Pilipaa wanted to make history at the 58th annual Haili Volleyball Tournament, hoping to become the first group of high school players to win the women’s AA title. ADVERTISING Pilipaa wanted to make history at the 58th annual Haili Volleyball
Pilipaa wanted to make history at the 58th annual Haili Volleyball Tournament, hoping to become the first group of high school players to win the women’s AA title.
A bunch of old-timers from Oahu were having none of that on Saturday at Hilo Civic, where experience and creaky knees proved more efficient than youth and athleticism.
Honolulu’s HI Intensity, filled with former college standouts, played cleaner ball and defeated the youngsters from Pilipaa 25-20, 25-17 to fly home with the AA championship.
In nothing of a surprise, Kailua VBC, with its lion’s share of former Rainbow Warriors, beat the Big Island Boys 25-21, 21-25, 15-9 for the men’s AA crown.
Though the name suggests a homegrown roster, most of the players on the Big Island Boys are from out of state. Peter Pua Jr. is one of the few from the Orchid Isle.
If the HI Intensity club name rings a bell, that’s because the coach is Kahala Kabalis Hoke, who also served as the setter.
The fourth-year Chaminade coach, who was an impact player for the Silverswords back in the day, borrows the same club name from her mom, Carla Carpenter-Kabalis.
Kabalis Hoke’s roster was loaded with college players, including Alex Akana (San Jose State), Rebeckah Torres (University of Pacific), Deven Bukoski (Cal State Fullerton) and Camilla Ah Hoy (Oregon State).
In a nod to keep them forever young, their college year dates are being withheld.
Despite the passage of time, Kabalis Hoke and her fellow old-timers had the fundamentals down cold, especially in the ball-handling department with sharp passing.
In a stat that pretty much summed up the sweep, Pilipaa had 22 unforced errors (hitting, serving, etc.) while HI Intensity had just 13 giveaway points.
It’s that old saying: You never forget how to ride a bike.
And it’s the same thing with finely tuned volleyball players, no matter how old. They’ll always remember how to serve tough, pass bullets, and hit smart shots to open spaces.
Still, for pure entertainment, Kamehameha senior Kaiulani Ahuna put on a show. She relied on her young springs to soar high, and hammered 14 kills.
Waiakea senior Alison Fuata was next in line with six kills. Waiakea junior Kadara Marshall had two kills, and Hilo senior Taylor Alicuben had one kill.
Kabalis Hoke, who was a powerful outside hitter in her college days, displayed her soft touch as a setter, and court savvy, spreading the attack.
Though they’re more ground-level hitters, Akana and Torres put down eight kills each, Bukoski had five kills and Ah Hoy drilled four kills.
It’s not over for Pilipaa, which took the silver bracket at the Las Vegas Classic in February. There are more club tournaments, but nothing that can be considered a major like the Haili or Vegas one.
Actually, Pilipaa did make history.
“I can’t recall a high school team in my 30 years reaching the women’s AA finals,” Pilipaa coach Chris Leonard said. “We’ve had a great run and wanted to challenge the girls and put them in the AA division. But we ran into a tough, experienced team.”
Maybe in a decade, when Ahuna, Fuata, Marshall, Alicuben, Zoe Leonard, Arianne Kaapuni, Pua Wong, Keala Watson, Iliana Nakamoto and Zoe Leonard are older and slower but more finely tuned, Pilipaa will be the toughest old-timers in the women’s AA division.
All in the ohana
One of the best things about the Haili is all the family playing legacies, best exemplified by director Lyndell Lindsey and her sister Sweetie Osorio.
Back in the day, the sisters were on UH-Hilo’s national championship team in 1979. They’ve been teammates for a much longer time at the Haili, where Lindsey has played in 56 of the 58 tournaments.
She and Osorio, whose father-in-law is local volleyball icon Elroy Osorio, played in the Haili women’s 45 division, along with Carla Carpenter-Kabalis, whose daughter Kahala Kabalis Hoke competed in the women’s AA final.
Cindy Galieto also played in the women’s 45 division and her daughters Kiana and Leah were in the women’s B division.
Kanoe Bush was in the women’s B and her twin sister Kawai Bush was in the women’s 30 division.
Two other sisters also played in the women’s 45 division, Kalei Namohala and Debbie Namohala.
April Pana was in the women’s A division and her sister Lisa Pana played in the women’s masters 30.
Clayton Morante played in the men’s B division and his mom Pauline Morante was the MVP of the women’s masters 45 and older division.
The Pilipaa women’s AA team had several family connections, too.
There was Chris Leonard in the men’s masters and his daughter Zoe Leonard in the AA division. Alicuben’s dad Cy Alicuben played in the men’s masters, and Woolsey’s mom Dionne Woolsey was in the women’s masters.
On the men’s side, Peter Pua and his sons Peter Pua Jr., Chad Pua and Duke Pua made it another family affair at the Haili.
“It’s an ohana thing, having the next generation continue the legacy of playing at the Haili,” said Lindsey, who has no plans on stopping. “Once it stops being fun, then I’ll stop. But I enjoy the sport so much. I enjoy playing with my sister. If I didn’t play with her, I’d feel lost. As along as I’m having fun, I’ll continue playing.”
