There’s always a first time, the saying goes, so maybe this is finally Moanalua’s year.
Na Menehune served notice on Friday night with a stunning 25-15, 33-35, 29-27, 26-24 semifinal victory over ‘Iolani at the New City Nissan/HHSAA Boys Volleyball State Championships.
Playing before a home crowd, OIA champion Moanalua (16-0) earned a shot at the title and will play for the crown today against six-time defending champion Punahou at Blaisdell Arena.
“There’s always a chance. If we can stay with our serve, force them to make plays they’re not used to, there’s a chance,” Moanalua coach Alan Cabanting said. “We’re the underdogs. We have nothing to lose.”
Moanalua’s balanced lineup was up to the task against ‘Iolani (10-3), a team that had lost to only one opponent this season, Punahou.
Kala‘i Leopoldo drilled 11 of his team-high 16 kills in the first two sets. The fatigue of an epic second set put the onus on his teammates in the third and fourth games.
“We played all the way. We had to keep the energy up. Our coaches said to keep playing one point at a time,” said Leopoldo, who had one of Moanalua’s three aces. “Playing at home was really powerful.”
A patient Max Slaughter finished with 15 kills and jack-of-all-trades Kainoa Ferguson had 14 kills, two blocks and one ace. Middle Duncan Clark had all seven of his kills in Games 3 and 4 as ‘Iolani moved springy senior Cole Hogland outside to deter Ferguson and Slaughter.
The X-factor was 6-foot-5 sophomore DiAeris McRaven, who had 10 kills and six blocks in the match of his life. Setter Cole Fukumitsu dished 58 assists.
This will be Moanalua’s second trip to the state final. The last time came during former standout Austin Matautia’s senior year (2016).
Hogland led ‘Iolani, the ILH runner-up, with 23 kills and one ace. Kawika Lee added 12 kills and Ryan Van Cantfort added 11. Shane Harimoto finished with 48 assists.
‘Iolani, which had 12 aces in a quarterfinal win over Kamehameha-Maui, had just two against Moanalua with 12 service errors.
In the opening set, ‘Iolani pulled within 12-11, but Moanalua went on a 13-4 run. McRaven had two key blocks. Leopoldo finished the first set with six kills and an ace. Moanalua hit .458 in the first game and did not allow an ace by ‘Iolani.
Down 12-7 in Game 2, Moanalua rallied for a 23-19 lead. ‘Iolani turned momentum around, tying the set at 25 and eventually getting a key block and an ace by Hogland for the epic 35-33 set victory. That tied the match at 1-all. The teams combined for 101 hitting attempts in the second.
The third set was a momentum carryover for ‘Iolani, which led 10-6, thanks to three quick kills and an ace by Van Cantfort, and another ace by reserve Mitchell Marabella. The Raiders still had control at 22-20, but Moanalua rallied and took the lead on a block by Ferguson. Na Menehune eventually won the third with a key kill on a joust by setter Fukumitsu and a hitting error by the Raiders.
The ILH runner-up was resilient, jumping to a 6-1 lead in the fourth set with two big kills by Carter Kamana. With Leopoldo fatigued — one kill, four hitting errors in the fourth — Moanalua managed to tie it at 14, but the Raiders pulled away with four kills from Hogland for a 22-19 lead.
Down 22-20, Moanalua got a kill by Slaughter. Harimoto blocked it and questioned the referee, claiming that the ball touched Slaughter before it fell out of bounds.
Clark tied the game 22-22 on an overpass, and the Raiders drew some ire from Moanalua’s fans for asking to wipe the floor again. It didn’t make a difference, as the final point came on a hitting error by the Raiders.
Punahou 3, Kealakehe 1
Top-ranked Punahou played its reserves heavily in the 25-13, 25-15, 22-25, 25-11 win over the BIIF champions. The Buffanblu will go for their seventh consecutive state title tonight against Moanalua.
Ryan Wilcox had 15 kills in limited action to lead ILH champion Punahou (15-0). Kana‘i Akana tallied 11 kills and one ace, while Jameson McKibbin dished 25 assists. Alfred Tufono added 16 assists off the bench.
Anthony Trevino had a match-high 17 kills to lead Kealakehe (14-3). Isaiah Hooper tallied 10 kills and two aces, and setter Ikaika Pali dished 29 assists with three kills.
The Buffanblu steadily stretched the lead in the first set, going up 15-10, then 18-11 before running away.
Coach Rick Tune then entered an all-reserve six for the entire second set. That group had five blocks en route to the second-game win.
Kealakehe zoomed to a 10-3 lead in the third set. Punahou sent starting outside hitter Wilcox back in and regained momentum.
With Robert Allen and Jack Deuchar combining for three blocks, the Buffanblu tied the game at 11. Kealakehe regained control the rest of the way as Hooper tallied five kills and two aces, and Trevino racked up six kills.
Punahou re-entered its starting lineup for the fourth set. Down 4-3, the Buffanblu went on a 13-2 run behind the blocking of Allen and Deuchar, and two aces from McKibbin. After sitting since the first set, Akana had four kills, an ace and a block.
The Buffanblu go for their 36th state crown tonight.
Divsion II
Kapaa 3, Pearl City 0
Kiran Costa had 15 kills, hitting .464, to lead the top-seeded Warriors over the Chargers 25-19, 26-24, 25-14 at St. Francis gym on Friday.
Rusdan-Rocket Ahuna had 31 assists to help deliver the Warriors (13-1) to the championship against St. Francis.
Jere Perfanos-Taamu had 13 kills and Zion Tupuola-Fetui nine for the Chargers (7-7). Cameron Reimer had 29 assists.
St. Francis 3, Molokai 2
Wembley Mailei had 27 kills and Jesus Garcia 65 assists as No. 2-seeded Saints held off the No. 3 Farmers, 25-22, 15-25, 27-25, 21-25, 16-14, to advance to the final against Kapaa.
Mofuike Hafoka added 20 kills and Lanson Umufuke 11 for the Saints (13-1). Naina Kahala had 14 kills and Keinson Alcon 42 assists for the Farmers (13-4).
CONSOLATION
DIVISION I
At McKinley
Kamehameha-Maui def. Kamehameha-Hawaii 25-23, 26-24
Leaders: KSM—Kills: Ethan James and Iverson Dudoit 6. Assists: Austin Peters 19. KSH—Kills: Nalu Kahapea 11. Assists: Kleighton Hooper 14.
Mililani def. Waipahu, 23-25, 27-25, 15-10
Leaders: Mili—Kills: Nathaniel Johnson 15. Assists: Chance Guillermo 16. Waip—Kills: Bradley Tacata 16. Assists: Michael Tacata 12.
DIVISION II
At Kalani
Hawaii Prep def. University, 28-26, 21-25, 15-8
Kalani def. Konawaena, 23-25, 26-24, 15-7
