Sand plan helps Kahuku win OIA volleyball title

Honolulu StarAdvertiser

Paul Honda

The in-sand-ity continues.

Kahuku took Moanalua’s best shots and still managed a 25-23, 25-21, 28-26 sweep to claim the Oahu Interscholastic Association Red Conference championship last night at McKinley Student Council Gym.

Kahuku (14-2) will have a first-round bye when the state championships begin Wednesday on Maui. It was a fitting end to the OIA season for Kahuku, a team that worked out at the beach six times a week during the summer — a 7 a.m. routine coach Kaniela Kalama calls “in-sand-ity.”

Setter Teuila Nautu was unstoppable, setting teammates in every direction to stifle a hearty effort by Na Menehune. Nautu finished with 34 assists and five kills, including a timely left-handed dump on game point to end the opening set.

“We’ve been working on being consistent. We used to drop low and got super high, so we’ve worked on that,” Blake said.

Sophomore Lepeka Kalulu-Sugai pounded 13 kills and senior Elizabeth Blake had nine. Ho’onani Apo and middle Pati Anae had six kills each and fortified the Lady Raiders’ block.

“We move on to states! Hopefully, we win states,” Apo said.

Though they registered just two roofs, their control of the net kept Moanalua from running away during the few runs they started.

“Every time we started to play well, they played better,” Na Menehune coach Tommy Lake said. “We didn’t play as hard Tuesday as we did tonight.”

Kahuku, ranked No. 4 in the Star-Advertiser Top 10, downed No. 6 Moanalua on Tuesday to remain unbeaten in the double-elimination format. Moanalua had to rally in the fifth set to overcome Mililani on Wednesday to stay alive, but fatigue was not an issue yesterday.

“We were ready to play. We had enough energy,” Lake added. “(Kahuku) has a little size on us and they have an outstanding setter, and Ho’o and Lizzy are really smart hitters. They can hit anywhere and they’re very dependable.”