BIIF volleyball: Honokaa has enough firepower to thwart Laupahoehoe’s charge

LAUPAHOEHOE – Laupahoehoe didn’t have enough ammunition, but countered with an endless supply of determination against unbeaten Honokaa in a BIIF volleyball match that was a fun deal for all those who filled the Seasiders Gym.

The Dragons remained unbeaten in the Blue division with a 25-23, 25-22 win over the Seasiders on Tuesday night, relying on a tough one-two middle blocker punch from Delsey Vaimauga and Randy Iona.

Vaimauga, a sophomore, knocked down a match-high seven kills and Iona, a junior, added five kills for Honokaa (7-0), which advanced to the HHSAA Division II state tournament last year for the first time since 2010.

The Seasiders have never reached the state tournament. (The Laupahoehoe boys went to states in 2005, the first year of statewide classification, and in 1992.)

Iona and junior outside hitter Leilani Pupuhi, who had one kill, are returning starters while Vaimauga was a part-time starter last season.

Honokaa’s setters — sophomores Sharissa Bird and Karly Requelman — are new and still learning on the job. They pretty much set the middle all night, and gave Vaimauga and Iona enough one-on-one swings.

“Shares is still learning, but she’s got good hands. I like that Karly is aggressive to the ball,” Honokaa coach Mike Fernandez said. “Kelsey is starting to get a good snap on the ball (when hitting). Randy is our playmaker. She goes 110 percent, sometimes 120 percent. Sometimes, I want to take her out, but I keep her in because I don’t want her momentum to drop.”

Carina Salomon-Torres and Polina Kozinskiy, a pair of junior outside hitters, had four kills each to lead the Seasiders (4-3), who have already surpassed first-year coach Malia Phillips’ expectations.

“I thought they played awesome and played their hardest. I’m super proud of the team,” she said. “They’ve already exceeded my expectations with four wins. Last year, about half the girls played and the rest are pretty new.”

Laupahoehoe senior setter Alize Asato worked up a good sweat running all over the court to put up soft sets for her hitters. Besides her steady hands, Phillips likes the leadership from her co-captain.

“She picks up the team and steps in when necessary,” said Phillips, who also nodded to her other co-captain, junior Jaylyn Mahoe-Subica, who had one kill. “I would describe Jaylyn as the rock. She’s solid on and off the court, and that’s what I want from the team to be that way on and off the court.

“It’s not just about volleyball, but I want them to be better, overall people. And I want them to have fun, too.”

The Seasiders finished with 11 kills; the Dragons had 17 kills. Both teams finished with far more unforced errors, 25 each. It was fairly sloppy, but still entertaining for the nearly full house at the Seasiders Gym, which seats 250.

“It was good to see Laupahoehoe with a lot of energy,” Phillips said. “Hopefully, we can have more of that.”

Meanwhile, the Dragons did a good job of helping out the host team in the first set. They had 14 unforced errors. Honokaa trailed 22-21, and the Seasider faithful voiced their loud support.

But an Iona kill was sandwiched between two Laupahoehoe unforced errors, then she later slammed down set point.

In the second set, Destiny Nobriga served an ace to get Laupahoehoe within 23-22. But the Seasiders had a hitting error, and Honokaa closed out the match with an ace.

Mostly on sheer determination, the Seasiders stuck around to the very end, but did themselves no favors with 15 unforced errors, a majority of them hitting mistakes, in Game 2.

“We started slow and Laupahoehoe played a good game. They played a good defensive game,” Fernandez said.

The Honokaa coach was right. Iona and Vaimauga blasted a lot of clean shots down the middle. But the Seasiders kept digging the ball, and putting up a good fight.

That’s one reason Phillips and her Seasiders walked out of the gym in such a good mood.

In the junior varsity match, Ke Kula O Ehunuikaimalino defeated Honokaa 25-18, 25-18.

Playoff format

The top four Division I teams (Hilo, Kamehameha, Keaau, Kealakehe and Waiakea) in the Red division qualify for the four-team BIIF playoffs.

The No. 4 seed will play the No. 1 on Thursday, Oct. 22 at the Vikings Gym, followed by the No. 3 seed vs. the No. 2.

There are two berths to the HHSAA Division I state tourney. Last year, Kamehameha and Waiakea represented the league.

All four Division II teams (Konawaena, Hawaii Prep, Kohala and Pahoa) in the Red division qualify for the eight-team BIIF playoffs, as well as the top four in the Blue division.

On Tuesday, Oct. 20, the Red No. 1 seed will host the Blue No. 4, and the other matches are blue No. 3 at Red No. 2, Red No. 4 at Blue No. 1, and Red No. 3 at Blue No. 2.

There are three spots to the HHSAA Division II state tourney. Last year, Konawaena, HPA and Honokaa reached states.