Ka Ulukoa wins two more volleyball golds

Ka Ulukoa won its second and third gold medals of the USA Volleyball Boys Junior National Championships on Thursday, with victories in the 17s open and 13s club divisions in Reno, Nevada.

Fourth-seeded Ka Ulukoa 17s defeated third-seeded SCVC 25-21, 27-25 to go unbeaten in 11 matches. It was the sixth consecutive year that the core group of the team — coached by Pono Ma‘a and Charlie Jenkins — went undefeated en route to the championship.

Tui Tuileta was named the MVP and Skye Engleman, Micah Ma‘a and Kainoa Quindica were named to the all-tournament team. Other members were Preston Kamada, Kahiau Machado, Casey Takahashi and Trent Thompson. The squad was playing without Evan Enriques, who is with the U.S. junior national team.

The 13s final was an all-Hawaii affair, with third-seeded Ka Ulukoa finishing its 8-0 run with a 25-18, 25-19 upset of top-seeded Outrigger Canoe Club (7-2).

Members of the gold-medal team coached by Diana McKibbin and Diana Kawaa were Kupono Browne, Jacob Chouljian, Schuyler Cole, Ryan Hong and Kala‘i Leopoldo. Also, Jameson McKibbin, Dru Pang, James Scott, Destin Takanaka-Amodo, Alaka‘i Todd, Ryan Wilcox and Jaren Yuen.

Members of Outrigger’s silver medal team were Kana‘i Akana, Austin Bryan, Claudio Clini, Riley Kawananakoa, Avi Laird and Davis Lau. Also, Bryce Meichtry, Matthew Saffery Jr., Adam Sandvold, Jon Stanley, Shea Suzumoto, Parker Van Dyke and Ethan Wescoatt. The team was coached by James Ka and Alan Lau.

On Wednesday, Ka Ulukoa also won gold in the 15s club division.

Sataraka helps U.S. claim top seed

Honolulu’s Mysha Sataraka posted two doubles and drove in three runs to help power the U.S. to a 10-0 win over Korea on Thursday in the International Softball Federation Junior Women’s World Championship in Brampton, Ontario, Canada.

Sataraka later went 0-for-1 and walked twice in a 7-0 win over New Zealand, and the U.S. Junior Women’s National Team completed pool play at 7-0. The U.S. will face Australia (6-1) in a playoff game today.

At the end of pool play, Sataraka, a Punahou graduate, is hitting .533 (8-for-15) with three doubles and three home runs and leads the tournament with 14 RBIs.

The U.S. has yet to allow a run in the tournament, outscoring the opposition 66-0.