By BILL O’REAR By BILL O’REAR ADVERTISING Tribune-Herald sports editor As the Haili women looked across the net, they knew they faced a Mauna Loa-sized challenge in scoring points against the dominating S’Hawaiians in AA pool play Friday afternoon in
By BILL O’REAR
Tribune-Herald sports editor
As the Haili women looked across the net, they knew they faced a Mauna Loa-sized challenge in scoring points against the dominating S’Hawaiians in AA pool play Friday afternoon in the 55th Haili Volleyball Tournament at Hilo Civic.
After all, the unbeaten S’Hawaiians featured former University of Hawaii stars Kanani Danielson and Aneli Cubi-Otineru and ex-UH-Hilo All-American Tanya Fuamatu-Anderson as well as a veteran group of talented support players that easily tagged the Oahu squad as the team to beat in the competitive AA division.
The S’Hawaiians raced to an 8-3 lead in Game 1 over the wide-eyed Haili team before the high-flying 5-foot-10 Danielson soared above the net for her first kill attempt. But former Waiakea High School standout Rachael Hanohano raised off the floor and blocked the shot, giving the hustling hosts a hard-earned point and pulling to within 8-4.
Danielson, one of the top amateur players in the United States, shrugged off the point and continued to blend into the S’Hawaiians’ close-knit system as the Oahu squad pulled away behind the play of the versatile Cubi-Otineru, middle-hitter Lynnette Kawaa and outside-hitter Nia Tuitele to win 25-12.
The 5-10 Cubi-Otineru, a 2009 UH graduate, served the last six points, including two aces, while Danielson hammered a pair of kills to cap the finishing run.
Then Cubi-Otineru opened Game 2 with 10 service points, including two aces, forcing Haili coach Lyndell Lindsey to call a time out.
“Come on, serve it out,” Aneli’s father, Joe, shouted to his daughter while smiling and cheering on the S’Hawaiians with other family members and friends. There was never a doubt who would win the match, but that didn’t stop Joe Otineru and the rest of the vocally supportive group to cheer on their favorite team.
Lindsey’s strategic timeout worked as Haili ended the S’Hawaiians’ point spree and the hosts reduced the lead to 10-1.
But before Haili could celebrate further, Danielson crushed another kill to make it 11-1 and then it only became a matter of time — minutes, not hours — that Game 2 would end.
Tuitele stepped to the service line with a 12-3 lead and ran off seven straight points, including an ace. However, before Haili could halt the run with a spike or cleverly placed dink for a point, it was Tuitele that served the ball low — really low — and it smacked Kawaa in the back of the head, drawing giggles from the rest of the team and the S’Hawaiians fans.
“Hey, just because it’s your birthday doesn’t mean you can get away with everything,” a stunned but smiling Kawaa told Tuitele.
Still, down 19-3, Haili couldn’t muster much offense the rest of the way.
Danielson, who finished with seven kills and a pair of impressive diving saves, served the final three points. But at 24-3, the match was stopped as the S’Hawaiians and their fans sang “Happy Birthday” to Tuitele.
“That’s great that they could stop the game to sing ‘Happy Birthday,’” longtime Haili official Pat Engelhard said. “Regardless of the competition, they still took time out to recognize one of their teammates.”
Danielson then served out the match at 25-4 and both teams came together, shook hands and shared hugs in a respectful postgame ceremony.
Fuamatu-Anderson sat out the match, resting a sore foot. But she coached from the sidelines and said the S’Hawaiians never take an opponent for granted.
“We always stay humble and know in the Haili anything can happen,” she said. “We have so much respect for the name ‘Haili’ and the Lindsey family, and what the tournament means to volleyball in Hawaii. We wanted to stay competitive against them but not take it to the eighth degree.
“The competition is good all the way around this year. We just want to go out and compete; to do our best.”
Cubi-Otineru, who is finishing her master’s degree at UH-Manoa, said she “loves it,” playing in the Haili.
“It’s my second year playing here,” she said. “It’s a different game, not as much pressure as in college, and now it’s more about playing for fun. I see playing with the S’Hawaiians and in the tournament as an honor.
“I grew up watching my aunty (Fuamatu-Anderson) play and it’s a privilege to get to play with family now. I’m having a lot of fun and I’m really enjoying it.”
The feelings of respect were the same across the net with the Haili team — more of an A Division talented group playing against an outstanding AA squad, reinforced by the addition of the super-talented Danielson and Cubi-Otineru, former UH teammates under Hall of Fame coach Dave Shoji.
“Anyone with college experience has to play in the double A,” Engelhard said. “That’s the rule and we’ve got to live with it. But next year, we’re going to look at ranking the teams.”
However, for the Haili players Friday, getting a chance to go head-to-head with the highly regarded Danielson and Cubi-Otineru was a dream come true, and scoring a point against one of the former Rainbow Wahine who they cheered for on TV was a proud moment.
“That was fun,” said Hanohano, a 2007 Waiakea graduate, who had the memorable block against Danielson in Game 1. “It was a good experience playing them.”
Hanohano teamed with ex-UHH player Laura Thompson and Scarlet Kettwich in the middle, trying to slow down the hard-hitting S’Hawaiians’ attack.
“Against the S’Hawaiians, you don’t put your hands up just to block, it’s for survival,” Engelhard said with a grin.
Another Haili player, Wila Paiva, smiled as she talked about getting ready to dig a spike from Cubi-Otineru.
“My hands were ready, but it came so fast,” she said. “I didn’t have time to react and it hit me in the side for a point.
“But playing against the UH players was a fun experience.”
“That’s what makes Haili so great,” Engelhard said. “You get to play against a lot of outstanding players and win or lose, you still can develop friendships and share in the wonderful sport of volleyball.”
Fuamatu-Anderson, the most decorated volleyball player in UH-Hilo history, agreed.
“Haili is special,” she said. “You come back once a year to see and play against your family and friends. It’s all good for volleyball and what Haili means to the sport in Hawaii.”
Net notes: In the women’s AA division on Friday, the S’Hawaiians went unbeaten in pool play and then defeated the Hillary Hurley-led Hilo VBC 25-20, 25-21 in the semifinals. The S’Hawaiians will battle HI Intensity of Oahu in today’s final. HI Intensity, led by new Chaminade coach and ex-Silversword star Kahala Kabalis, beat Karma 25-18, 25-17 in the other semi Friday evening.
In the men’s AA semifinals, Hemolele fought past Lil’ Braddahs 25-19, 25-20 while Oahu’s RZN topped Ava Samoa 25-19, 25-21. Hemolele is a well-balanced Hilo team led by hard-hitting Keahi Warfield, Isaiah Ekau and Wendell Kaehuaea. RZN, last year’s runner-up, includes several Oahu players as well as former Big Island prep standouts Corey Enriques, Gordon Lacey and Ryan Tsuji.
Over 2,000 fans watched the fast-paced men’s and women’s AA semifinals on dual courts at the Civic.
The weeklong tournament wraps up today with all division finals at Hilo Civic, starting at 9 a.m on dual courts. The men’s and women’s AA finals will start at noon.
