VIDEO: Kahuku defeats Moanalua in OIA Red Girls Volleyball Championship

By Paul Honda
Honolulu Star Bulletin

Maria Tonga pounded 19 kills and her cousin, Amanda, added 10, as Kahuku downed Moanalua 27-25, 25-20, 26-28, 25-18 to capture the Oahu Interscholastic Association Red Conference girls volleyball title last night.

A crowd of about 1,200 endured a sweltering night at McKinley Student Council Gym to see third-ranked Kahuku (15-1) complete an unbeaten run through the postseason tournament. Kahuku will have a first-round bye at the HHSAA state tournament, which tips off Wednesday.

Moanalua (15-3) had already secured a state berth, but needed a win last night to force a winner-take-all match. That wasn’t to be with the Tonga cousins pounding relentlessly from all angles. Setters Teuila Nautu (33 assists) and Elizabeth Blake (11 kills, 17 assists) were virtually flawless all night. Ho’onani Apo added nine kills and middle Natallia Cravens had eight for Kahuku, which hit .375 and had just 11 hitting errors in 136 swings.

Gabby Matautia led Moanalua with 21 kills and sophomore Erin Perez tallied 15. Carsen Mata finished with 12 kills and 28 assists, while Courtney Uyeda added 20 assists. Na Menehune got a big boost from freshman middle Analise Austin, who had five blocks, mostly on Amanda Tonga at the middle.

The teams split their two matches during regular-season play. 

By Wes Nakama
Honolulu Advertiser
   
Kahuku continued its two-month win streak last night by holding off Moanalua, 27-25, 25-20, 26-28, 25-18, for its second straight O’ahu Interscholastic Association Red Conference girls volleyball championship.

A crowd of about 550 at McKinley’s Student Council Gym and a statewide OC16 TV audience watched the Red Raiders finish the OIA season 15-1 and earn the league’s top seed and first-round bye in next week’s Division I state tournament.

Na Menehune, who opened the regular season by defeating Kahuku at home, fell to 15-3 and will begin state tournament play in Wednesday’s first round.

The Red Raiders’ 15-match win streak dates to Aug. 18.

“This is the best feeling ever,” said Kahuku senior right-side hitter Malia Tonga, who finished with 21 kills last night. “When it was tied (13-13 in the fourth set), we had to step up and (assistant) Coach Mike (Apo) told us we need to learn how to finish.”

The Red Raiders demonstrated that ability in Set 1, when they rallied from a 24-18 deficit to score seven straight points and eventually win it, 27-25.

Moanalua committed only one hitting error during Kahuku’s 9-1 finishing run, so the Red Raiders earned their points, with Tonga notching three kills, one block and the set-ending ace.

“They sealed their block really well,” Na Menehune coach Tommy Lake said. “We set, we hit, but they would just block us and we just couldn’t get that last point. (Kahuku) deserved to win that game.”