Kahuku’s Williams is not short in ability

You don’t see many overpowering outside hitters who stand 5 feet, 7 inches in Hawaii high school girls volleyball.

“It’s very rare,” said Kahuku coach Mounia Tachibana, who was asked for her take on senior Carey Williams. “At the ‘Iolani tournament, she was playing against some 6-5 girls and she dominated in that game. She’s smart. She can drive it around the block, not necessarily always through it. She can actually see a lot more open spots, so her tip is a lot more deadly this year.”

Williams, who Tachibana says is “5-8 with shoes on,” is one of the leaders of the top-ranked Red Raiders. They’re coming off a preseason tournament victory over then-No. 1 and defending Division I state champion Kamehameha.

Asked to name another shorter player with the same kind of sting Williams puts on the ball and Tachibana had to go back to her own playing days at Kamehameha, when she went against Kanoe Kamana‘o of ‘Iolani.

“She was a whopping 5-7 and she could sky and even though she was a setter, when they let her hit, she could hit,” Tachibana said. “Carey has that same short-player game — so much more tenacious because of being shorter.”

Any high school girls volleyball player being compared to Kamana‘o, who went on to become an All-American at Hawaii, can’t be a slouch.

Angelic demeanor

Part of Williams’ middle name is Anela, which means angel in Hawaiian, and as far as Tachibana is concerned, it fits.

“I can guarantee you that college coaches would love to have her on their team because of the way she plays and because of her work ethic,” Tachibana said. “She’s every coach’s dream. She is responsible, goes to weights, comes to conditioning. Even if other varsity girls don’t come and it’s just with the younger JV girls or White division girls, she’s the one who still comes out. She goes to varsity practice, club practice, so she’s very dedicated. Coaches will have a blast with her. They’re not going to have any trouble with her, that’s for sure.”

Williams and her Red Raiders teammates are trying to get past two-time defending champion Moanalua and other contending schools for their first Oahu Interscholastic Association championship since 2012. A year ago, they lost to ‘Iolani in the state semifinals in four sets, and they don’t want this season to end that early.

Believing in each other

A Honolulu Star-Advertiser Fab 15 selection as a junior, Williams thinks it’s mostly a matter of faith in each other and in their own responsibilities that can get them to new heights.

“It’s all mental,” she said. “We’re physically ready and we’re all in shape, so now it’s about just fighting for every point with that mental determination. This year, the mentality is different and we believe in each other that we can win. I personally feel like I’m more focused this year because it’s my senior year and I just want to leave it all on the court.”

Williams’ brother Lamone was a Kahuku defensive end who is now playing for the Oregon State football team. Her sister Tyra was a Kahuku basketball and volleyball player. Her parents are Lana and Solomana Williams and she has a younger brother, LeBron.

According to Tachibana, Williams has a quiet demeanor.

“She barely says anything,” the coach said. “If you look at our team at practice, she’s that quiet one, that timid one all the way in the back. She doesn’t stand out at all, but when she actually plays, that’s when you know it’s Carey Williams.”

Despite that subdued nature, it’s evident Williams is having some light fun out there with all of that seriousness of competition around her.

“When we’re at practice, sometimes when she follows the ball (that appears to be going out of bounds), she’ll do something to crack us up, like fall on the floor,” Red Raiders libero Puao Sao said. “One time she put her head and arms back (letting the ball fly over her head). Another time she followed it to the line and jumped up and accidentally kicked the ball and we were all mad at her.”