KEAAU — Ka’u twin towers Tyson Junior Kuahuia-Faafia and Kealiikoa Reyes Nalu hammered a combined 49 kills to spark a 26-24, 18-25, 25-14, 25-13 win over Christian Liberty on Thursday night at the Canefire’s Old Mill Fieldhouse.
Kuahuia-Faafia, a 6-foot-2 sophomore middle blocker, slammed, 29 kills, and Reyes Nalu, a 6-3 senior middle, pounded 20 to lead the Trojans (4-3). Micah Espejo, a senior outside hitter, added eight kills.
Ka’u had 57 kills and nine aces, including six in Game 4. The Trojans had 42 unforced errors, including 16 from the service line.
Jeremiah Becker, a 5-9 senior middle, pounded 12 kills, Christian Lee, a 5-9 junior outside hitter, added seven kills, and Judah Shrinski, a 6-4 sophomore middle, had five kills for the Canefire (4-2).
The Canefire had 41 kills and three aces. They were efficient with 30 unforced errors, including eight from the service line.
But the Trojans had too much firepower with Kuahuia-Faafia and Reyes-Nalu.
Kuahuia-Faafia smashed 10 kills in Game 1 and 13 in Game 4. Reyes-Nalu rotated to the front row when Kuahuia-Faafia went to the back and pounded six kills in Game 1 and Game 3 and five kills in Game 4.
The Canefire are attempting to win the BIIF Division II title and reach states for the first time. The Trojans last won the BIIF championship in 2014 and last reached states in 2015.
“Our kids came out to play,” Ka’u coach Josh Ortega said. “They came out as a team and played really hard. Out of everyone four of them have played before. Tyson has played club ball but not high school before. Kealiikoa, Micah, and our setter Keson Gallano have played before. Tyson played really well and stayed focused.”
The six-team Division II postseason starts Saturday, April 23 with the top two seeds – Konawaena (5-0) and Pahoa (5-2) –drawing a bye.
In Game 1, Reyes-Nalu blasted the last three kills.
In the second set, Caleb Vogt, a 5-9 junior hitter, drilled one of his four kills to help the Canefire tie it.
In the third set, Reyes-Nalu hammered the Trojans’ last two kills.
In the fourth set, Gallano, a senior, served seven straight points, including four aces during the run, for an 8-1 cushion. Kuahuia-Faafia finished off the Canefire with his 29th kill.