Waimea forces 2nd round playoff

Waimea needed a win last night to force a playoff with Kaua’i for second round honors.

After two tight games, that’s exactly what they got.

The Menehunes defeated the Kapa’a Warriors at home, 15-10, 15-12.

Both Warrior’s offensive threats Garrett Danner and Austin “Maka” Alapai did not participate in last night’s dual-the two accounted for one of the league’s best “set and kill” combos.

But despite their absences, Kapa’a fought the Menehunes in two tight games.

James Marques led the Menehune assault with 11 kills and two aces. Jerrick Barcelona (2 blocks, 1 kill, 1 ace) and Scott Rivera (4 kills) stepped up to produce a frightening net presence which stuffed the Warriors down the stretch. Jerrick Fabro (5 kills, 1 block) and Desmond Rodrigues (4 aces, 3 kills) also led the Menehune march which kept Waimea in second round contention.

Kapa’a’s season came to a close, last night. But it would be unfair to say the Warriors didn’t deserve to be in the Kaua’i/Waimea playoff hunt right now. The three combined KIF teams played tough volleyball all season. If there was any team that made this three-way thriller a reality, it was these Warriors. No one ever counted them out. And if they did, they would be the ones sitting out of Wednesday’s playoff game.

It was never about which team was the best. It was always about where the ball dropped and who had the better day.

But now only two teams remain. Waimea and Kaua’i split games for this second round, while the Menehunes won the first round. The Red Raiders will have to beat the Menehunes twice, in two playoff games, in order to win the KIF crown and go to states.

“This is going to be a good one,” said Bobby Kamakele, the Menehune’s head coach said of Wednesdays (7 p.m.) playoff match-up. “There are no secrets, here. We know what Kaua’i has, they know what we have. We are going to have to stay focused and play hard to beat this team. They are real competitors.”