WAIMEA – The Kaua’i Red Raider Boys jayvee team rallied following its loss in the first game, scoring nine unanswered points in the second game and nixing a seven-point deficit in the third to top the Waimea Menehunes 13-10, 15-7,
WAIMEA – The Kaua’i Red Raider Boys jayvee team rallied following its loss in the first game, scoring nine unanswered points in the second game and nixing a seven-point deficit in the third to top the Waimea Menehunes 13-10, 15-7, 15-13 Wednesday in the KIF opener at Clem Gomes gymnasium.
The Raiders jumped to an early 9-2 lead in the first stemming from Waimea errors and kills by Kevin Downing, Ryan Nagaoka and Micah Young (each assisted by Garrett Sakimae). But they would fall apart. The Raiders watched their seven-point lead disintigrate as several Kyle Digao aces, along with kills by Menehunes Bryan Hayashi, Peterson Dela Cruz and Digao mounted a comfortable lead and an eventual 13-10 first game win.
Despite the combination of setter Hayashi and impressive outside hitter Joshua Cabral, Waimea couldn’t muster wins in the final two games. Trailing 4-0 in the second, the Raiders scored nine unanswered points to eventually win 15-9 and force a game three. Several aces from Rikki Garma and Ted Shibata and kills by Micah Young, Justin McSheehy and Alan Satta capped the Raider comeback in the second frame.
Kaua’i would again stage a comeback in the third – this time courtesy of Raider killer Kevin Downing, whose five kills and one ace in the final game offset a Waimea 7-2 lead and eventually nixed any hope for a Menehune season opening win. Downing buried two kills and notched the final ace to give the Raiders a 15-13 nailbiter victory.
