HILO – Waiakea played smooth team volleyball, showing the type of ball-control and on-court chemistry required to chase championships.
HILO – Waiakea played smooth team volleyball, showing the type of ball-control and on-court chemistry required to chase championships.
Behind the one-two hitting punch of Santana Madrid and Kolby Aiona, the Warriors swept Kealakehe 25-22, 25-19, 25-23 in the BIIF Division I semifinals on Wednesday night at the Warriors Gym, earning a berth to the HHSAA tournament.
In the other semifinal, Kamehameha eliminated Hilo 25-10, 25-18, 21-25, 25-10.
Waiakea (11-2) plays Kamehameha (13-0) for the third time for the BIIF championship at 7 p.m. Friday at Koai’a Gym.
The season is over for the Waveriders (7-6), who lose seniors Mason Ka’awa-Loa, Sheldon Freitas, Turi Kekuaokalani, Gabriel Bala, Shannon Pua, Kazre Keeling, Myles Shirai, and Abraham Kalavi.
Madrid kept riding hitting streaks and finished with a match-high 17 kills, Aiona added 12 kills while Caleb Roque and Damien Merseburgh each had four kills for Waiakea, which last won a BIIF title in 2013.
Anthony Trevino pounded nine kills, Kalavi eight and freshman Isaiah Hooper had seven kills for the ‘Riders, who did a good job not giving away easy points. They had only one service error; Waiakea had five.
However, the Warriors had more kills (43-35), blocks (5-1), and fewer unforced errors (25-28). They’ve got more experience in big-game matches. They’ve been to states in 21 of the last 22 years; Kealakehe last qualified in 2004.
“It was a good team win,” Waiakea coach Napua Canda said. “We definitely played together as a team. We picked guys up when they made mistakes and supported good plays from the bench.”
Canda pointed out that senior outside hitter Caleb Roque, who finished with four kills, solidified the ball-control, especially with his passing in serve-receive. Every time the Waveriders fired a bullet, Roque sent a clean dish to setter Nakana Labrie, who was also able to feed his middles Merseburgh and Purtin Robinson, who had three kills.
“Caleb has gotten better as an all-around passer,” Canda said. “He works hard every day to fix the little things he needs to work on, and it’s paid off.”
Kealakehe led late only once, in the third set, ahead 23-22, but couldn’t close the door. Makana Kaehuaea-Credo smashed one of his three kills, the Waveriders had a hitting error, Aiona put away aloha ball.
In the first and third sets, Madrid knocked down six kills. He got five in the second set. The senior outside hitter was on fire all night long, banging balls through and around the block.
“It was a good match. We had to play really hard,” he said. “Without this win, we don’t make states. We passed well. Without a pass, there’s no set. Without a set, there’s no hitting attack. I had fun and that’s the main thing.”
Of course, Madrid already knows the blueprint to beat Kamehameha, a team with top-shelf collegiate ball-control players in Addison and Avery Enriques, who not only dig balls but take healthy swings as well.
“It’ll take communication, hard work, and dedication,” Madrid said. “We need to have a drive to win. Without that drive, you can’t win at all.”
Canda liked that Madrid hit smart. On tight sets when he didn’t have a clean swing, Madrid took the conservative approach and put the ball back in play. Sometimes, he got set again and smashed a kill.
That hitting strategy will be helpful against Kamehameha, senior loaded just like Waiakea, which made a few too many unforced errors in its two losses against the three-time defending BIIF champs.
“It comes down to consistency,” Canda said. “We’re a great team, and we can beat them. But they’ve been a little more consistent at the right time and outplayed us. We can’t expect to just get a win against Kamehameha. We have to earn it.”
Kamehameha def Hilo 3-1: Avery Enriques posted 12 kills and Chase Carter and Addie Enriques each added seven to pace the Warriors at Koaia Gym.
The Vikings season ends at 2-11.