KEAAU — Maela Honma picked up her first gold medal after Kamehameha swept Hilo in the BIIF Division I volleyball championship on Wednesday night at Koia’a Gym, where the legacy chasing has started for the sophomore outside hitter.
Honma knocked down 14 kills, including seven from the back row, and the Warriors defeated Hilo 25-20, 25-16, 25-17 to win their second straight league title and the BIIF’s No. 1 seed to the state tournament, which will be held next week.
“We played very well, and Hilo played much better than the last time,” Kamehameha coach Guy Enriques said. “It’s good for us because we need that adversity.
“Maela gave us a good performance and is getting better with more experience. She picked up a jump serve quickly.”
Honma finished with two aces, following Kamehameha’s trend of tough serving.
Junior middle blocker Taina Kaauwai added 10 kills, junior opposite Kili Helm pounded five kills, and junior outside hitter Cammie Masanda had three kills for the Warriors (7-0), who won the BIIF title in 2019.
Hilo sophomore outside hitter Kaliko Kealoha exploded for a match-high 19 kills, slamming seven in the first set, five in Game 2, and seven in Game. 3
Sophomore middle Kamalii Auwae added six kills and junior middle Kyana Gabriel had four kills for the Vikings (5-2), who last won the BIIF crown in 2018.
The Warriors had too much firepower and were far more efficient. The had 66 kills and just 20 unforced errors. The Vikings had 44 kills and 29 giveaway points.
Kamehameha served tough with seven aces against seven serve errors, and had four blocks. Hilo had just one ace against seven serve errors, and had two blocks.
Honma, a 5-foot-9 all-around force, got Kamehameha off to a strong start, serving an ace and knocking down two kills from the backrow during a 6-0 run.
Kealoha, a 5-10 six-rotation threat like Honma, smashed a kill to get Hilo within 23-20, but Honma answered with a kill, and the Vikings had a hitting error for game point.
In Game 2, Tabitha Pacheco served three points, including an ace, during a 4-0 run to push the Warriors ahead 22-14, capped by a Honma backrow kill.
Then Kealoha pounded consecutive kills, but it ended ugly for the Vikings, who had a hitting error, got roofed, and another hitting error on game point.
In Game 3, junior Leisey Kelii served three straight points, including an ace, for a 4-0 Kamehameha lead.
Kealoha had four kills during Hilo’s 5-0 run to cut Kamehameha’s lead to 11-9.
Honma had a backrow kill and a Hilo hitting error on match point started Kamehameha’s celebration.
It’s more likely than not that the Warriors will be back again in the BIIF championship in 2022 because they return all their starters: Honma, Kaauwai, Masanda, junior middle Sarah Schubert, who had one kills, Helm, and Kelii, who finished with four aces.
“It feels amazing,” Honma said. “I’m following in my sister’s legacy. I’m really proud of the girls. We worked extremely hard, and we get to go to states this year.”
Honma’s sister is 2020 Waiakea graduate Bethany Honma, who has her own unique BIIF championship legacy. Bethany Honma was on the 2017 Waiakea volleyball team that defeated Hilo for the BIIF title.
That 2017 BIIF comeback championship is considered the greatest in any sport in the history of the league. The Warriors trailed 0-2 and late in Game 4 and 5. Bethany Honma was a sophomore opposite on that squad, which featured Kayla Kahauolopua and Jordyn Hayashi, the BIIF co-players of the year.
Bethany Honma was a junior guard on the 2019 Waiakea basketball team that snapped Konawaena’s 10-year BIIF title run and 116-0 league record. That Warrior squad was powered by Kelsie Imai, the BIIF player of the year, who’s now playing for the UH Rainbow Wahine.
Maela Honma just started her BIIF journey, and she’s already halfway there, with one gold BIIF medal, to catching up with her sister Bethany.
