By BILL O’REAR
By BILL O’REAR
Tribune-Herald sports editor
Joshua Ortega accepted a challenge this past season, agreeing to become the Ka’u High School boys volleyball team’s head coach and he’s glad he did.
After all, it’s not easy starting your head coaching career with a young squad that has only one senior and a number of inexperienced players.
But Ortega, 27, stepped up to the net and relied upon his years of experience playing volleyball and being around his hanai father, Guy Enriques, the highly successful Kamehameha head coach, to lead the Trojans to an 11-3 record in the Big Island Interscholastic Federation’s Red Division for the 2011-12 season.
For his efforts, Ortega was named the Red Division’s Coach of the Year and his talented junior, Donald Garo, Jr., earned the division’s Player of the Year honors for the hustling Trojans.
The division all-stars were determined by voting of the league coaches, under Keaau athletic director Iris McGuire, the BIIF volleyball coordinator.
“We had a young team with only two or three returnees,” Ortega said. “But we did pretty well and it was a learning experience for all of us. I just tried to get the players to work on their games and learn some life lessons. We talked about making the right choices in life and playing for each other in volleyball. It’s a team game and we’re all family.
“We started out with 12 players and ended up with 10. The players practiced hard every day and we just wanted to have fun and enjoy volleyball. I’m really proud of my team and I’m looking forward to coming back and coaching next year.”
He said the move from assistant coach to head coach wasn’t easy.
“As an assistant you can show up for practice whenever you want and not have much responsibility,” Ortega said. “But as head coach, you’ve got to take on a lot more responsibilities and make sure things get done the right way. It was a lot more responsibility, but I enjoyed being the head coach and trying to establish my own program.”
Ortega, who works as a PTP teacher at the school, graduated from Ka’u High in 2003. In that year, he played volleyball on the first Trojans’ boys team that earned a berth in the state volleyball tournament.
“I played four years of volleyball at Ka’u,” he said. “The first two years, I played for coach Paul Makuakane, the last two years for my hanai dad, Guy Enriques. In 2003, that was really special getting to play in the state tournament, and that year the states were played in Hilo.
“Next year, I hope we continue to improve and maybe get a shot at a state Division II tournament berth.”
But his challenge and that of previous Trojans coaches in all sports, is to get the youngsters to work on their skills and play a sport year-round.
“We’ve got some good young players coming up,” he said. “Hopefully they’ll continue to work hard and help the high school team.”
Garo, a 6-foot-2 outside hitter, was a force this past season for the hustling Trojans. His strong blocking and hitting were keys to Ka’u battling on fairly even terms with Red Division frontrunner Honokaa (13-1) and contending Christian Liberty (11-3). He teamed with senior Holden Galigo to provide the Trojans with consistency and leadership.
“Donald started the season off strong,” Ortega said. “We lost to Christian Liberty by a couple of points and he played well. But during the season, he struggled some before finishing up strong. He had a good year and hopefully will play even better next year as a senior.”
Garo is looking forward to a return to the volleyball court and seeing how far the Trojans can go during the 20120-13 season.
“I’m happy with how this season went,” the Ka’u standout said. “We had a new coach and almost everybody else was new. But we improved and had a pretty good season. Next year, we hope to be better and maybe make it to states.”
Ka’u athletic director Kalei Namohala was thrilled that both Ortega and Garo were honored.
“I’m glad for Joshua,” she said. “He stepped in as the interim head coach four days before the start of the boys volleyball season. He did an excellent job teaching our boys not just about volleyball but about life, being accountable for their choices and how their choices have consequences.
“Winning was not the main emphasis but rather ‘Rising as One’ team to get the job done and not relying on just individuals.”
Namohala said Garo improved throughout the season and blended well into the team-first concept.
“I’m happy for Donald,” she said. “I think it’s a great honor to be selected the player of the year for the Red Division by the coaches. He has his team and coaches to thank because they gave him the confidence to excel this year, with every pass and every set as the team grew as one.”
Garo is joined on the Red Division first team by teammate Galigo, a 5-10 outside hitter, Konawaena’s Gabriel Trevino, a 6-foot sophomore outside hitter; Christian Liberty’s Keenan Freitas, a 5-11 junior outside hitter, and Preston Cawagas, a 5-4 senior libero; and Honokaa’s Kawika Aurello, a 5-10 senior outside hitter, and Wayne Vaoga, a 5-8 sophomore right-side hitter.
The Red Division second team includes Christian Liberty’s Joven Miguel, a 5-6 senior setter, and Keanu Bergfeld, a 6-4 junior middle blocker; Konawaena’s Allan Fukushima, a 5-7 junior defensive specialist, and Kaua Puotu, a 6-3 senior setter; Hualalai Academy’s Randall Honor, a 5-11 senior outside hitter; Honokaa’s Keanu Freitas, a 5-11 junior outside hitter; and St. Joseph’s Isaac Pacheco, a 5-7 senior setter, and Cody Andrade, a 6-4 senior middle blocker.
• Final Red Division standings: Honokaa, 13-1; Christian Liberty, Ka’u, 11-3; Konawaena, 9-5; Hualalai Academy, 6-8; Laupahoehoe, St. Joseph, 3-11; Parker, 0-14.
2011-12 All-BIIF
Boys Volleyball
Red Division
First Team
Name Ht. Gr. Pos. School
Keenan Freitas 5-11 Jr. OH Christian Liberty
Gabriel Trevino 6-0 So. OH Konawaena
Kawika Aurello 5-10 Sr. OH Honokaa
Donald Garo Jr. 6-2 Sr. MB Ka‘u
Preston Cawagas 5-4 Sr. L Christian Liberty
Wayne Vaoga 5-8 So. RH Honokaa
Holden Galigo 5-10 Sr. OH Ka‘u
Second Team
Joven Miguel 5-6 Sr. S Christian Liberty
Keanu Bergfeld 6-4 Jr. MB Christian Liberty
Randall Honor 5-11 Sr. OH Hualalai Academy
Allan Fukushima 5-7 Jr. DS Konawaena
Isaac Pacheco 5-7 Sr. S St. Joseph
Kaua Puotu 6-3 Sr. S Konawaena
Cody Andrade 6-4 Sr. MB St. Joseph
Keanu Freitas 5-11 Jr. OH Honokaa
Honorable Mention
• Christian Liberty: Tim Jiuttu.
• Honokaa: Cjay Carvalho, Chance Silva, Rodel Laeanlale, Makana Loo.
• Hualalai Academy: Alex Ward, Gott Rakasuk-Borho.
• Ka‘u: Brian Gascon, Gregory Javar, Cameron Enriques, Franklin Orcino, Grant Galimba.
• Konawaena: Randall Berdon, Trevor Tanaka.
• Laupahoehoe: Lexton Silva, Aaron Kvenild, Ronnie Domingo, Alsten Soria, Justin Jose.
Note: The All-BIIF Red Division teams were selected through balloting of the league coaches. Keaau athletic director Iris McGuire, the BIIF’s volleyball coordinator, oversaw the voting/tabulation process.