Moanalua scrambling to make up for lost time

No. 3 Moanalua Na Menehune

Early in the season, Moanalua players will discover who they are and whom they are playing next to.

Moanalua, like many of the teams in this week’s Ann Kang Invitational, have only practiced together for a week. Teams started tryouts on Aug. 4 and the threat of Hurricane Iselle canceled practices late last week.

With tough competition in the 16-team tournament, Na Menehune will be learning to play together throughout the three-day event.

“We’ve had three to four days to really figure out the positions,” said Moanalua coach Alan Cabanting. “If we come up competitive with the teams (at Ann Kang), I’ll be pretty satisfied.”

Na Menehune, ranked No. 3 in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser’s preseason poll, is in a tough bracket in the tournament that starts Thursday at ‘Iolani.

It includes Punahou, Maryknoll and California powers Mira Costa and Los Alamitos.

While Moanalua hasn’t spent much time together on the court, Cabanting said they’re all club players who are familiar with the game.

“They know the game,” Cabanting said. “The thing is it’s going to be a bit different in learning to play with each other. We’re putting girls in new positions and running a new and faster system. The girls will play how they know how to play the game. Learning how to play with each other and learning the new system, once we work all of that out, there’s a lot of potential.”

Outside hitters Silerolia Gaogao and Johanna Kruize will be major factors in Moanalua’s offense.

Cabanting said Gaogao would be counted on to make plays when passing breaks down, or if a sideout is needed. After playing in the middle and opposite last year, Kruize moves over to her natural position.

Joy Kurosawa and Lyndsey Ng anchor Moanalua’s back row. Kurosawa didn’t see much playing time last year after concussions from volleyball and judo. Ng started at libero last season.

Cabanting takes over the girls program for Tommy Lake after coaching the Moanalua boys team. He credits the previous coaching staff for establishing the program.

“My part is to continue its tradition and ensure successes keep coming at Moanalua,” Cabanting said.

No. 4 ‘Iolani Raiders

Every season, ‘Iolani runs into league foes Punahou and Kamehameha. Those two Interscholastic League of Honolulu powers have been tough to overcome, but the Raiders may finally be closing in on the two teams that have won the past 11 state titles.

“I’m looking to be really competitive this year and give ourselves an opportunity to win more matches than the past,” ‘Iolani coach Kainoa Obrey said. “The thing we always got stuck on is Kamehameha and Punahou. Every year, it’s tough. Those two teams in particular are ones we can’t quite get past yet in the two years I’ve been here. We’ve been chipping away and chipping away.”

Junior Bailey Choy is experienced, knowledgeable and can hit and set for the Raiders. Senior outside Anna Uhr is a four-year varsity player who can handle the ball and swing at a high percentage. Sierra Buscher moves over from middle blocker and Obrey said she’s improved a lot over the summer. Tatiana Calimpong-Burke returns for the Raiders and libero Moea Kekauoha can also hit in the front.

“She’s strong, on the smaller end, but very strong, good hands and good idea of where the ball may be,” Obrey said of his libero. “She knows as a libero what we need and she can serve-receive pretty well.”

Obrey said a good preseason performance would help the Raiders going into league play. That starts when it hosts the Ann Kang Invitational that runs Thursday to Saturday.

“Our kids will gain a lot of confidence if we can play well in the preseason,” Obrey said. “Our kids will really feel well about themselves. That’s what we need, (to know) we can really play and beat these teams.”

For the Raiders, it’s much more than court time in the Ann Kang. They help in the concession stand, do scorekeeping and assist in the daily operation of the tournament.

“All of our schools here have good athletes that can compete with all these teams,” Obrey said. “It is a lot of fun for us. It’s exciting. The kids get up for it every year. They really enjoy it and take it to heart it’s their tournament.”