The Hawaii Baptist boys volleyball team is broadening its horizons.

The reigning Division II champion stepped up in competition on Thursday and Friday, moving undefeated through their pool at the Hawaii Boys Volleyball Invitational hosted by ‘Iolani. The Eagles dropped only a single game in four matches at Maryknoll, topping it off with a 25-15, 25-17 victory over No. 9 Kalaheo on Friday.

“This was our best match of the tournament so far,” Hawaii Baptist coach Teoni Obrey said. “We have been struggling the past day and a half but were able to turn it on at the right time.”

Michael Fisher had 15 kills for Hawaii Baptist, and Chad Barretta added eight. Most of their points came off perfect sets by Mason Ohta, who was a force on defense and nearly flawless setting.

“He was losing his confidence a little earlier in this tournament,” Obrey said. “But he was pretty good (against Kalaheo) and it is good to see, hopefully he comes out and gets even better tomorrow.”

Westview of California had just as easy a time in its pool, beating scrappy Maryknoll 25-20, 25-23 in its last match. The Wolverines knocked out No. 2 Kamehameha earlier in pool play at Maryknoll on Friday, sweeping the Warriors 27-25, 25-20.

“We are still not playing the way we are capable of playing right now,” Westview coach Steve McLaughlin said. “I don’t know if it’s the flight, the ball, the gym, the environment. We are playing just well enough to win. But these Hawaii teams are good, every one of them is good.”

Kamehameha bounced back to beat another California team, Poway, 25-13, 25-16.

“Winning one match doesn’t really say anything,” Kamehameha coach Kainoa Downing said. “We did something that was nice, which is to pull back together as a team, and for me that was a huge accomplishment after a defeat and it will make our season better.”

The biggest upset of a California school belonged to Maryknoll, which beat Poway 25-21, 23-25, 15-11 behind the guts of Gabriel Shimizu, who entered the match midway through the second and took over the third with his defense. He got a late start because of an injury to his chin against Punahou and played with a big, white bandage on it. He then helped the Spartans hang with powerful Westview.

Hawaii Baptist moves on to play Kamehameha-Hawaii today at 12:45 p.m. at ‘Iolani’s lower gym. Westview and Moanalua tangle at 2 p.m., with the winners facing off for the tournament championship at 3:15.

The Raiders’ Tyler Ushio allowed just one hit in a five-inning shutout against the Wolfpack.

The Buffanblu scored seven runs in the eighth inning to beat the Spartans.

The Sabers rallied for two runs in the seventh to slip past the Hurricanes.
Campbell’s Rayven Kahana blasted a three-run homer in the top of the sixth.

Keiki Carlos pitched a one-hit shutout as the Owls blanked the Warriors.
Carlos also came up big for Mid-Pacific at the plate, going 4-for-4 with a double, a home run and four runs batted in.

The Saints smashed the Wolfpack, blasting 14 hits in five innings.
St. Francis pitcher Brooke Langsi earned the victory.