Kaua’i boys, girls secure that title within KIF season By JASON GALLIC TGI Sports Editor LIHU’E — A girls’ volleyball match was scheduled for Saturday at Kaua’i High between the Red Raiders and Waimea. But, in the midst of the
Kaua’i boys, girls secure that title within KIF season
By JASON
GALLIC
TGI Sports Editor
LIHU’E — A girls’ volleyball match was
scheduled for Saturday at Kaua’i High between the Red Raiders and
Waimea.
But, in the midst of the match, a wild night broke out, featuring
more peaks and valleys than an emotional roller coaster.
In the end, the
Red Raiders sent an unprecedented message, passing the Menehunes in two games,
15-10, 15-13. In the process, they established themselves as the favorites to
win the KIF, the first time that’s happened in 26 years.
“I’m just proud of
the Kaua’i girls coming back from being down in that second game to win the
match,” Red Raiders coach Richard Roberts said. “Now we take momentum into the
second half of the season.”
Kaua’i’s win secured for it the top spot
through the first half of the season.
It was a win that looked to be in
jeopardy as the second game came to a close. With the Waimea fans raising a
ruckus that had this writer wondering exactly who was the home team, the
Menehunes fought back from a 10-6 deficit to take a 13-10 advantage.
Sophomore Niki Maruyama and senior Dayla Yamamoto provided strong
performances from the service line, and Waimea’s front line did the rest. It
looked as though the Menehunes would pull out the second game.
“We were in
good shape,” Waimea coach Dr. Paul Arrington said. “But some critical errors
cost us.”
Kaua’i’s Kim Downing, as she has in previous matches this season,
capitalized on some of those Menehunes’ errors. The senior middle hitter
slammed home a kill to get her team within one at 13-12, and then, three points
later, sent the game-winning strike into the floor.
“Kim, and Misty (Hug),
did a great job of holding the middle together.” Roberts said. “You can’t say
enough about the job they did tonight.”
Despite the loss, Waimea showed
plenty of promise heading into the second half of the KIF season.
“Our
girls played well,” Arrington said. “And we showed ourselves that we can play
at a high level.
“If we can make it consistent, we’ll be fine.”
Junior
Kehaulani Regidor led the Red Raiders with five kills. Tiana Lum-Tucker added
four.
Waimea’s Britnee Boeder led all players with eight
kills.
Varsity Boys
Waimea had no trouble fighting Kaua’i to an 8-8
tie; the Menehunes did so in both Saturday night games.
After knotting the
score, however, Waimea seemed to shut down, and in the end, it fell 12-8
(time), 15-8 to the Red Raiders.
Before arriving at eight each game proved
spirited, as the teams battled back and forth, chewing up much of the
eight-minute game clock.
But late-game mistakes, and the leadership of
Kaua’i seniors Mark Rodrigues (match-high nine kills), Matt Fujikawa and Matt
Miguel took over.
His team ahead 9-8 in the second game, Rodrigues put the
match out of reach both on the scoreboard, and in the minds of Waimea players,
when he rocketed a floor-denting kill at the Menehune defense. He followed that
two points later with another thundering effort, and the game was over.
The win gives Kaua’i the first-half championship in the battle for the KIF
crown.
Junior James Marques led Waimea with seven kills.
In jayvee
action, the Waimea boys defeated Kaua’i 15-11, 15-10. The Red Raiders’ girls
won 15-11, 13-11.
