Tribune-Herald
Tribune-Herald
Hawaii Prep only beat Ka’u once, but the Ka Makani did it when it mattered most.
McKenna Ventura’s spike punctuated a three-day marathon of volleyball Saturday as the Ka Makani outlasted the Trojans in the championship game of the St. Joseph girls preseason tournament at Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium.
The Ka Makani avenged two earlier losses in the tournament—both sweeps — to their Big Island Interscholastic Federation Division II rivals with a 25-22, 17-25, 15-8 victory.
“Hopefully it means we’re improving and the girls are starting to come together,” HPA coach Sharon Peterson said.
The Trojans’ Marley Strand-Nicolaisen was named most outstanding player and Gabbie Ewing took home tournament most valuable player for HPA, the two-time BIIF champions.
The semifinals of the Gold bracket had a decidedly Division II feel. Ka’u beat St. Joseph 25-20, 25-23 and HPA swept Kona 25-21, 25-23 to set up the final. The Wildcats, who joined Ka’u and HPA at the state tournament last season, beat the Cardinals 27-25, 10-25, 16-14 in the third-place match.
Hilo won the Silver bracket final with a 25-21, 25-12 victory against Waiakea. The Warriors downed Kealakehe 25-19, 25-23 in their semifinal while the Vikings swept Kamehameha’s junior varsity 25-15, 25-16. The Waveriders won the third-place match 25-18, 20-25, 15-10.