Hilo matched Kahuku in effort and energy but couldn’t keep pace with the Red Raiders’ firepower and depth on a volleyball court that took fans on a wild roller-coaster ride.

Kahuku is known statewide as a football factory, producing HHSAA championships — eight in all, the last in 2015 — and Division I collegiate players, too many to count.

The volleyball team doesn’t have that type of accomplishment list, but under coach Mounia Tachibana the OIA’s No. 5 team is hoping to get there.

The first step was Kahuku’s 25-23, 20-25, 25-13, 8-25, 15-11 elimination win over Hilo in the HHSAA Division I first round on Monday at the Vikings Gym.

Last year at states, the Red Raiders lost to eventual champion Iolani in the semifinals, placed third and then said goodbye to one of the state’s best setters in ShaRae Niu, who’s now at UH-Hilo.

“The beauty of Kahuku nowadays is that we utilize volleyball,” Tachibana said. “It’s more serious.

“We did struggle big-time against Hilo. The beauty of our team is we can bring in our bench to cover.”

Like Hilo coach Drew Fernandez, Tachibana runs a meritocracy. If starters struggle, they’ll find themselves on the bench sitting next to her.

Maresa Maiava came off the bench in the fifth set and drilled two kills, her only points in the match, the last to give Kahuku a 14-9 lead.

She’s a 5-foot-9 sophomore and one of the smallest outside hitters on the roster, which held a decisive height advantage over Hilo. Both teams, though, finished with nine blocks each.

Kahuku won the state championship in 2002, beating St. Joseph at Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium, so its resume is not exactly empty.

Like the football team, the Red Raiders are a bunch of physically imposing players, who all hit with power — something the BIIF just doesn’t ever see.

“In the BIIF, you might see two players on a team who hit with power,” Hilo senior Kawai Ua said. “But everyone on Kahuku has power.

“We did all that we could and left it all on the court. We gave it our all.”

For most of the match, a Red Raider would blast a ball, the Vikings would dig it but couldn’t return fire, a reason Kahuku had far more kills, 61-44, and a better hitting average, .200-.167.

Kahuku had more assists, 59-38, and took healthy powerful swings while Hilo was often in scramble mode and out of system, sending over one too many free balls or punching over soft attacks.

Tachibana estimated that all her players will eventually play college ball, except for one, senior defender Taylor Marasco, who’s a soccer player. She’s the only one not in club ball, too.

The most impressive Red Raider, by far, was 5-10 senior Katelyn Erickson, who smashed a match-high 22 kills and had a stellar .333 hitting clip.

She ripped six kills in Game 5 and showed a package of wide-ranging shots: line, cross-court, angle, and a tool shot that kept going off the block.

Erickson pounded three kills during a five-point run that pushed the Red Raiders to an 11-6 cushion. Each shot was a different one and next to impossible to defend: a line shot, tool, and cross-court.

Niu’s sister, ShaLi, was next in line with 12 kills and a .296 hitting percentage. The 6-1 senior setter/opposite kept dumping kills when Hilo’s block didn’t cover her.

Ua had a double-double (12 kills and 14 digs) but hit .083 while fellow senior hitter Lexi Paglinawan had nine kills and 15 digs but hit .059.

It was encouraging for next season that Hilo’s underclassmen had solid outings: junior opposite Taina Leao (nine kills, .200), junior middle blocker Laurie McGrath (seven kills, .316), and sophomore middle Mahala Kaapuni (five kills, .517).

“In the beginning, we were kind of nervous because it’s Kahuku,” Leao said. “As the games were going on, we pushed through and didn’t let anything stop us.”

The Vikings (16-3) lose four senior starters in Ua, Paglinawan, and setters Kailee Kurokawa (29 assists, nine digs) and Makena Ahuna (eight assists, four digs).

“I’m sad for my seniors,” Fernandez said. “They were my first class. We had a hell of a season.

“Taina was phenomenal. I’m so happy I’ll still have her. Next year, we’ll work hard, and we still have our underclassmen coming up.”

Leao, a 5-8 left-hander, could easily pass as a Red Raider. She hits with power and has a nice all-around game. She had eight digs and two blocks.

“I think we’ll be pretty good next year,” she said. “We’ve got a lot of returnees. We have to push harder and never doubt ourselves.”

As for Tachibana and her Red Raiders (11-5), she believes they’ve got something special this season.

The last time an ILH team didn’t win the Division I state championship was in 2002, Kahuku’s first and only title.

“Last year, we didn’t have to worry about the block because we had the best setter in the state,” Tachibana said. “We’re not as sharp skill-wise as last year’s team, but we’ve got more drive and push and better chemistry.

“We struggled during the season. But all of a sudden we came together. I don’t know what happened. But it’s a good thing.”

Hilo matched Kahuku in effort and energy but couldn’t keep pace with the Red Raiders’ firepower and depth on a volleyball court that took fans on a wild roller-coaster ride.

Kahuku is known statewide as a football factory, producing HHSAA championships — eight in all, the last in 2015 — and Division I collegiate players, too many to count.

The volleyball team doesn’t have that type of accomplishment list, but under coach Mounia Tachibana the OIA’s No. 5 team is hoping to get there.

The first step was Kahuku’s 25-23, 20-25, 25-13, 8-25, 15-11 elimination win over Hilo in the HHSAA Division I first round on Monday at the Vikings Gym.

Last year at states, the Red Raiders lost to eventual champion Iolani in the semifinals, placed third and then said goodbye to one of the state’s best setters in ShaRae Niu, who’s now at UH-Hilo.

“The beauty of Kahuku nowadays is that we utilize volleyball,” Tachibana said. “It’s more serious.

“We did struggle big-time against Hilo. The beauty of our team is we can bring in our bench to cover.”

Like Hilo coach Drew Fernandez, Tachibana runs a meritocracy. If starters struggle, they’ll find themselves on the bench sitting next to her.

Maresa Maiava came off the bench in the fifth set and drilled two kills, her only points in the match, the last to give Kahuku a 14-9 lead.

She’s a 5-foot-9 sophomore and one of the smallest outside hitters on the roster, which held a decisive height advantage over Hilo. Both teams, though, finished with nine blocks each.

Kahuku won the state championship in 2002, beating St. Joseph at Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium, so its resume is not exactly empty.

Like the football team, the Red Raiders are a bunch of physically imposing players, who all hit with power — something the BIIF just doesn’t ever see.

“In the BIIF, you might see two players on a team who hit with power,” Hilo senior Kawai Ua said. “But everyone on Kahuku has power.

“We did all that we could and left it all on the court. We gave it our all.”

For most of the match, a Red Raider would blast a ball, the Vikings would dig it but couldn’t return fire, a reason Kahuku had far more kills, 61-44, and a better hitting average, .200-.167.

Kahuku had more assists, 59-38, and took healthy powerful swings while Hilo was often in scramble mode and out of system, sending over one too many free balls or punching over soft attacks.

Tachibana estimated that all her players will eventually play college ball, except for one, senior defender Taylor Marasco, who’s a soccer player. She’s the only one not in club ball, too.

The most impressive Red Raider, by far, was 5-10 senior Katelyn Erickson, who smashed a match-high 22 kills and had a stellar .333 hitting clip.

She ripped six kills in Game 5 and showed a package of wide-ranging shots: line, cross-court, angle, and a tool shot that kept going off the block.

Erickson pounded three kills during a five-point run that pushed the Red Raiders to an 11-6 cushion. Each shot was a different one and next to impossible to defend: a line shot, tool, and cross-court.

Niu’s sister, ShaLi, was next in line with 12 kills and a .296 hitting percentage. The 6-1 senior setter/opposite kept dumping kills when Hilo’s block didn’t cover her.

Ua had a double-double (12 kills and 14 digs) but hit .083 while fellow senior hitter Lexi Paglinawan had nine kills and 15 digs but hit .059.

It was encouraging for next season that Hilo’s underclassmen had solid outings: junior opposite Taina Leao (nine kills, .200), junior middle blocker Laurie McGrath (seven kills, .316), and sophomore middle Mahala Kaapuni (five kills, .517).

“In the beginning, we were kind of nervous because it’s Kahuku,” Leao said. “As the games were going on, we pushed through and didn’t let anything stop us.”

The Vikings (16-3) lose four senior starters in Ua, Paglinawan, and setters Kailee Kurokawa (29 assists, nine digs) and Makena Ahuna (eight assists, four digs).

“I’m sad for my seniors,” Fernandez said. “They were my first class. We had a hell of a season.

“Taina was phenomenal. I’m so happy I’ll still have her. Next year, we’ll work hard, and we still have our underclassmen coming up.”

Leao, a 5-8 left-hander, could easily pass as a Red Raider. She hits with power and has a nice all-around game. She had eight digs and two blocks.

“I think we’ll be pretty good next year,” she said. “We’ve got a lot of returnees. We have to push harder and never doubt ourselves.”

As for Tachibana and her Red Raiders (11-5), she believes they’ve got something special this season.

The last time an ILH team didn’t win the Division I state championship was in 2002, Kahuku’s first and only title.

“Last year, we didn’t have to worry about the block because we had the best setter in the state,” Tachibana said. “We’re not as sharp skill-wise as last year’s team, but we’ve got more drive and push and better chemistry.

“We struggled during the season. But all of a sudden we came together. I don’t know what happened. But it’s a good thing.”