A team that refuses to bend will never break.
Consistent, single-minded and unified, No. 4-ranked Kahuku got 11 kills and three blocks from Makamae Schilling in a stunning 25-23, 25-14, 23-25, 25-22 victory over No. 3 Moanalua to win its second OIA girls volleyball championship in a row.
This is the 16th OIA girls volleyball title for Kahuku. The match ended at 10:59 p.m., and as is the case for many Kahuku championship teams, the bus would not pull into campus until well past midnight. There was the alma mater and the haka by the football team, which made it to Radford after practice.
Coach Lesina Manutai used a vast amount of patience and common sense as her injured players, some walking wounded, got back close to full power by the playoffs.
“It took a lot of patience to see them through these injuries, let them heal. I’m proud of all our girls. I wish all 15 could play. With the injuries, the girls adjust, play a different position. I couldn’t wait until they got to 100% because they’re so versatile,” she said.
Kahuku’s balance and strength in the middle were in play. Ana Kaufusi had eight kills and two aces, while Talia Soliai-Tui tallied six kills, two blocks and one ace to set the tone at the net. Versatile Haley Kotobalavu had seven kills and one ace, Bella Todd-Purcell stepped up with six kills and one block, and Anny Scott delivered 25 assists and one ace. Ireson Fotu dished 10 assists and one ace.
“It’s a good feeling coming back from an injury. I had to work hard. It wasn’t easy, but I’m just grateful to have these beautiful teammates who could help push me along,” Schilling said.
Soliai-Tui injured her knee last year and continues to play through pain this season while wearing a brace.
“We’re all real tough. It’s my senior year, stepping into a bigger role this year,” she said. “Thank you to everyone for coming. We’re not done yet.”
Kahuku (20-11 overall) will have a first-round bye in next week’s New City Nissan/HHSAA Girls Volleyball State Championships.
Moanalua (34-5) was unbeaten in league play until losing to Kahuku, a team it had beaten twice in the regular season. Junior Surfia Grounds led Na Menehune with 27 kills.
“Tonight was a game changer. We’re going to get in the gym tomorrow and work so hard,” said Grounds, a 6-foot-5 outside hitter. “I think we can win states.”
Kingston Auvaa tallied 10 kills while Alessandra Siazon had six kills and Nora Carey had five for Moanalua. Alea Chew dished 28 assists and Rylie Ramones had 16 assists.
When these teams opened the OIA season at Kahuku, the home team had a 20-13 lead in set three with a good chance to take a 2-1 lead in the match. Instead, Moanalua rallied for a 25-23, 22-25, 26-24, 25-22 win.
Two weeks later, Kahuku was ahead 2-1 when Moanalua rallied again for a 25-18, 20-25, 15-25, 25-22, 21-19 win, essentially sealing the top seed in the OIA East.
For Kahuku, getting the walking wounded back to near full-strength has taken the whole regular season. Hoping to be ready for a chance to defend its OIA crown.
The opening set was dead even until 22-all. Soliai-Tui drilled a kill and Scott followed with an ace for a 24-22 lead. After a kill by Moanalua’s Hannah Leung, Carey’s serve landed in the net to give Kahuku a 1-0 lead.
That seemed to sap energy from Na Menehune while Kahuku took complete alpha status in the second set. The East second seed opened with a 4-0 lead and kept stretching it with a block party. Kaufusi had two kills, two blocks and two aces in the second game.
Kahuku had five blocks in the second game, including one by Schilling as Kahuku silenced Moanalua’s audience with a 20-5 lead.
Down 2-0, Moanalua seemed to get past its usual once-a-match rough patch, taking a 6-3 lead in the third game.
Down 12-7, Kahuku stormed back and seemed to have a sweep in its grasp with a 21-19 lead. Grounds got kills — eight in the second set and five in the third — but Na Menehune needed more.
That’s when Roxine Justo-Kawakami stepped up with two of her three aces in the set to spark a rally that gave Moanalua a 24-23 lead. Sakoda Frank’s back row kill ended the third set and cut Kahuku’s lead to 2-1 in the match.
Kahuku had an 18-16 lead when a simple volley should have been a free ball for Moanalua. Instead, Na Menehune had their frozen group moment as three players watched the ball fall for the easiest point of the night.
By this point, it was 10:53 p.m. If their players were possibly fatigued, the 150 or so Kahuku students who showed up were fully electric.
A kill by Kaufusi opened the lead to 20-16.
Down the stretch, Moanalua got one kill from Carey and two from Grounds to inch within 21-20. A hitting error by Kotobalavu allowed Moanalua to tie it at 22, but the teams exchanged more hitting errors before Grounds’ shot was long, ending the match.