Mililani wins first OIA title

All that was missing was the blood.

With both teams leaving their sweat and tears on the court, the Mililani Trojans made history Saturday, beating three-time defending champion Kahuku to win the school’s first Oahu Interscholastic Association girls volleyball title.

When Inoa Fields’ kill hit the floor, the Trojans had outlasted the Red Raiders 28-26, 25-18, 14-25, 22-25, 15-12 before more than 400 bleacher-stomping, decibel-busting fans at McKinley Student Council Gym.

The Trojans stormed the court in celebration, pouring with emotion, as coach Val Crabbe embraced a fellow coach.

"I can’t ask for anything more," said senior Kaila Kikugawa, a three-year varsity player who contributed 10 kills and outstanding overall play. "This is what I wanted my whole volleyball career, is to just take OIAs."

"It feels amazing," said junior setter Casie Gaza, who controlled the offense with 35 assists. "It was definitely an earned win. Props to Kahuku. They played amazing."

For Kahuku, there were tears of disappointment for a gutsy rally that fell short of making the Red Raiders the first four-time OIA champion since Pearl City from 1984 to ’87.

"That’s all we ask, just leave it all out here (on the floor). No regrets," Kahuku coach Kaniela Kalama said.

Mililani took the first set behind Jordyn Keamo, who tallied nine of 17 kills by varying her attack with power and finesse.

"Kahuku, there’s not many holes open. They touch every ball," Keamo said. "I got lucky with those roll shots."

After the Trojans (14-1) took Set 2, Mililani was on the verge of reversing Thursday’s three-set sweep by Kahuku (15-4) that forced Saturday’s winner-take-all match in the double-elimination tournament.

But the Red Raiders rallied behind the direction of sophomore setter Talia Brown and the hitting of sophomore Sinamoni Tonga and senior Tatiana Brown to win Set 3 easily.

Sophomore Adora Anae’s three early kills got Kahuku rolling in Set 4 for a 4-0 lead. But Mililani went on a 7-0 run, only to see Kahuku later retaliate with its own on Pati Anae’s serve for a 17-13 lead. The Trojans rallied back from a 21-15 deficit to close it to 22-21. But kills by Tatiana Brown and another by Tonga sent the thrilling match to a fitting fifth set.

Kahuku led 3-2, but Mililani went on a 7-1 run for a 9-4 lead. The Red Raiders went on a 7-1 run — using kills by Pati Anae and two passes that went long by Fields — for an 11-10 lead.

But Mililani got a kill from Samantha Fischer and saw Fields rebound emotionally for a kill in a 4-0 run that made it 14-11.

A kill by Kahuku’s Tyra Williams made it 14-12 before Fields slammed one that couldn’t be returned.

"I told her (Fields), sometimes the tendency she has is to try not to make mistakes," Crabbe said. "You gotta come at it like it’s a new point. You come at it. Do not play not to lose or not make a mistake and you put it away. And she did it."

Added Fields: "My coach keeps telling me to keep swinging. And my teammates (say) if you swing you know you can do it. So just keep swinging and don’t stop. Never give up."

Both teams already qualified for this week’s state tournament. But with both so young — Mililani started five juniors and a sophomore and Kahuku two sophomores and two juniors — they could be facing each other often in meaningful games in coming years.

"We played very well," Kalama said. "We played eight games in 12 days and we did pretty good."