic.”
In 2002, St. Joseph fell to Kahuku for the state championship at Hilo Civic. Back then, Hanohano, Jazmin Paakaula, and Lindsey Lee were juniors. Sarah Mason (the former Rainbow Wahine) was a senior.
The trio later played Division I ball at Fairfield University in Connecticut. They all continue to coach. Lee is an assistant at Rutgers, and Paakaula is a Waiakea assistant.
Hanohano thinks defense could win a state championship.
“If I had six Jordyns, I’m pretty sure we’d come close to winning states,” Hanohano said. “We’d just play defense constantly. The ball would never drop.”