Guy Enriques wanted to make a splash with the inaugural Kamehameha Labor Day Classic Volleyball Tournament and scored an impressive field.
The first-year Warriors coach invited 18 teams to play Friday and Saturday at Koa’ia Gym, including Kamehameha-Kapalama, last year’s HHSAA Division I champion, nine BIIF schools, and two mainland teams.
The Classic already has a bigger field than the preseason Ann Kang Iolani Invitational Volleyball Tournament, which has 16 teams with most from the mainland.
“I realized there are not many tournaments for girls once Labor Day is over,” Enriques said. “There are none on Oahu at all, unlike the boys (in the spring) where we have tournaments that keep us going.
“I wanted to have a tournament where we could still be competing and bring in mainland teams, 10 to 15. We had five, but three canceled because of the Volcano. My goal is to make it big with teams from out of state and off island, as big as we can handle it. I want to bring good high school volleyball here.”
During the summer, Enriques runs volleyball camps in Oregon. Through his West coast connections, he’s got five teams committed for next year.
On Friday at 11 a.m., fans have an interesting choice to check out the free admission matches at Koai’a Gym: Kamehameha-Kapalama vs. Waiakea, Kamehameha-Hawaii vs. McKinley, or Hilo vs. Kealakehe.
The defending state champs return senior setter Lexis Akeo, the Hawaii Gatorade State player of the year.
The host Warriors are looking to jump into Enriques’ system, which includes a heavy emphasis on ball-control (passing and serving).
“They’ve got a pretty good long way to go,” he said. “We’ve got all the pieces. They have to learn the system. The positions are wide open. There are battles every day.”
The BIIF runner-up Vikings and Waveriders will meet for the first time since last season’s BIIF semifinals. Hilo eliminated Kealakehe in four sets.
The other BIIF teams are Laupahoehoe, Ka‘u, Keaau, Pahoa, Christian Liberty, and Honokaa.
The other Oahu teams are Mid-Pacific, St. Andrews, and Kalaheo. The mainland teams are Westview and Skyline.
Enriques was the Kamehameha boys coach from 2003 to ’17.
“Coaching the girls is a lot more of a challenge,” he said. “I like the challenge. I like the fall season better than the spring. The kids come into school fired up. In the spring, they can’t wait to get out of school.”
Last week, the Warriors played at Kamehameha-Kapalama’s tourney and lost to an Alaskan team, which won its state championship.
They didn’t get a chance to play the Kapalama Warriors. That may happen if both advance out of pool play and meet in bracket seeding matches on Saturday.
“I think we should play them,” Enriques said. “I’m anxious to see how Hilo, Waiakea, and Kealakehe are. I don’t know much about the girls side, but I’m pretty excited.”
Tourney schedule
Friday
Koai’i Gym
9 a.m.
Waiakea vs. Kamehameha-Hawaii 2
McKinley vs. Laupahoehoe
Kealakehe vs. Ka‘u
10 a.m.
Kamehameha-Kapalama vs. KSH 2
KS-Hawaii vs. Laupahoehoe
Hilo vs. Ka‘u
11 a.m.
KS-Kapalama vs. Waiakea
KS-Hawaii vs. McKinley
Hilo vs. Kealakehe
3 p.m.
Mid-Pac vs. Keaau
St. Andrews vs. Pahoa
Christian Liberty vs. Honokaa
4 p.m.
Westview vs. Keaau
Skyline vs. Pahoa
Kalaheo vs. Honokaa
5 p.m.
Westview vs. Mid-Pac
Skyline vs. St. Andrews
Kalaheo vs. CLA
