Michael Fisher likes to study ancient civilizations, particularly the old empires of the Aztecs and Mayans.

After all, mighty as those worlds were, they came tumbling down, not even lasting as long as the Mayan calendar, which winds down in December of this year.

The 6-foot-6 outside hitter has teamed with 6-4 senior Chad Barretta to form a considerable 1-2 volleyball combo for Hawaii Baptist. That’s one of the many reasons the tiny (enrollment below 500) school in Nuuanu has emerged as a state and national powerhouse. Barretta followed in the footsteps of older brother Kyle, a former Star-Advertiser All-State selection, and has been playing with Fisher since the two were in elementary school at Trinity Christian.

But it’s massive kingdoms that “Fish” enjoys learning about.

“They accomplished huge things, built a huge society,” he said of the Aztecs and Mayans. “Then they vanished without a trace. There were revolutions. Leaders got killed.”

At HBA, where there is peace and harmony, battles are left to the playing courts. With coach Teoni Obrey and his staff, players start young and keep improving year-round through the Kui Kahi Volleyball Club.

“There’s no ego or sense of entitlement. They just want what’s best for the team,” Obrey said of his two big hitters. “Our senior class has a willingness to lead by example. They learned from the group ahead of them.”

The Eagles are No. 2 in the Star-Advertiser Boys Volleyball Top 10, earning the respect of coaches and media by beating some of the state’s best teams in preseason and exhibition tournaments. This week, they enter the New City Nissan/HHSAA Volleyball State Championships as the top seed in the Division II tourney.

They’ve won three of the past four state titles. The banners are starting to take over the ceiling at Dan Liu Gymnasium on campus, not that the school makes a big deal about it.

“You just come into the gym one day and it’s, ‘Look, there’s another one,’ ” Fisher said.

There are dozens of small, even tiny, schools scattered across Oahu and the Neighbor Islands. What separates HBA?

“For me, it’s whether kids have competitive drive. It just clicked for me, so I just keep working hard,” Fisher said.

The HBA towers haven’t always focused only on volleyball. Fisher was asked to come out for the basketball team, so he played junior varsity as a freshman and varsity as a sophomore. The two-a-days — basketball at school and volleyball at club — were too much.

But it would’ve been intriguing if the two leapers had strapped on the gear to play football for Pac-Five. After all, Fisher’s favorite athlete isn’t a volleyball great; it’s New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady.

“My dad played football in high school, so I probably would’ve said yes,” Fisher said.

But nobody asked, which probably was a good thing for the Eagles’ volleyball dynasty.

SOMEWHERE OUT there, on the Pali trail, or perhaps Maunawili Falls or even Mt. Olomana, Barretta and Fisher have likely talked volleyball. Away from the expectations. The anticipation. The constant throttle of volleyballs slamming off the hardwood, the echo of drills.

Barretta loves to hike. Olomana is his favorite, even with the danger — certain areas are now roped off, a change from decades past. One thing he hasn’t done yet is take his beloved baritone sax up to the top to play a solo … yet.

Once or twice a month, he heads out into the wilderness with his brothers. Life on the windward side is all that and more. So why does he envision life in California?

Barretta is going to play at Concordia next season, but more than that, he loves the volleyball life. There’s beach volleyball on the left coast. He could play in the sand forever.

Until then, there’s the mind-set of a graduating senior. The routine, the tempo, the intensity — nothing changes day to day.

“We pride ourselves on working hard all the time. We’re a lot more disciplined on and off the court this year,” he said, noting that the squad has eight seniors. “Last year, we’d be running all practice because some guys would fool around.”

In fact, Fisher had always been the quiet one.

“He was a lot more shy,” Barretta said of his friend since fifth grade. “He’s come out of his shell and he’s way more fun now.”

So how do two volleyball titans end up not going to Punahou, the state’s premier program?

“I thought he would end up there,” said Barretta, who followed his brothers’ footsteps at HBA. “But at a small school, you pretty much know everybody. That’s part of why I chose Concordia. It’s a small Christian school.”

Barretta opted to go there rather than accept a partial scholarship to UH, carving out a path of his own. The plan is to be self-employed one day, just like his parents.

“I just know it’s going to be volleyball-related,” Barretta said.

Obrey can’t help but smile about this year’s Eagles.

“They really are special young men,” he said.