Khayden Kahihikolo had been busy the previous 78 minutes, but not too busy to appreciate the atmosphere.
This was the senior’s moment, and that’s not to be taken lightly, not after the past two seasons.
Kahihikolo was ready to bask.
“I love it when supporters come out, it’s the best feeling ever. We’ve never had this for so long,” Kahihikolo said. “Looking out at the fans and seeing all of their smiling faces, I love that.”
As usual, Kamehameha volleyball fans had bountiful reasons to smile.
The Warriors only make it look easy, interim coach Albert Pacheco said Wednesday night after Kamehameha swept Waiakea 25-20, 25-16, 25-16 in front of a boisterous crowd at Waiakea’s gym, adding another BIIF Division I boys volleyball title to its collection with a 10-0 record.
“I just think Waiakea got out of system,” Pacheco said. “They are a great team. It was just errors, but I was expecting them to really give it to us.”
Pacheco got a chance to play conductor after Daryl Masanda had done so earlier in the season. The gig, full-time or not, has its advantages.
“What we shared with them at the beginning, is we’re at the precipice of where we need to be,” said Pacheco, an assistant with the program for the past decade. “We don’t need to coach as much as support and remind them what we need to do as a team. They coach each other, they support each other, they’re ready.
“They wanted it really bad. With not playing for so many years, they were hungry.”
And so the cycle goes for Kamehameha, which has seven BIIF titles dating back to 2012. With players such Chase Hunter-Bridges and Chyston Loa in the fold, the Warriors would have been heavily favored to win the past two years. Those seasons, which included some matches and scrimmages, weren’t total losses, senior Glenn Kealoha said.
“Chase and Chyston were the leaders on the team, and I was always one of the other boys,” Kealoha said, “and they just inspired me to lead the team and they taught a lot.”
Kealoha, in time, will turn the team over to junior Micah Wana, who had the hot hand in the championship match, and players such as freshman Kullen Pua, who Kealoha called “the future of the program.”
“We’re all friends, we just love playing volleyball,” Kealoha said. “Even on the weekends, in our free time, we just love playing volleyball together.”
Waiakea (6-4) had no luck in getting hands in the way to deter Kamehameha, which fired away with .a 333 attack percentage and won the blocking battle 6-0. Wana slammed 12 kills on just 16 swings, Kahihikolo posted eight kills on .636 hitting, Kalahikiola Makaike contributed five kills, and Dorian Roque-Kuamoo and Micah Mahuna finished with 19 and 15 assists, respectively. Kealoha added four kills and five aces, soaking in the amped-up atmosphere along the way.
“To be honest, I like away games, having a championship game at their gym, it feels good,” Kealoha said.
Claymon Morante pounded 10 kills for Waiakea, which hit just .016. Waiakea will play Roosevelt on Monday at its gym in an HHSAA tournament first-round match.
Kamehameha heads back to Oahu for a state quarterfinal May 5. Earlier this month, the Warriors played at Punahou’s Clash of the Titans tournament, where they beat eventual OIA champ Moanalua. The also were swept by the ILH powerhouse Buffanblu, who have stopped the Warriors six times in the past eight state tournaments, four times in the final.
The first task at the state tournament, Kahihikolo said, is for Kamehameha to stick to what it knows.
“After all,” he said, “we all love the sport, and we couldn’t do it without our beautiful coaches.
“I feel like this is our last ride, so let’s live it out.”
