The Big Island Interscholastic Federation (BIIF) released its annual awards for girls varsity volleyball on Thursday night.
•••
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
The Division I and Division II PotY awards were given to two of the isle’s most prominent players — Kamehameha Schools – Hawai‘i senior outside hitter Maela Honma (DI) and Hawaii Preparatory Academy senior setter Brooke Samura (DII).
This was Honma’s second straight BIIF PotY award.
Honma was unstoppable on offense this season, but was also a skilled two-way player. She led the isle with 169 kills on the season, also totalling 134 digs.
During the fall season, Honma helped lead the Warriors to a 12-0 regular season, four-peat BIIF championship victory and third place finish at the HHSAA state championship.
Additionally, Honma signed a national letter of intent on Monday to play college volleyball for Western Oregon University — a NCAA DII program coached by Kamehameha Schools alumnus Kaiao Nahale-a. In Monmouth, Ore., Honma will reunite with former Warriors teammate Kilinoelehua Helm.
Samura was a critical part of Ka Makani’s offense — and, similarly to Honma, helped lead her team to a BIIF title and a fifth-place finish at the state championship.
With Samura on the front line, Ka Makani went 11-1 during the regular season — their only loss being to Ka‘u High. HPA and the Trojans met again for a rematch in the BIIF championship, and Ka Makani outlasted Ka‘u to win 20-18 in the fifth set.
•••
COACH OF THE YEAR
Typically, the CotY award goes to the coaches whose teams won the BIIF championship.
The BIIF went a different route this year, honoring the coaches whose teams finished as runners-up, but still beat the odds — Waiakea High’s Laura Thompson and Ka‘u High’s Kamalani Fujikawa.
After struggling to defeat KSH and Hilo through most of the season, Thompson’s young Warriors squad was sliding into the end of the season right around .500.
However, WHS was inching closer and closer to beating its cross-town rival. In their final regular season bout, the Warriors fell just four points short of beating the Vikings.
A week later in the BIIF DI semifinal, Waiakea finally did it — defeating Hilo 3-1 to nab a title match berth and end the Vikings’ postseason.
Fujikawa led her Trojans to a 12-0 regular season, their first ever undefeated season in BIIF DII. The Tribune-Herald was unable find evidence of any Ka‘u girls volleyball team going undefeated at any other point in history — so the lossless 2023-24 season may have been the Trojans’ first-ever.
The few but mighty Trojans downed dynasties like Konawaena and HPA, and captured the isle’s hearts with their underdog success story.
•••
DI FIRST TEAM
Kamaleimahie Auwae, 12, Middle/Opposite, Hilo
Kealohi Dudoit, 10, Libero, Kamehameha-HI
Maela Honma, 12, Outside Hitter, Kamehameha-HI
Jayda Kaeo, 11, Outside/Setter, Keaau
Natalee Kahauolopua, 10, Setter, Waiakea
Kaliko Kealoha, 12, Outside Hitter, Hilo
Hali’imailelauli’I Kuamo’o, 11, Setter, Kamehameha-HI
Jordan Luisa, 12, Libero, Hilo
Toryn Ono, 12, Outside Hitter, Waiakea
Lexie Uchima, 11, Def Spec/Libero, Waiakea
Kerstin Lee Verece, 12, Middle Blocker, Hilo
•••
DII FIRST TEAM
Taijah Beck, 12, Middle Blocker, Ka‘u
Kaitea Galletes, 11, Middle Blocker, Konawaena
Leahi Kaupu, 11, Outside Hitter, Ka‘u
Margo Lewis, 11, Outside Hitter, Hawaii Prep
Precious Mareko-Ke, 12, Middle Blocker, Ka‘u
Jazmyn Navarro, 11, Setter, Ka‘u
Brooke Samura, 12, Setter, Hawaii Prep
Kealyn Shibuya, 12, Outside Hitter, Konawaena
•••
DII SECOND TEAM
Tawnee Carvalho, 12, Outside Hitter, Honokaa
Jezney Chang, 12, Outside Hitter, Pahoa
McKenzie DeCoito, 10, Opposite Hitter, Ka‘u
Kalia Marquez, 11, Outside Hitter, Kohala
Tahtiana Minthaorn, 12, Outside/Opposite, Laupahoehoe
Mahea Pang, 11, Outside Hitter, Kohala
Hailey Polido, 12, Outside Hitter, St. Joseph
Isabella Stith, 12, Libero, Konawaena
•••
DI HONORABLE MENTIONS
Hilo: Kira Alameda (MB), Anolani Santos (S), Malu-Lani Tandal (L), Victoria Wassman (OH/S)
Kamehameha-HI: Shay Beals (OH), Cayla Carter (OPP), Keanu Marie Huihui (MB), Ziona Launiu (DS/S), Mia Polloi (MB)
Keaau: Raychelle Ducusin (MB), Zaylie Iliwaalani-La’a (L), Alexis Irvine-Tai (DS/L), Alissa Kaheaku (S), Lehia Kane (OH/OPP)
Waiakea: Kdynse Apaka (MB), Sadie Calma (S/OPP), Pua’ena Herrington (MB), Madisen Kodani (DS/L), Klaresajane Sivas (OH)
•••
DII HONORABLE MENTIONS
HPA: Meleana Garfield (MB)
Honokaa: Nyden Aurello (L), Malie Espejo (MB), Ghenae Frazier (S)
Ka Umeke: Vainui Davis-Tanaka (OPP), Lani Dudoit (MB)
Ka‘u: Alajshae Barrios (OH)
Kohala: Camille Fuertes (S)
Konawaena: Naya Beymer (OPP)
Makua Lani: Milena Freirie (L)
Pahoa: Jaslyn Chang (S)
Parker: Briley Ballard (OH)
St. Joseph: Michaela Costales (MB), Briley Ganai-Keopuhiwa (OH)