KEALAKEKUA — Konawaena girls volleyball picked up right where it left off in its second game of the season on Wednesday night in Ellison Onizuka Gymnasium.
After beating Kohala in straight sets last week, the Wildcats did the same thing to Kealakehe this time around — handling the Waveriders 3-0.
Kealakehe kept pace with Kona in the beginning of the first set, but the Wildcats got comfortable and adjusted with their ball movement and defense at the net. Kona won the first frame 25-16.
The second set was much of the same, as the Wildcats won 25-15. To close out the night, Konawaena won the third frame 25-16.
The Wildcats (2-0) have reached their second consecutive 2-0 start. Yet to lose a set in the early season, the 2023 Big Island Interscholastic Federation (BIIF) DII runner-ups will aim to keep the streak alive in its next match against unbeaten Parker School at 6 p.m. Tuesday in Kealakekua. The event will be match No. 3 of Kona’s six-game homestand to begin 2024.
Despite the loss, the Waveriders (0-1) were proud of how they performed against one of the isle’s top teams, hoping to build on the experience for upcoming matches.
“We have a young vasrity team, but I love the potential we have,” head coach Mervlyn Simmons told West Hawaii Today. “I am excited to help them grow into the mature, tough team that I know they will become.
“Konawaena is a tough opponent and has been a well-oiled machine for many years, and we are already looking forward to our next matchup at the end of September. Our girls learned so much, and we can only continue to go up from here.”
The ‘Riders will have another tall task this weekend against the reigning BIIF DII champions in Hawaii Prep Academy. First serve is slated for 3 p.m. Saturday in Kealakehe’s gymnasium.
JV: Kealakehe won in three sets — 25-27, 25-21, 15-11.
Parker 3, Kanu 0
Parker School girls volleyball collected another straight-sets victory on Wednesday in Waimea — this time against local opponent Kanu o ka ‘Aina.
To start things off, the Bulls put together their best set of the season thus far in the first frame — displaying an array of elite team offense and connected defense to win 25-6. Kanu became more competitive in the second set, but Parker was still able to pull it off 25-11.
To close out the evening, the Bulls won set No. 3 25-15.
Tied with Konawaena atop BIIF DII in the early days of the season, Parker (2-0) will look to keep it going against Kohala at 10 a.m. Saturday in Kapa‘au.
Kanu (0-2) will turn the page to its next matchup against Ehunui — scheduled for 5 p.m. Monday in Old Airport’s gymnasium.
Boys All-BIIF selections
The All-BIIF teams for the 2024 boys volleyball spring season were released Thursday by the BIIF.
Kamehameha Schools-Hawai‘i, who went 11-3 in the BIIF, 12-5 overall and finished second in BIIF DI, made up the most of the DI list. Nainoa Paio was additionally named DI Player of the Year to go alongside his first-team selection. Setter Kalena Launiu and libero Lansyn Apigo were also named to the team for KSH.
Hilo had two players named to the list — outside hitters Maluhia Tandal and Raidan Ware. Head coach Adam Tuifagu was named Coach of the Year after leading the Vikings to the the DI championship, a 12-1 record in league play and 14-2 overall.
Waiakea had two selections on the DI team with libero Jayse Hayashi and middle blocker Kingston Kahapea-Boyd. The team’s lone west-side honoree was Kealakehe’s Kekona Ulu.
Over in the Division II, Tyson Kuahia-Faafia of Ka‘u won Player of the Year and was named to the first team. Kuahia-Faafia helped lead the Trojans to the DII island title and an 8-2 league record. He also helped lead Ka‘u to the state tournament.
Trojans coach Joshua Ortega was given Coach of the Year honors.
Konawaena setter Travis Nakamoto and Parker outside hitter Beaudin Schad were the west side’s honorees on the team.
Honoka‘a libero Mark Gelidon, Pahoa middle blocker Hunter Paio and Christian Liberty Academy middle blocker Judah Shrinski rounded out the rest of the first team.
The DII Second Team was dominated by west-side names — Konawaena libero Apollo Bennett, Konawaena opposite hitter Elijah Morgan, Konawaena outside hitter Ellison Morgan, Konawaena outside hitter Mana Dias, Hawaii Prep outside hitter Kena Craven, Hawaii Prep middle blocker Mickey Petras, Kohala outside hitter Jayden Hook, Kohala outside hitter Layden Kauka and Pahoa setter Uasi Tokelau.
The honorable mentions for Division I and II are as follows:
Division I
Hilo: Walter Kolonahe (S); Ikena Leao (L); Peyten Pana (S); Palikapu Wilson (MB)
KS-Hawai‘i: Andrew Loheau Boshard (OPP); Tanoa Laititi (MB); Kala Makaike (OH); Kullen Pua (OH)
Kea‘au: Jose Gonzales (L); Luke La’a (S/OH); Thayne Nakoa (MB); Kelson Thomas-Markus (S/OH)
Kealakehe: Andrew Ching (S); Maliki Ferrell (OPP)
Waiakea: Dylan Nakamoto (OH); Jacob Tajiri (S)
Division II
Christian Liberty: Lawson DeLeon (OPP); Josiah Galdeira (MB)
Hawai‘i Prep: Matteo Larrua (L)
Honoka‘a: Kua’aina Cardoban (OH); Elijay Roque-Sigrah (OH)
Kanu: Lukela Landers (MB)
Ka Umeke: Lamaku Carriaga-Roberts (MB); Masau Lee (S/OPP); Manaaiakalani Paige (OH); Akamu Prieto-Eraeria (S); Kelii Tanaka (OH)
Ka‘u: Adahdiyah Ellis-Reyes (MB); Vladimir Fedoruk (OH); Kayson Pagan (OPP); Karsen Polido (OH); Emil Soriano (S)
Kohala: Kayzen Ittner (L); Landon Kauka (MB); Levi Keyes (S)
Konawaena: Nehemiah Kaai (MB), Maxon McCloskey (MB)
Pahoa: TJ Ferreira (OH); Jheyden Haili (S);
Parker: Gunner Hansen (L); Noah Nikolai (MB); Takumi Wetherell (S)