HONOLULU — Waiakea junior Makena Hanle stood out as a silver lining amid the dark clouds that constituted another tough day for the BIIF champions, who were ushered off the volleyball court by another OIA team.
HONOLULU — Waiakea junior Makena Hanle stood out as a silver lining amid the dark clouds that constituted another tough day for the BIIF champions, who were ushered off the volleyball court by another OIA team.
Mililani eliminated the Warriors 25-22, 25-18 in an HHSAA Division I consolation match on Friday at Moanalua High’s gym, which has the trappings of a college facility with a jumbo TV monitor for a scoreboard and giant cooling fans.
A day after OIA runner-up Kapolei dominated in a four-set, quarterfinal win, the BIIF champion Warriors (16-4) couldn’t keep pace with the Trojans (13-3), the OIA’s No. 3 team.
Like Kapolei, Mililani had better ball-control than Waiakea, which led to more kills, 25-17, and a higher hitting clip, .227-.082.
Hanle had six digs, the same number as libero Jordyn Hayashi, who finishes her prep career along with fellow senior teammates Kayla Kahauolopua (eight kills), setter Anela Navor (11 assists, two digs), Jazz Alston (four kills), Melina Devela (one kill), Darlynn Okinaka (two digs), Cary Catrett (three kills), Christine Hanohano, Momi Jeschke, Rachel Ignacio, and Melody Ryan.
Gabrielle Naniseni pounded 10 kills, Falanika Danielson had five kills, and Juanita Tuimavave added four kills for the Trojans, who kept hitting around Waiakea’s block or through holes.
Mililani swept King Kekaulike in the first round and lost to No. 1 seed Kamehameha-Kapalama in the quarterfinals, putting them in the majority same boat — able to beat others but not the ILH powerhouses.
Still, Waiakea coach Ashley Hanohano saw something that the OIA teams share.
“They just come to play,” she said. “What I feel is that their competition pool is so big. They have so many girls who not only fight for playing time on their team but to make tryouts. They don’t have to worry about competition.
“For players on the Big Island, if you’re good, you’re going to play. If you play not to lose, you will. You have to play to win. We needed to communicate and play together, and we didn’t do that.”
Next season, Waiakea will be something in a major rebuild with only Hanle back as a starter. She’s 5-foot-5 and best fits as a libero, her only position with her HI-Intensity club team, coached by Carla Carpenter-Kabalis and assisted by Sam Thomas.
But she was put in the front row, so that experience should serve Hanle well if she becomes a full-time hitter next year.
“She works hard, and we put her in uncomfortable positions, hitting outside and blocking,” Hanohano said. “She’s an unspoken hero on the team.
“She’s quick to take in information and put it forth in action. She’s coachable.”
Hanle is the only Warrior with two nicknames: Savage and Pop-Tart.
The Savage nickname came from Hanohano as a reminder to stay aggressive on the court. Hanle enjoys the S’more Pop-Tart, only that one. Strawberry and other flavors don’t qualify. Also, Coach Sam tagged her with Pop-Tart after Hanle kept popping up balls.
“My mom rarely calls me by my first name,” Hanle said. “She calls me Pop-Tart to get my attention.”
Hanle points to her mom as an encouraging influence. Candace Fukuda-Hanle owns Kandi’s Drive Inn, and her dad Jim Hanle also works there, too.
Both of her parents played sports but not volleyball. She got hooked on the sport by her grandparents, who used to take her to Rainbow Wahine games.
Hanle doesn’t have any plans to take over the family business. She’s looking to head to a college in the Midwest to major in engineering. She’s not really thinking about playing college ball.
Next year, she’ll inherit the role as team leader. The Warriors will rely on her to not only provide stability on defense but maybe carry the offense as well.
Hanle pointed out that volleyball consumes a lot of her time, but when she does get a break it’s spent watching TV.
“I’ll watch the Wahine on Friday and Saturday night,” she said. “My favorite player is libero Savanah Kahakai.”
If Hanle does decide to play college ball, there a lot of teams that could use a Pop-Tart like her, someone who keeps popping up balls.