Kamehameha outside hitter Maela Honma dominated BIIF competition, knocking down 14 kills against Hilo High in a sweep for the league title, 14 kills against Waiakea during a sweep and 12 kills against Hilo in an earlier sweep.
The 5-foot-9 sophomore produced half her kills from the backrow, making her a six-rotation threat, along with her tough jump-serving and solid passing in serve-receive.
Honma was clearly the most unstoppable force and was voted the BIIF player of the year by the league’s Division I coaches and the Tribune-Herald.
“I’m definitely excited and grateful to get this award,” she said. “A lot of people worked really hard, and I’m proud of myself.”
Honma is joined on the All-BIIF first team by a pair of teammates in junior middle blocker Taina Kaauwai and junior setter Tacoma Kelson, Hilo sophomore outside hitter Kaliko Kealoha, Waiakea junior setter Grace Nakoa-Oness, Waiakea junior middle Bella Vickers and Keaau senior libero Ceyani Cluney-Castro.
It’s Kaauwai’s second time on the first team while everyone else is a first-time pick.
Hilo’s Kaleinani Kahananui was voted BIIF coach of the year after guiding the Vikings back to the state tournament for the first time since 2018. Hilo upset Waianae, the OIA’s No. 3 team, in five sets in the first round.
Honma grew up playing basketball, the family support, starting at 5 years old. Her aunt is Daphne Honma, a former Honokaa and UH-Hilo women’s coach.
She took up volleyball at 8 years old and played for the Piopio Bears. In the seventh grade, her passion for volleyball deepened when she went to a mainland camp for volleyball.
Like a lot of keiki volleyball players, Honma watched the Rainbow Wahine, and her favorite player was Tai Manu-Olevao, who’s from Hilo but went to Punahou in Honolulu.
“She was one of the biggest people from Hawaii to play for the Rainbow Wahine,” Honma said. “She’s an inch taller than me, and I trained with her, too.”
Her skill-set sharpened when she followed teammate Leisey Kelii, an All-BIIF honorable mention, into Pilipaa coach Napua Canda’s club team.
“He’s an amazing coach. I definitely refined my skills and volleyball IQ,” she said. “We work on very little things. He’s a huge motivation and played on the Junior Olympics. I’m so thankful to gain his knowledge.”
As a freshman, Honma had a 4.0 GPA, and it’s 3.75 now. She’d like to go into the health field.
It’s basketball season, but club volleyball ball is in session with practices Monday through Friday. The Trans Pacific tournament is scheduled for Jan. 15-17 on Oahu.
Her grandpa is Ken Childers of Ken’s Towing. Her aunt is Shantel Antonio, a 2015 Kamehmeha graduate and golfer. Her mom, Cynthia Honma, works at Ken’s Towing.
Maela has the lion’s share of athletic genes from her parents, Clayton and Cynthia. She’s 5-9, three inches taller than her sister, Bethany, a 2020 Waiakea graduate, who also played basketball and volleyball.
“My sister is my biggest supporter,” Honma said. “She set the standard whether it’s academics or athletics. She set the bar and pushes me to be better.
“I’ve been blessed more athletically, but it comes with a lot of pressure to fill her shoes.”
Honma and her Kamehameha teammates got a rough introduction to state volleyball. The Warriors were swept by Moanalua, the OIA runner-up, in the quarterfinals and lost to Mililani in consolation.
“We were rocky and nervous. We didn’t match their intensity,” Honma said. “But it was really good. We learned about ourselves to become better. We’ll come back and put up a better fight.”
Honma does that every time she’s on the volleyball court, one of many reasons she’s the BIIF player of the year.
All-BIIF girls volleyball
Division I
First team
Maela Honma 10 OH Kamehameha
Taina Kaauwai 11 MB Kamehameha
Tacoma Kelson 11 S Kamehameha
Kaliko Kealoha 10 OH Hilo
Grace Nakoa-Oness 11 S Waiakea
Bella Vickers 11 MB Waiakea
Ceyani Cluney-Castro 12 LIB Keaau
Player of the year: Maela Honma, Kamehameha
Coach of the year: Kaleinani Kahananui, Hilo
Honorable mention
Kamehameha: Brooklyn Cann, Kili Helm, Leisey Kelii, Cammie Masanda, Sarah Schubert, Savanna Colliado
Hilo: Kamalei Auwae, Kyana Gabriel, Trina-D Grube, Nevaeh Silva, Victoria-Irene Wassman, Eleina Young
Waiakea: Shaynon Iaea, Torryn Ono, Tayshia Rocha, Lexie Uchima, Mandy Yoshizawa
Keaau: Jayda Kaeo
Kealakehe: Rina Fujitani, Teysha-Ray Spinney-Kuahuia