LIHU‘E — Kapa‘a High School and Island School each posted victories on Friday night when the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation inaugurated its 2024 boys volleyball season at Bernice Hundley Gym in Kapa‘a and Clem Gomes Gym in Waimea.
According to Island School athletic director Jerry Jona, Waimea High School junior varsity took that series in two straight sets over the Voyagers.
The Voyagers turned that around on the varsity courts by taking the 3-1 series over the Menehune, 25-22, 25-20, 22-25 and 25-16.
Over at Bernice Hundley, Kapa‘a JV took the series in two sets, 25-19 and 26-24 after clawing back from a deficit created by strong JV Raider service and a passing error to seal the series on a CeeJay Jenkins hammer.
On the varsity floor, the Warriors overcame first set errors and butterflies to take three straight sets 24-26, 25-15, 25-11 and 25-23.
The Red Raiders were looking at a 21-17 deficit in the first quarter before Aaron Juliano served up four straight points to deadlock the contest.
A net violation against Kaua‘i and a Raider hitting error pushed the Warriors up 23-21 before Isaac Mirey coughed up three straight points, including an ace from the service block for a 24-23 lead.
A Kaua‘i service knotted the contest at 24 before Kaua‘i’s Cameron Holt Ho came up with a crucial defensive block that coupled with a Kapa‘a hitting error for the 26-24 win.
Similarly in the fourth set, Kaua‘i had a handle on the lead through most of the contest before Kapa‘a came back on the top end to take the match.
Facing a 22-20 hole, Kapa‘a middle Curren Pope came up with a big hit followed by a block to knot things up, 22-22 before a service error turned over the ball and knotted the contest at 23.
A Red Raider passing error put Kapa‘a up before Warrior Kyle Baunsit put away the set on a solid smack.
The KIF hosts a regular season contest on Tuesday when Kapa‘a travels to Waimea and Kaua‘i visits Island School. The JV contest starts at 5:30 p.m. at both sites with the varsity match to follow.
Starting Wednesday, and continuing through Saturday, the KIF will be hosting Maryknoll School and Pearl City High School to boys volleyball preseason matches. On Wednesday, Maryknoll will visit the new Kaua‘i High School gymnasium starting at 6 p.m.
On Thursday, Maryknoll will visit Waimea High School and PCHS visits Island School. Both matches start at 6 p.m.
On Friday, Maryknoll is at Kapa‘a High School, and PCHS is at Waimea High School with the two games starting at 6 p.m.
On Saturday, PCHS plays a double-header starting with a game at the Waimea High School starting at 10 a.m. followed by a match against Kapa‘a starting at 6 p.m. Maryknoll closes its Kaua‘i tour with a contest at the Island School for a 6 p.m. start.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer can be reached at 808-245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
