Sisters’ individual skills connect to make a fierce combination

See Wahine. Be Wahine.

That’s about as simple as it gets in describing the Molina sisters of Konawaena and their volleyball acumen.

Wildcats coach Ainsley Keawekane met Chanelle, Celena and Cherilyn Molina when they started playing the sport. He tells it like this: "When they first walked into the gym, they started peppering — pass, set, hit. I couldn’t believe they were doing that. I said, ‘Excuse me, where have you girls played before?’ No kid at age 9-10 comes in peppering the first time. They told me they watched the Rainbow Wahine doing it on TV."

Imagine that.

"They are just visual athletes," Keawekane said.

You can’t mention the name Molina without also mentioning basketball. The three sisters were part of Konawaena’s rise to the Division I state title a year ago, and the Wildcats will be favored to repeat. All three also have been offered scholarships to play hoops for Washington State and Chanelle, a senior, has committed.

But this is volleyball season, and the girls were on Oahu last week for the Ann Kang Invitational at ‘Iolani. The Wildcats have won two straight D-II state crowns.

As with any trio — from the Three Stooges to Destiny’s Child — there is always a leader, and that role is, unquestioningly, taken by Chanelle, who is an outside hitter and the Honolulu Star-Advertiser All-State player of the year as a guard in basketball.

"Chanelle at times pushes everybody," Keawekane said. "She is able to teach mechanics and help the kids. Some kids look up to her and some don’t. She is intense. She is the type who wants to hit the ball the hardest."

Celena, a junior, on the other hand, is more of a cerebral/finesse type when it comes to handling the volleyball, and that’s why she is the team’s setter, where touch and timing is everything. She is a forward in basketball, and that touch and timing helps in rebounding.

"I call Celena ‘Miss Personality,’ " Keawekane said. "She has a smile that lights up a room."

The young one, Cherilyn, is a sophomore, and the most inexperienced when it comes to volleyball. She plays in the back row.

"If she’s having a bad day in volleyball, she gets really mad," the coach said. "We just settle her down and say, ‘Don’t forget your mechanics’ and it usually works and she’ll give a little smile."

Watch out for Cherilyn in hoops, however. Even Chanelle, who is highly competitive at everything, admits that other people say Cherilyn "might be" a better ballhandler in basketball than Chanelle.

Hold it right there. According to Keawekane, there’s no question that Cherilyn is a better basketball ballhandler than Chanelle.

Without hesitation, Chanelle said, "Cherilyn is definitely better than me when I was a freshman. I still have college and I am going to be constantly pushing to get better."

The girls are typical sisters — some fighting and, mostly, getting along.

Don’t let Celena’s setter’s "touch" fool you.

"Celena is super aggressive and hates to lose just like me," Chanelle said.

The oldest and youngest, Chanelle and Cherilyn, gravitate toward basketball first and volleyball as a second sport.

Celena’s favorite sport, however, is volleyball, and she is indebted to Chanelle for showing her sisters how important weight training is.

"I didn’t like it at first," Celena said. "But Chanelle motivated us to work out more. She knows that’s what it takes."

The two older sisters hang in the same school circles, and Celena said they are super close with the younger one, Cherilyn, too, but that she "is kind of in her own world."

"We all gang up on each other," Celena added.

Cherilyn just may have the last laugh in more ways than one, though. As a sophomore, she still has three full seasons to improve and become the best of the bunch.

She also came clean on the real culprit of the broken window near the front of the family house when she was a preteen.

"We were playing baseball and Chanelle hit a pitch really hard and it cracked the glass. We all blamed it on our little brother Coby. He got all the scoldings. I felt bad."

And so, if parents Rose and Allan didn’t know before, they know now.

HIGH SCHOOL TOP 10

FOOTBALL

TEAM	VOTES	W-L	LW
1. Mililani (13)	139	2-0	1
2. Saint Louis	120	1-0	2
3. Punahou	116	2-0	2
4. Kahuku (1)	98	3-0	4
5. Kamehameha	85	3-0	5
6. Farrington	72	2-0	6
7. Kapolei	45	1-1*	8
8. Kailua	29	2-0*	10
9. Waianae	25	2-1	NR
10. Kapaa	24	2-0	9

Also receiving votes: ‘Iolani 9, Moanalua 8.
* Does not include Monday’s results.

TOP PERFORMERS

BACK/RECEIVER OF THE WEEK
Vavae Malepeai, Mililani

The senior rushed for 150 yards on 18 carries and scored five touchdowns in the top-ranked Trojans’ 49-21 home victory over Campbell on Saturday. Malepeai scored on runs of 1, 10, 16 and 1 yards, and he also caught one pass from fellow senior McKenzie Milton for 19 yards and a touchdown. Malepeai, who is 6 feet and 200 pounds, is a two-time Honolulu Star-Advertiser All-State first-team selection who is committed to play for Oregon.

LINEMAN OF THE WEEK
Sione Vea, Kalani

The defensive end and tackle recorded five tackles for loss, including three sacks, and one pass breakup in the Falcons’ 28-6 win over Kalaheo on Friday at Kaiser Stadium. Vea, a senior, is 6 feet 5 and 225 pounds. It was the first win of the season for the Falcons (1-2, 1-1 OIA Division II), who previously lost close decisions to Waialua and Pac-Five.

Voted on by coaches and media statewide. First-place votes in parentheses. Ten points for first-place votes, nine for second, etc.