Taylor Alicuben wore her game face all night long, and her tunnel-vision demeanor never changed on the volleyball court, where everything seemed routine to the Hilo senior setter/right-side hitter, like riding a bike.
Taylor Alicuben wore her game face all night long, and her tunnel-vision demeanor never changed on the volleyball court, where everything seemed routine to the Hilo senior setter/right-side hitter, like riding a bike.
When the finish line was fast approaching, the Vikings played the big points better, and prevailed over Waiakea 25-22, 12-25, 25-14, 19-25, 15-12 in a Big Island Interscholastic Federation Division I showdown Monday night at the Warriors Gym.
The crosstown rivalry match was significant on several fronts.
For the Vikings (11-2), they clinched the No. 2 seed to the four-team BIIF Division I playoffs, but more importantly showed big-time poise, especially Alicuben, who knocked down two of Hilo’s last three kills, including match point, against a foe that kept firing back.
The veteran returning starters all shined, as if on cue. Alicuben smashed 10 kills and had nine digs. Kyra Kaloi, a junior middle blocker who also took swings at the left post, ripped eight kills. Raevyn Kaupu, a senior setter, had 10 digs, and senior middle Shavonne DeMattos had four kills and three digs.
“I liked that even though we had ups and downs, we pushed through at the end,” Alicuben said. “We worked together, and came together, and supported each other in the game. There was a lot of talking throughout the match.”
Hilo has been the BIIF Division I runner-up the last three years, and has profited from all those pressure-packed championships against Kamehameha, and the experience of the Hawaii High School Athletic Association state tournaments.
It’s no surprise that Hilo’s old-timers played well, and maintained their composure on the edge of a cliff because it’s old hat for them. What was really nice was the performance of the first-year starters, especially one dazzling freshman and a libero with a familiar last name.
Nalani Thomas, a junior libero, scrambled everywhere and finished with 21 digs. Her brother is 2012 Kamehameha graduate Ryan Thomas, a libero at the University of Mount Olive, so that clean ball-handling gene runs in the family. Junior outside hitter Keola Katayama relied on her length and strong arm, and blasted a match-high 14 kills.
Then there was freshman Kawai Ua, who entered in the second set and racked up 11 kills and six digs. The precocious Viking outside hitter is on the short side at 5 feet, 6 inches, but she displayed impeccable court vision, finding holes and applying the necessary mustard to put the ball down.
“I liked Taylor’s serving (four aces) and her offense and all-around game,” Hilo coach Drew Fernandez said. “Nalani did a good job. We expect a lot from her. Every time on the sideline, she would say, ‘I’m sorry. I’ll get the next one.’ I told her not to worry about a mistake and just get the next one.
“Kawai told one of our assistant coaches, ‘I’m ready to go in.’ She was ready and she did a great job. Like I said before, she has a very heavy hand.”
For the Warriors (9-4), the loss puts a win-or-else emphasis against Honokaa (8-5) at home on Wednesday. With a victory, they earn the No. 3 seed for the BIIF semifinals and avoid No. 1 seed Kamehameha, the four-time defending league champion.
“It was a great game and very hard-fought. It could have gone either way,” Waiakea coach Ashley Hanohano said. “We’ve not seen or know much about Honokaa, but we’ve got to focus on us and not the other team. What we have to work on is pulling games out under pressure.”
Kealakehe (9-4) has one game left against Keaau on Saturday at home. If the Waveriders and Waiakea finish with the same record, the Warriors hold the head-to-head tiebreaker and would get the higher seed.
Waiakea last went to states in 2010 and Kealakehe last made the trip to Oahu in 2006.
It’s highly unlikely the No. 4 seed (Waiakea or Kealakehe) would upset Kamehameha, which has the most talented roster in school and league history. No other BIIF team has ever had three USA Volleyball A-1 players: outside hitter Kaiulani Ahuna, libero Zoe Leonard and setter Kamalu Makekau-Whittaker.
A Kamehameha loss in the BIIF semifinals would go down as the greatest upset in league history, for any sport. And even if Waiakea or Kealakehe did the unbelievable, the Vikings would likely be waiting in the BIIF championship with a state berth on the line.
As the BIIF regular-season winner, Kamehameha already has a spot to the Division I state tournament, which starts Oct. 31 and runs through Nov. 8.
The Vikings have reached states the past three years as the BIIF runner-up, and were seventh last season. Kamehameha has a run of 10 consecutive trips, but has never won an opening match. Still, that’s priceless high-level experience money can’t buy.
Words of wisdom
Alicuben, Kaupu and DeMattos remain as Hilo’s senior core. Each received All-BIIF honorable mention last season. Their leadership and experience are powerful assets, beyond stats and postseason awards. A defining BIIF championship for the trio is a longshot. But who knows?
In any case, Alicuben is making herself as helpful as possible. She only took up setting as a sophomore. That versatility definitely benefits the Vikings, who attack from all three front-row spots.
As an added bonus, being a setter looks good on Alicuben’s collegiate profile. She’s on the Pilipaa club team, coached by Chris Leonard (Zoe’s dad), and wants to play college ball. Alicuben is well aware that there aren’t a whole lot of 5-9 outside hitters — unless your name is Kaiulani Ahuna — being offered Division I scholarships.
Back in the day, her dad, Conrad Alicuben, was a Viking setter and was an assistant on Hilo’s boys team for a decade. Dad offered daughter practical advice, and she thinks about her motto when she sets a ball.
“The way to look at it is to better the ball,” Alicuben said. “No matter what kind of pass you get, your job is to better the ball. I enjoy hitting and I only started setting in the 10th grade. My dad was a setter and I’ve learned a lot from him. I’m enjoying setting, too.”
Hilo’s old hat
The latest Hilo-Waiakea crosstown rivalry match was an absolutely entertaining one. Tied 12-12 in the fifth set, Alicuben sandwiched a pair of kills around Kaloi’s over-pass kill. The first four sets were all flip-flops; the Warriors won the second and fourth, and the Viks took the rest.
The entire match was competitive, and likewise most of the major stats were close: kills (Hilo 52-50), unforced errors (Waiakea 36-44), and blocks (Waiakea 6-4). There were a ton of deflections, particularly from athletic Warrior middle Kadara Marshall, but blocks only count when a point is recorded.
While the Warriors were better in the roofing department, the Vikings had much cleaner ball-handling. They outdug Waiakea by a rather large margin, 69-52.
How valuable was Thomas? Consider the definition of a dig: It’s basically a point prevented. That whopping 17-dig difference was pretty much due to Thomas’ fine work, and why she looked like the best ball-handler on the court.
Waiakea senior outside hitter Alison Fuata slammed 12 kills, Hi’ilei Ishii-Chaves added 11 kills, Marshall had eight while sophomore Lindsey Maikui and freshman Kayla Kahauolopua contributed seven kills each.
Jordyn Hayashi led the defensive effort with 18 digs and Tiani Teanio had 11 digs. Sophomore setter Taniah Ayap had a solid night distributing the ball, when she got a workable pass.
That said, one other critical difference was Hilo’s rocket serving. Alicuben, who hits a hard knuckleball, had four of her team’s seven aces; Waiakea had just four aces. That really tough service was a reason the home team gave away far more bump-over free balls, and often struggled to find a rhythm on offense.
Then when it was time to go home, Alicuben and Hilo’s old-hat play took over.
“Our serving was pretty good,” Alicuben said. “Playing at states helps. We’ve got players who have played under pressure before. We also have a lot of new players up from the junior varsity. They’re adapting well, and we’re finally coming together.”
Monster match
The first round of the eight-team BIIF Division II playoffs will be held Tuesday, Oct. 21 at the higher seed’s home site.
The BIIF Division I and II semifinals and championships will be held Thursday, Oct. 23 and Saturday, Oct. 25, respectively, at Konawaena’s Ellison Onizuka Gym.
The most anticipated game of the season will be Friday at Onizuka Gym when unbeatens Kamehameha (13-0) and Kona (13-0), the defending Division II state champ, meet to close their regular seasons.
Last season, it was an early matchup in September at Kamehameha’s Koaia Gym and it went down as a classic.
The Warriors outlasted the Wildcats 25-17, 21-25, 29-27, 25-27, 15-13 behind Ahuna’s 35 kills. Kona countered with Chanelle Molina’s 19 kills and McKenna Ventura’s 12 kills.