Hilo senior Kailee Kurokawa has an enjoyable job on the volleyball court, where every set goes to a teammate who can smash the ball and bring a quick celebration after a point is produced.
Hilo senior Kailee Kurokawa has an enjoyable job on the volleyball court, where every set goes to a teammate who can smash the ball and bring a quick celebration after a point is produced.
With all six returning starters back, the defending BIIF Division I champion Vikings are in good shape and poised to repeat, something they haven’t done since a long ago three-peat (1999 to 2001).
Last season, Kurokawa, at setter, and outside hitters Kawai Ua, Lexi Paglinawan, and Taina Leao landed on the All-BIIF first team. Middle blocker Laurie McGrath received honorable mention. Mahala Kaapuni wasn’t recognized, but she was just a freshman middle last year.
Ua was named the BIIF co-player of the year along with Waiakea libero Jordyn Hayashi, the first defender in league history to garner that honor, which confirmed their status as two of the best little giants. Ua stands 5 feet 6, and Hayashi is 5-4, but both seniors play much taller.
Hilo and Waiakea will meet in a showdown at about 7:30 p.m. Monday at the Vikings Gym, where it’ll be a Piopio Bears club reunion and a battle of balanced firepower against the Warriors’ defensive blanket.
Hayashi as well as a host of Viking players — Kurokawa, Ua, Paglinawan, defenders Alyah Cortez and Caitlin Manarpaac, and middle Chasati Babagay — are Piopio Bears club members.
One reason for Hilo’s solid team chemistry is everyone is on a club team. McGrath, Leao, Kaapuni, and defender Mia Takai are on Pilipaa. Setter/opposite Makena Ahuna is at HI Intensity. The Canon sisters, setter Erica and hitter Taylor, play for Cuzins. Defender Jamie Chun is on Haili Jrs. Outside hitter Leialii Makekau-Whittaker, sister of CSUN setter Kamalu Makekau-Whittaker, has an Oahu club team.
If the Hilo six-pack starters were a TV show like the Brady Bunch, Kurokawa, like parents Mike and Carol Brady, would play no favorites. She can count herself as a hitter, too, because sets will get sent to her to spread the offense.
“Everyone is a good hitter, and they can all execute,” Kurokawa said. “It helps that everyone plays club ball. Our team chemistry is really good, and I have trust in them.”
The offense is built around Ua, who’s the most explosive — a high jumper and hard hitter — little giant since 5-4 Keirsa Pakani-Tsukiyama, a 2012 Waiakea graduate, who later played ball at Western New Mexico as a libero.
Chanelle Molina, a 2016 Konawaena graduate, and Gabbie Ewing, a 2015 Hawaii Prep grad, don’t count because they were both 5-7. Kamehameha sophomore outside hitter Tiana Bello, another package of dynamite, is already taller than Ua, a sparkplug leader.
“She has a heavy hitting hand from her freshman year,” Hilo coach Drew Fernandez said. “I have to give her props. She’s the only one always talking and motivating everybody out there. She has more of a voice than anyone else.”
Last season, Hilo lost to Iolani, the eventual state champion, in four sets in the HHSAA tournament quarterfinals. The Vikings played at Iolani’s preseason tournament and gained valuable experience for the 15 players on the roster.
“My expectation is to not go backward,” Fernandez said. “That’s exactly what I told them. We want to move forward. Our strength is our versatility. When someone is not performing, we can call someone off the bench. Usually, we have 14 players. This year, we kept 15 girls.”
Fernandez pointed out that Kurokawa and McGrath have turned into aggressive hitters, banging balls with more authority. When Kurokawa rotates to the back row, Leao comes in at opposite, where she takes healthy swings.
Paglinawan is the other left-side hitter. She’s an inch shorter than Ua but just as tough. Like Ua, she’s a six-rotation player, a solid hitter and passer.
“Lexi is so quiet,” Fernandez said. “You don’t expect it but she’ll go up and hit it very fast.”
McGrath is an accomplished beach volleyball player, and the junior already has a scholarship on the table from the Rainbow Wahine. The other middle is Kaapuni, who’s much improved, and Babagay will also see time in the front row.
“Mahala went to the Iolani tournament and improved her blocking. She worked all offseason and has been hitting the ball like nobody’s business,” Fernandez said. “Chasati is doing great, and her swing is much better.”
Like every other position, there’s a lot of depth in the back row. Cortez has the libero job, and Manarpaac, Chun, and Takai will fill in as defenders.
“We spend 30 minutes a day at practice passing. It’s the most important skill,” Kurokawa said. “We have four defensive specialists, and they’re all really good. Alyah and Jamie did really good at Iolani. Caitlin will let her body drop to the floor without any effort. Mia is new from Waiakea. She gives us energy every time she’s out there.”
No one likes to go backward, especially seniors. Hilo has six of them: Kurokawa, Ua, Paglinawan, Cortez, Ahuna, and Babagay. They won’t state it, but they’re hoping for another BIIF title ride into the sunset.
Next season, the Vikings will still be in good shape. There are four sets of sisters on the varsity and junior varsity. Ua and Leao have sisters on the JV.
There’s a good thing going at Hilo, and the players are hungry for more. There’s a monster showdown on Monday against Waiakea. And Kurokawa best summed up the team’s no-backward approach.
“We’re looking forward to it,” she said.