KAPA‘A — The Kapa‘a High School’s boys volleyball team forced a playoff for the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation championship title last night, defeated defending champions of Waimea High School in five sets, 25-12, 25-21, 22-25, 17-25 and 15-10, at the Bernice
KAPA‘A — The Kapa‘a High School’s boys volleyball team forced a playoff for the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation championship title last night, defeated defending champions of Waimea High School in five sets, 25-12, 25-21, 22-25, 17-25 and 15-10, at the Bernice Hundley Gym.
But the catch is, the Warriors (1-3 Round 2, 2-6 overall) aren’t playing in it. With the win by the Warriors, the Menehune (2-2, 5-3) drop Round 2, which goes to Kaua‘i High School (3-1, 5-3).
A playoff has been set for 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, at the Clem Gomes Gym in Waimea.
Kapa‘a quickly took the opportunities to get ahead in the first set. The Warriors shot up to 6-0 with kills from Chance Bukoski and John Beralas. Waimea got its first point when setter Jared Matsumoto found Kevin Chiba who hit it through the double block.
Still, Kapa‘a held Waimea again to just that point and built the lead to 11-1.
An ace, his first of three on the night, Bukoski brought the Warriors up to 14-2.
Waimea never fully bounced back, and a kill from Kapa‘a’s Kila Youn sealed Kapa‘a’s first-set win.
The second set started in a much similar fashion, only this time, Waimea was able to catch up before the lead got too big. A kill by Waimea’s Quinn Gonsalves brought the set at 12 apiece, but mishit after mishit, Kapa‘a crept back up. Youn brought the set to 24-19 with an ace.
After being up two sets, Waimea finally found its rhythm and Gonsalves got into hitting mode. Waimea edged it out and won by three.
Matsumoto got the Menehune off to a good start when he served two aces in a row and held on to win and force a fifth set.
Bukoski pulled it off in the clutch, posting five of his 14 kills in this set. A controversial no-call caused a slight raucous when it looked as though Waimea, when a potential kill hit the tape and bounced back on its side of the court, had four hits, leaving the rally to continue on, to the advantage of Waimea. When contested, the official ruled that a touch had been made, making the play legal.
Kapa‘a still held off the Menehune to win on its senior night.
Setters Devin Saiki and Korey Pang both finished with 11 assists. Beralas and Youn both finished with nine kills each.
For Waimea, Gonsalves had 12 kills, while Keelan Sakuda finished with eight. Matsumoto tossed for 24 assists.
The winner of the Kaua‘i, Waimea playoff will advance to the New City Nissan/ Hawai‘i High School Athletic Association State Championships on O‘ahu.
