KAPA’A – The sign taped to the chalkboard outside of the Kapa’a Gym Saturday night indicated adults would be charged $3 to come inside; children, $2. If the school had known beforehand what waited to unfold over the next two
KAPA’A – The sign taped to the chalkboard outside of the Kapa’a Gym Saturday
night indicated adults would be charged $3 to come inside; children, $2.
If
the school had known beforehand what waited to unfold over the next two hours
inside, it could have charged whatever it wanted.
The visiting Kaua’i Red
Raiders defeated the Warriors 6-15, 16-14, 15-10, but what those in attendance
got, according to Kapa’a head coach Manny Henriques “was a chance to finally
see some real volleyball.”
Not that the KIF games prior to Saturday night
had been for not, but there was indeed something special about the
match.
“We played about as well as we could in that first game,” Henriques
said of his boys. “It was something for us to see.”
Where Kaua’i looked to
have trouble getting into its flow, the Warriors stormed out of the gate,
scoring 10 of Game 1’s final 11 points for the commanding win. Senior Kekoa
Chun blazed out of the lockerroom, and, despite suffering from illness,
registered a match-high 20 kills on the night.
“He told me before the game
that he wasn’t feeling well,” Henriques said of his top hitter. “But he went
out and performed anyway. There’s no quit in our boys.”
That became obvious
late in the second game.
It’s composure regained, the Red Raiders pulled
out to a 12-6 advantage in Game 2. The score was 14-9 when Kaua’i appeared to
put itself on cruise control.
“Our boys lost a little intensity there at
the end of the second game,” Red Raiders coach Shawn Doo said.
The result
was a nearly stunning comeback from the Warriors.
Junior Garrett Danner
took the ball at the service line with his team trailing by five and just 27.5
second remaining on the eight-minute game clock. Danner connected on
consecutive jump serves, sending the Kaua’i defense into a frenzy. By the time
the clock showed double-zero, Kapa’a had pulled to within 14-13, and, with the
rules such that a team must win by two, play continued.
“You never want to
give up any set,” Henriques said of his team’s charge back. “We didn’t want to
see the thing go to a third game.”
But the Warriors, though they reached
the hump, could not get over it.
Kaua’i regained its composure and pulled
out the win.
“That showed a lot of character for us,” said senior Mark
Rodrigues, who accounted for a team-high 14 kills. “It was good for us to come
back from that.”
The third game remained close for a few points, but the
Red Raiders pulled away at 8-7, boosting their lead to 13-8 shortly
thereafter.
“Lucky for us, we got our poor execution and mental mistakes
out of the way in the first game,” Doo said. “I thought both teams played well
at the end, and I, of course, am happy that we came out the winners. It’s good
for us to win a three-set match.”
Kaua’i’s cause was helped by the middle
blocking of David Medeiros. The senior rocketed 10 kills. That he was able to
do that is a testament to setter Matt Miguel.
“It’s great to have a guy
who can move the ball around for kills,” Rodrigues said of his setter. “He’s
good.”
As was Kaua’i’s Lionel Tomacder. The junior started in place of the
injured Mauricio Fabro, and the Red Raiders lost nary a step. Standing just
5-foot-7, Tomacder provided six kills.
“I like Lionel because he is
fearless, absolutely fearless,” Doo said. “He really played well tonight. I
have to wonder who’s going to play a little now. He proved he’s worthy of floor
time.”
For their part, the Warriors were aided by the return of junior
Austin Alapai. The 6-footer, rusty from lack of game experience, rose high for
a variety of kills.
“It was great to see Austin out there,” Henriques
said. “With 11 guys now who are healthy and ready, we’re going to be able to do
some different things.”
Needless to say, the remainder of the KIF season
should be exciting. Action continues Wednesday, when Waimea travels to
Kaua’i.
Girls Varsity
The Kaua’i girls rolled over Kapa’a, 15-3, 15-0
Saturday night.
Jayvee
Both the boys and the girls matches went to
three games. And the Red Raiders won each. The boys won 13-11, 8-13, 15-6. The
girls won by the identical score, 13-11, 8-13, 15-6.
Staff Photo by
DENNIS FUJIMOTO
