It wasn’t Kamehameha’s victory against Waiakea, a match he knew his girls volleyball team would get up for, that caught coach Sam Thomas’ eyes first and foremost.
It wasn’t Kamehameha’s victory against Waiakea, a match he knew his girls volleyball team would get up for, that caught coach Sam Thomas’ eyes first and foremost.
It was the matches that Kamehameha could have slept walked through at Waiakea’s preseason tournament but didn’t that taught Thomas the most about what may come ahead this season.
“There were some matches where we went up against (junior varsity) teams, where we could have taken it easy,” Thomas said. “Sometimes you get sloppy, but we didn’t. We did what we needed to do.”
Behind sophomores outside hitters Nani Spaar and Tiani Bello, Kamehameha downed Waiakea 25-18, 25-19 in the championship match Saturday at UH-Hilo gym, earning a measure of momentum heading into the BIIF season, which starts Tuesday.
“We still have a lot of work to do,” Thomas said, “but I thought we did a very good job on both sides of the net.”
Spaar was named most valuable player of the tournament and Bello was on the all-tournament team. As freshmen, they each were named honorable mention All-BIIF, but they’ll be hard-pressed to be kept off the first team this season.
Normally, Thomas said, a coach wouldn’t want to depend on a pair of sophomores to help carry the load, but Spaar and Bello are different because they’re seasoned players, picking up experience through the High Performance program.
In an uber-competitive Division I race that also featuring Hilo and Waiakea last season, Kamehameha was the odd team out, ending a streak that saw the Warriors reach 12 consecutive HHSAA tournaments. Hilo knocked off Kamehameha in the semifinals before dethroning Waiakea in the final.
“I think you have to call Hilo the favorite,” Thomas said. “They lost only one senior and picked up another year of experience.
“We are the ones chasing.”
All three contenders open the season Tuesday: Hilo visits Kealakehe, Waiakea travels to Kohala and Kamehameha will be at Honokaa. Also, three-time defending Division II champion opens at Pahoa.
Also at the preseason tournament, Waiakea’s Kayla Kahaulopua was named most outstanding player. Rounding out the gold division all-tournament team were Kamehameha’s Summer Ah Choy and Megan Baldado, Waiakea Jordyn Hayashi, Makena Hanle and Melina DeVela and Hawaii Prep’s Madi Lee.
In the silver division, Keaau beat Pahoa 25-18, 25-14 behind MVP Makalei Watson. Pahoa’s Kawehi Kuahiwinui was the MOP, and the all-tournament team consisted of Keaau’s Chynesty Acia and Kaumakamai Sibayton, Pahoa’s Tiane Colobong and Kamalani Santos and Waiakea Halee Sweat and Hinalea Pea.
The tournament was dedicated to Jacob Hanohano, who died of cancer last November.