LIHU‘E — Displaying guts, determination and desire, the Waimea Menehune boys volleyball team captured another Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation title with a 3-1 victory over the Kaua‘i Red Raiders in Tuesday night’s championship match in Lihu‘e. The best team in the
LIHU‘E — Displaying guts, determination and desire, the Waimea Menehune boys volleyball team captured another Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation title with a 3-1 victory over the Kaua‘i Red Raiders in Tuesday night’s championship match in Lihu‘e.
The best team in the second round of the 2011 season, Waimea carried that momentum over into the final contest, running out to an early advantage and keeping Kaua‘i at arm’s length in the four-set victory with scores of 25-21, 25-14, 14-25, 25-21.
Kevin Killerman topped the Menehune attack, finishing the night with 16 kills and two blocks.
Kalen McCracken’s emotion translated into 12 kills and 6.5 blocks.
Kaili Schumacher-Lagundino had 10 kills, two blocks and two digs. Mark Kanahele played a big part for Waimea, coming through with eight kills and 1.5 blocks. Koa Yamamoto also added three kills and three blocks.
Setter Jonathon Tangalin had a match-high 40 assists to go with a pair of blocks and an ace. Devan Banasihan-Kenney had 11 digs, while Chase Parongao also had five.
For the Red Raiders, Donovan Harrison had 19 kills and 5.5 blocks. Archie Vallatini had a strong performance, finishing with 10 kills and a pair of digs.
Joseph Machado had six kills and 3.5 blocks, while Blaise Ferguson had three kills, 3.5 blocks and two digs. Dane Bautista added two kills and 2.5 blocks.
Setter Jon Butac had 29 assists, two kills, 2.5 blocks and an ace.
The match concluded on a thrilling, 50-shot rally that saw each team come up with key digs and blocks, but it was a Kaua‘i error into the net that sent the Waimea bench storming on to the court to celebrate its KIF crown and spot in the state tournament.
Tied up at 20-20 in that fourth set, Killerman spiked a Tangalin feed to put the Menehune up one, before an illegal hit by the Raiders made it 22-20.
Harrison got Kaua‘i back within one with a kill, but the Raiders followed that with a service error and then a shot that went long of the baseline to give the Menehune three match points at 24-21.
The opening set saw Waimea use an early 11-0 run to take command with a 16-4 lead. McCracken was playing a very aggressive style up at the net and the typically animated player was again displaying that passion.
The Raiders didn’t give up and got back within five in the late stages on a dual block by Harrison and Bautista, but still trailed 23-18. The Menehune grabbed six set points on a service error, but the Raiders saved the first three on a pair of Harrison kills and another tandem block by Harrison and Bautista.
Up 24-21, it was Kanahele who had the set winner off of a Tangalin feed to put Waimea ahead 1-0 in the match.
Though unable to come back all the way after being down by as many as 13 in the set, Kaua‘i began to get its confidence by blocking a few Killerman kill attempts late in the first.
Despite that momentum, Waimea came out in the second and again took control with an 11-3 run that resulted in a 19-10 lead. Kanahele was stepping up big and everything was going right for the Menehune, as evidenced by a solo “block” by Yamamoto, which saw a Harrison spike go off his head for a Waimea point.
Vallatini seemed to be the most in sync player on the Raider side, as he had four kills in the second set to lead his squad.
Trailing 22-14, an illegal hit was called on Kaua‘i — a call that head coach Merrill Carvalho clearly didn’t agree with, though he simply shrugged his shoulders, seemingly resigned to the fact that his team was about to face an 0-2 hole.
Schumacher-Lagundino finished off a winner to take 10 set points at 24-14 and Waimea needed only one as Killerman had the clincher the very next point.
Kaua‘i showed its pride in the third set as a Harrison ace put the Raiders ahead 9-4, before the team used a 12-3 run to take command at 21-8. Both teams appeared a bit out of sorts, but Kaua‘i was coming up with the hustle plays that were making the difference.
Leading 24-14, Bautista had the winner with a dink shot over a pair over Waimea blockers to get the Raiders back into the match, now down two sets to one.
Some early miscommunication in the fourth saw Waimea let a ball drop between a pair of players, tying the score up at 4-4. Tangalin walked over to each player on the Menehune side to both wake and pump them up.
The captain’s call to action was heard by his squad, as Waimea won five of the next seven points for a 9-6 lead. The two teams began to trade points for much of the set, with Waimea never again falling behind, but also never leading by more than three points.
Kaua‘i’s only lead of the final set came at 6-5.
The Red Raiders put together a great first round, going 5-1 and taking the first spot in the title match, before losing a few tight matches in the second half and going 2-4.
The Menehune were 3-3 in the opening round, then went 5-1 in the second round to put themselves into the championship match.
Waimea will now head to the 2011 Hawai‘i High School Athletic Association New City Nissan Volleyball Championships, which will take place at McKinley High School from May 12 to 14.
Seedings and brackets should be released by HHSAA in the coming days.
