Round 2 of Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation volleyball play returns tonight as Kapa‘a High School hosts Kaua‘i High School. Junior varsity starts off the night at 5 p.m. with the varsity game starting 20 minutes later. Kaua‘i (3-1) enters tonight’s match
Round 2 of Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation volleyball play returns tonight as Kapa‘a High School hosts Kaua‘i High School. Junior varsity starts off the night at 5 p.m. with the varsity game starting 20 minutes later.
Kaua‘i (3-1) enters tonight’s match as the Round 1 champions, while Kapa‘a (1-3) is still riding on its end-of-the-round win over Waimea High School (2-2) two weeks ago.
“It starts all over again,” Kaua‘i head coach Richard Roberts told TGI.
Indeed, it does start all over again.
First round standings will be tossed and the teams must try to win Round 2. In the event that either Waimea or Kapa‘a take Round 2, the winner will play Kaua‘i for the KIF title. If Kaua‘i wins Round 2, the title will go directly to the Red Raiders.
Kaua‘i is looking strong. All of its girls are healthy and just keep getting better. Earlier in the season, Roberts credited the team’s improvement to the fact that they played in more tournaments during the off-season instead of staying in the gym practicing.
Senior hitter Jamilee Jimenez averages 10.7 kills a game and setter Jewel Villatora is averaging 19.5 assists per game. Add in the factor of Kara Cummings and a front line consisting of Nalani Haviland and Courtney Wilson and it’s a tough team to play against.
Equally tough is Waimea. The Menehune started the season off strong with seniors Cheri Kua and Josey Jacinto leading the pack. However, the team has had to turn to its bench because both Kua and Jacinto are out with injuries. Fortunately for them, Waimea has a strong bench. Qyla Parangao has stepped in to set and Brytney Yada-Lanning, Tia Agader and Tatum Gonsalves have emerged as big hitters.
But don’t count out Kapa‘a just yet. The Warriors were able to win a game last round and are looking to get more of those this time around.
Kapa‘a will rely heavily on Mailika Napoleon as the setter and Maliana Hamada as a hitter, libero Megan Souza and Tori Tuttle as a middle blocker. Head coach Gary Maguire hinted that Leilani Laranio, who has been out of rotation due to a shoulder injury, might return to the court in Round 2.
The KIF champion will advance to the New City Nissan Division II Girls State Volleyball tournament at the end of this month on O‘ahu.
• Lanaly Cabalo, sports editor, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 237) or lcabalo@kauaipubco.com.
