KEAAU — The Kamehameha volleyball team is strong in every rotation, and much of that versatile firepower is because of sophomore outside hitter Maela Honma, who’s a force in the front and back row.
The 5-foot-9 Honma knocked down seven of her match-high 14 kills from the backrow to lift Kamehameha over Waiakea 25-20, 25-19, 25-15 in a BIIF Division I showdown on Wednesday night at Koaia gym.
Honma, the sister of 2020 Waiakea graduate and volleyball/basketball standout Bethany Honma, was consistent with four kills in Game 1, five in Game 2, and four in Game 3 and provided a constant all-around threat for Kamehameha (5-0), which also swept Hilo.
“Waiakea came with a game plan, and they executed well,” said Kamehameha assistant Sam Thomas, who filled in for coach Guy Enriques, who was on the mainland. “We were a little excited for our senior night. In the middle of the second set and the third set we played well and stayed in system.
“Honma had a very strong performance. She has fit right in. The girls play for each other.”
Kamehameha is so deep at outside hitter that Sarah Schubert, 2019’s No. 1 left-side hitter, is now playing middle blocker. Schubert, a 5-9 junior, had 13 kills, while 5-6 junior outside hitter Cammie Masanda, 2019’s LOH No. 2, added four kills.
Taina Kaauwai, a 6-1 junior middle blocker, had three kills, along with 5-5 junior Eden Lukzen. Kili Helm, a 5-9 junior opposite, had two kills, along with 5-2 senior hitter Anuhea Dulan, who also had an ace and a dig on Kamehameha’s senior night.
The other seniors are libero Tabitha Pacheco, opposite Brooklyn Cann, who had one kill, and middle Poliahu Peleiholani-Blankenfeld.
Kamehameha served Waiakea tough and had more aces, 9-3. Schubert led the way with three aces.
The host Warriors, who won the 2019 BIIF title, had more firepower and were far more efficient with 43 kills and just 21 unforced errors. The public-school Warriors (3-2), who were the BIIF runner-up in 2019, had 29 kills and 21 unforced errors.
Sophomore outside hitter Toryn Ono smashed 10 kills, junior middle Bella Vickers added seven kills, junior outside hitter Shaynon Iaea Kaleo had four kills, junior hitter Kalley Quinores-Ah Sing had three kills, and freshman hitter Mercedes Murray knocked down two kills for Waiakea.
“I’m proud of the team. The coaches hope to see growth,” Waiakea coach Ashley Hanohano said. “We’re headed in the right direction.”
In Game 1, Schubert pounded five kills, and Honma added four, including three from the backrow.
Ono slammed five kills for Waiakea, which led 18-16 until Kamehameha went on a 4-0 run to take a 20-18 lead. Kamehameha scored the last thee points on a Schubert kill, a Schubert ace, and a Waiakea hitting error.
In Game 2, Honma and Schubert combined for nine kills again. Honma had five kills, including two from the backrow, and Schubert slammed four kills.
Vickers pounded four kills while Kaleo and Ono had three kills each for Waiakea, which led 15-11 until Kamehameha took off on a 7-0 run, getting two backrow kills from Honma to jump ahead 18-15. Honma later knocked down set point.
In Game 3, Schubert served two aces during Kamehameha’s 6-0 run for a 14-5 lead. Then midway through the set, the backups came in, and Dulan got a roar from the crowd when she smashed a kill for a 17-8 lead.
The Kamehameha faithful roared again when Dulan dropped an ace for a 20-8 cushion.
“That was heart-warming to see,” Thomas said.
Waiakea went on a three-point run on a service error, a kill by freshman Murray, and an ace from senior Mandy Yoshizawa to get within 23-15. But a pair of hitting errors sealed the sweep for Kamehameha.
Hanohano’s team is full of potential. There’s only one senior starter is middle Taysia Rocha, who had one kill. Everyone else will be back: junior setter Grace Nakoa-Oness, hitters Ono, Kaleo, and Quinores Ah-Sing, and middle Vickers.
Unfortunately for Waiakea and the rest of the league, Kamehameha doesn’t lose any starters, and Honma, who continues to look like the most well-rounded BIIF player, is just a sophomore.