First-game blunder sinks Kaua’iBy JASON GALLIC TGI Sports Editor LIHU’E — The KIF momentum has begun to shift. And that’s no good if one is a Kaua’i High School supporter. Despite spirited play from both the Red Raiders and the
First-game blunder sinks Kaua’iBy JASON GALLIC
TGI Sports Editor
LIHU’E — The KIF momentum has begun to shift. And
that’s no good if one is a Kaua’i High School supporter.
Despite spirited
play from both the Red Raiders and the Waimea Menehunes, the latter was able to
emerge from Wednesday’s three-set battle a 15-12, 6-15, 15-11 victor. The win
puts Waimea in the driver’s seat to force a season-ending playoff with Kaua’i,
the first-round winner. It also puts Kapa’a back in the hunt for a second-round
championship.
“We’re in this thing,” Menehunes coach Bobby Kamakele said.
“But our victory also lets Kapa’a back in.”
The Menehunes took control of
this round by defeating the Warriors in three sets last Wednesday, and then
discarding the Red Raiders last night.
“Bobby did a heck of a job with his
boys over there tonight,” Kaua’i coach Shawn Doo said. “They gameplanned for us
really well.”
Out of the gate, it appeared the Red Raiders were in complete
control. Kaua’i stormed out of the gate to take a 12-6 first-game advantage.
But Waimea would not go away.
Behind the steady serving of senior
Wesley Manual, the Menehunes pulled to within 12-12, and then senior Keola
Karratti took over.
The outside hitter registered a monster block for a
point, and then took a perfect set from Jerek Barcelona and rocketed it to the
floor for a 14-12 Menehunes’ lead. Kaua’i hit one into the net for the final
point, and the comeback was complete.
“That’s where we lost it,” Doo said.
“We won the second game, but they took it out of us in the first.”
Waimea
fell flat in the second game, but Kamakele let his boys play through it,
calling just one timeout as the bottom fell.
It paid off as the Menehunes
re-grouped in the final game.
Waimea was the benefactor of a balanced
attack Wednesday night. Where Karratti recorded 20 kills in the Menehunes’
victory over Kapa’a, he had just eight last night. Waimea got seven kills from
Shane Castillo and six from James Marques.
Kaua’i got 14 kills from star
hitter Mark Rodrigues, eight from Lionel Tomacder and five from Jason
Kashiwabara.
Waimea visits Kapa’a Saturday night at 5:30 p.m. Should the
Menehunes win, they will all but wrap up the second-half title, and force a
playoff with Kaua’i.
