Menehune claim volleyball opener

Dennis Fujimoto / The Garden Island

Kapa‘a High’s Poki Tafea hits against the defense of Waimea’s Kevin Valenciano and Isaiah Espanto Friday during a Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation boys volleyball game at the Bernice Hundley Gym in Kapa‘a.

Dennis Fujimoto / The Garden Island

Kapa‘a’s James Kessler hits into the Waimea blocking effort of David ‘Kaio’ Tsuchiya and Kelani Lewis in the second set Friday during Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation boys volleyball at the Bernice Hundley Gym in Kapa‘a.

Dennis Fujimoto/The Garden Island

Kapa‘a’s Kala Rall hits against the Waimea defense put up by Jonah Sandal and Kevin Valenciano, Friday during the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation boys volleyball games at the Bernice Hundley Gym.

Dennis Fujimoto / The Garden Island

Waimea’s Ty Tsukayama follows his hit past the defense of Kapa‘a’s Moku Tolenoa Friday during the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation boys volleyball game at the Bernice Hundley Gym in Kapa‘a.

Dennis Fujimoto / The Garden Island

Waimea’s Isaiah Espanto hits against the defense of Kapa‘a’s Kelsen Brezee in the first set Friday during the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation boys volleyball game at the Bernice Hundley Gym in Kapa‘a.

Dennis Fujimoto / The Garden Island

Kapa‘a setter Vince Noguchi bumps to Kala Rall in the first set Friday during a Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation boys volleyball game at the Bernice Hundley Gym in Kapa‘a.

KAPA‘A — The Waimea High School boys volleyball program took both of its matches Friday as the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation opened its 2022 season at the Bernice Hundley Gym.

The junior varsity Menehune claimed a 2-1 victory — 25-23, 25-15, and 11-25 — before an audience that apparently adjusted well to the new online ticketing system, TicketSpicket, that will govern KIF ticket sales starting with boys volleyball. KIF officials are expecting online ticketing for all of its sporting events requiring tickets by the start of the fall 2022 schedule.

The varsity Menehune boys completed the night with a win over the Warriors in four sets, 25-21, 24-26, 25-15 and 25-12.

Working under Waimea’s new head coach Tori Kagawa, a longtime assistant, the Menehune jumped onto the court following a two-year layoff from KIF play due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Warriors grappled with opening-night woes punctuated by smacks from Waimea’s middle Kevin Valenciano, and Isaiah Espanto when a Kapa‘a hitting error paused the first set at 11-3 in favor of the Menehune.

The eight-point deficit plagued Kapa‘a until Kala Rall, he KIF Player of the Year for boys basketball, found his stride and shared the traits from basketball that earned him POY honors.

Trailing 20-11, Kapa‘a found life behind the hitting from James Kessler and Poki Tafea, who ignited the crowd in cheer on every touch, and Rall, Kapa‘a closed the gap to four points before Waimea marked its final 25-21 win on a Kapa‘a double hit.

Kapa‘a took an early lead in the second set, and Waimea stayed close throughout before Kapa‘a shut the door on the second set, 26-24 on a Tafea hammer, to the glee of Warrior fans.

The Menehune rebounded by making early leads in the following two sets and not losing control of the lead to close the night.

On Tuesday, Kapa‘a travels to the Clem Gomes Gym for a rematch against Waimea, and Island School will travel to the Kaua‘i High gym for the team’s first meeting. The JV games start at 5:30 p.m. with the varsity games starting no earlier than 6:30 p.m. at both sites.

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