Been there and done that.
For the seventh time in the past 10 years, Kamehameha-Hawaii advanced to the semifinals of the state boys volleyball tournament. The trick now is to break all the way through.
“We’re not going to do it the way we played tonight,” Warriors coach Guy Enriques said after a 25-20, 25-17, 25-21 victory over Waipahu in the Division I quarterfinals of the New City Nissan/HHSAA Boys Volleyball State Championships at Radford on Thursday night. “When they think they’ve got it won in the middle of a match, then they think it’s already done. That’s not going to cut it if they want to try and win the championship. We will need a flawless performance.”
As Big Island Interscholastic Federation champions four years in a row, though, Enriques said that if the Warriors ever have the team to get it done, this is the year. Next up is a semifinal match against ‘Iolani at 7 tonight at Moanalua.
Seniors Addison and Avery Enriques, the coach’s twin sons, led the way for second-seeded Kamehameha-Hawaii (15-0) on Thursday. Addison pounded 15 kills and Avery added 13 while hitting .281. Middle hitter Nalu Kahapea contributed with 10 kills, Tristen Cross came up with 12 digs, and Jai Makuakane (18 assists) and Kameron Moses (16 assists) were effective in splitting the setting duties.
For Waipahu (11-5), it’s the third straight year of making the state tournament. This year, the Marauders made it a step further than the first two by winning in straight sets over Kealakehe in the first round Monday on Maui.
“We’re trying and we’re getting there,” Waipahu coach Julna Pasicaran said after the loss. “I’m very proud of the way we played.”
Marauders junior setter Nofoalii Saolotoga is primed to take it further.
“Next year, we will win the (OIA) championship,” he said. This year, Waipahu lost in the league semifinals.
In all three sets, Waipahu stayed close on the scoreboard. Within the sets, there were 18 ties and nine lead changes.
In the opening set, the Marauders trailed by just one, 21-20, but the Warriors closed it out with three of the final four points coming on Waipahu hitting errors.
“Waipahu gave us a lot of points tonight,” Enriques said. “We can’t rely on that. It’s just not going to be good enough. We had some hitting problems tonight, too (.186 to the Marauders’ .073).”
Kamehameha-Hawaii began to pull away from a 14-13 lead in the second set. Down the stretch, Addison Enriques’ block and Kahapea’s ace set up a heavy, set-winning kill by Addison Enriques.
Led by the hitting of Bradley Tacata and Jeminae Solumua, the Marauders got off to a fast 6-2 lead in the closing set before the Warriors pulled away. Those two came through late, too, with a kill each to cut the deficit to 24-21 before Avery Enriques’ match-winning blast.
Tacata finished with nine kills and hit .250. Solumua had seven kills and eight digs.
‘Iolani 3, Mililani 0
The Raiders (14-4) moved on to the semifinals with a 25-21, 26-24, 25-19 sweep of the third-seeded and previously unbeaten Trojans (13-1).
‘Iolani, which finished in second place behind Punahou in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu, meets Kamehameha-Hawaii in the semifinals at 7 tonight at Moanalua. Hugh Hogland led the way for the Raiders with 17 kills, brother Cole Hogland added 12, and Shane Harimoto had 25 assists, with Koa Among coming up with 21 digs.
With 12 kills and 15 digs, Nathaniel Johnson powered Oahu Interscholastic Association champion Mililani.
Punahou 3, Moanalua 0
Ryan Wilcox had 17 kills and 13 digs and Kanai Akana added 12 kills as the Buffanblu swept the OIA runner-up Na Menehune 25-20, 25-18, 25-14 at Moanalua gym.
Ethan Siegfried added nine kills while hitting .389 and Buddy Scott had 21 assists for the five-time defending state champion Buffanblu (17-0), who will face Waiakea at 5 p.m. today at Moanalua. Nalu DeMello led Na Menehune (14-2) with 12 kills and seven digs.
Waiakea 3, Kamehameha-Maui 2
Koby Aiona had 32 kills in 70 swings while adding 18 digs and Nakana Labrie chipped in 53 assists as the Warriors from Hawaii island outlasted the Warriors from Maui 25-21, 22-25, 20-25, 25-21, 15-11 at Moanalua gym.
Santana Madrid had 12 kills and 12 digs for Waiakea (13-3), which plays Punahou at 5 p.m. today at Moanalua gym.Hanalei Alapai had 17 kills, Ronald Jacintho had 12 kills and 21 assists and Austin Peters added 31 assists for Kamehameha-Maui (12-4).
DIVISION II
Hawaii Baptist 3, Castle 0
Michael Johnson had 13 kills and Kellen Takatsuka added 10 as the Eagles beat the Knights 25-14, 25-13, 25-13 at Hawaii Baptist’s gym on Thursday.
Dru Pang contributed 16 kills for Hawaii Baptist (21-0), which will host Molokai in today’s semifinals at 7 p.m. Onipaa Olds had six kills for Castle (9-5), which will face Hawaii Prep in a fifth-place semifinal match today at 7 p.m. at Kalani.
Kapaa 3, Konawaena 0
Kurt Napoleon had 12 kills and the Warriors had 10 aces in a 25-10, 25-15, 25-13 victory over the Wildcats.
Jayson Hawthorne finished with 34 assists for Kapaa (12-0), which will face St. Francis in today’s semifinals at 5 p.m. at Hawaii Baptist. Viliami Kaea had eight kills for Konawaena (7-7), which will play Farrington today at 5 p.m. at Kalani.
St. Francis 3, Farrington 0
Mofuike Hafoka had 15 kills, four aces and six digs as the Saints swept the Governors 25-15, 25-22, 25-17 at Kalani gym.
Pono Luis-Mateo had 19 digs for St. Francis (17-4), which advances to take on Kapaa today at 5 p.m. in the semifinals at Hawaii Baptist.
Molokai 3, Hawaii Prep 1
Rockwell Adolpho and Michael Sterner each had 16 kills, leading the Farmers to a 25-16, 12-25, 25-19, 27-25 win over Ka Makani.
Molokai (13-2) will take on host Hawaii Baptist at 7 p.m. today in the semifinals. Ghar Pautz led Hawaii Prep (11-6) with 20 kills.