HONOLULU — Konawaena’s tag-team sister act was too tough to stop once Chanelle and Celena Molina got into a hitting groove and started smoking volleyballs on Friday.
HONOLULU — Konawaena’s tag-team sister act was too tough to stop once Chanelle and Celena Molina got into a hitting groove and started smoking volleyballs on Friday.
They shared a hitting hammer, and the Wildcats pounded Kalaheo 27-25, 25-22, 25-19 in the semifinals at the Hawaii High School Athletic Association Division II state championships at Kaimuki High’s gym.
No. 1 seed Kona plays No. 2 Seabury Hall or No. 3 Hawaii Baptist Academy for the Division II state championship at 5 p.m. Saturday at Neal Blaisdell Center.
The Wildcats are the defending Division II state champion. Last year as an unseeded team, Kona didn’t face either Seabury Hall or Hawaii Baptist. The Spartans, from Maui, placed third while the Eagles, of the Interscholastic League of Honolulu, took a two-match exit.
The Molina sisters notched a double-double for the second straight day, and were a powerful attacking force. They had 29 of Kona’s 43 kills or 67 percent of the offense.
Chanelle (18 kills, 17 digs) had a .244 hitting clip on 45 swings with seven errors while Celena (11 kills, 16 digs) posted a .400 hitting percentage on 25 attacks with just one error.
“Chanelle really shined. She was a true leader tonight,” Kona coach Ainsley Keawekane said. “We had a talk before the game and I reminded her to be a good leader that others want to follow. She had positive energy, and picked up the others when she needed to. And she plays with a lot of heart.”
McKenna Ventura, who had 12 digs, and Alissa Nahale-Blanco each added five kills to help the Big Island Interscholastic Federation champion Wildcats (17-0) outhit Kalaheo, .206-.139.
The Oahu Interscholastic Association champion Mustangs (10-5) presented a big block with 6-foot middles Alexandra Jacobsen and Violet Subee, and a two-setter hitting attack like Kona.
One setter/hitter is 5-9 Syenna Masaki, who put down 16 kills on 40 attacks with a .250 average, and her partner 5-7 Siana Yamaguchi compiled seven kills to spearhead Kalaheo.
Masaki is a big-time threat. She doesn’t have Chanelle Molina’s explosive jumping ability and array of shots, but Masaki has thunder in her right arm, and attacked from everywhere.
“We posted our block on her, but she was hard to stop,” Keawekane said. “I know her dad and he was a good player, so I know she’s getting extra training.”
And much like quarterfinal foe La Pietra, the Mustangs return a lot of key parts for next year. Masaki is just a sophomore while Yamaguchi and Subee are juniors. Jacobsen is the only senior starter.
Kona started the match with a bunch of butterflies in the first set, but pulled out a 27-25 win behind Chanelle Molina’s seven kills and Celena’s four kills.
Down 24-21, the Molina sister act took over. Celena Molina got a tool shot, then served two straight aces. Chanelle closed the set with Kona’s final three points.
In the second set, the Wildcats found themselves in another late hole, down 21-19, but rallied to win 25-22, thanks to a nice five-point run.
That scoring spree included two solo blocks by Ihi Victor and Celena Molina to leapfrog over the Mustangs 24-21. Then Celena Molina shut the door on Game 2 with a kill; Chanelle Molina contributed six kills.
Ventura, a 5-8 junior and first-time setter, continues to show her versatility and value as a multi-purpose weapon. She’s also a middle, who not only sets, but also blocks, passes from the back row, and swings from different spots on the floor, which opens up seams and benefits her fellow Wildcats.
Against La Pietra in the four-set win, Ventura, who has a handy roll shot, had the highest hitting clip at .312 (15 kills on 32 attempts with just five errors). She took the second-most balls in serve-receive and made 17 passes without surrendering an ace. She wasn’t credited with any blocks, but that doesn’t account for all the touches or deflections she got.
Meanwhile, in her three years at states, Chanelle Molina might have had her best game, from a statistical viewpoint, against those dangerous power-hitting Panthers, the ILH runner-up and a small-school giant on the rise.
“We barely hung on against La Pietra, even though we won in four,” Keawekane said. “They’ve got three hitters (Peri Green, Jessica Akiona, Savana Breene) who have amazing mechanics. They’re poised and didn’t get rattled. Usually when you’re young, you make more mistakes. Not them, they’ve got a high volleyball IQ.”
Molina, a 5-7 junior outside hitter, is also the middle back, a spot reserved for the top ball-handler. She was targeted and took a match-high 44 balls in serve-receive, and had one passing error for a .978 passing rate. That’s a full day’s workload as a defender.
Of course, Molina, whose athleticism is matched by her shot-making ability, can hit the ball, too. Against the Panthers, she had 24 kills on 67 swings with nine errors for a .224 hitting percentage, not to mention she hammered home the final three points.
Someday soon, she may have stiff competition to the title as MVP volleyball Molina in her household. She would gladly hand over that distinction to one of her sisters because Chanelle’s favorite sport is basketball.
Celena Molina, a 5-8 sophomore setter/right-side hitter, took 13 balls in serve-receive and had one reception error. With her long arms and length, she posted three blocks and 20 digs against La Pietra.
Then there’s Little Mo, 5-4 freshman Cherilyn Molina, who had a dazzling state debut on Thursday with 15 digs and 11 perfect balls in serve-receive. Against the Mustangs, she got eight digs.
And when attacks were returned, Chanelle Molina defended the back row with her smooth fluidity, and racked up 23 digs against La Pietra. She had another five-star, all-around game against the Mustangs — one big reason her Wildcats have a shot at a state title repeat.
Kailua 2, Hawaii Prep 0: The Surfriders won in consolation 25-17, 25-19 to eliminate Ka Makani.
It was the final match for HPA senior outside hitter Gabbie Ewing, and fellow senior starters Anna Juan, Ula Brostek, and Alaina Bradley.
Ka Makani finished 11-7.
Stats weren’t available.