Kiana Krzyska not only scored 66 goals in water polo, a total above everyone else, but she also helped extend Kamehameha-Hawaii’s run of undefeated Big Island Interscholastic Federation excellence.
The senior attacker, a position like a forward in basketball, sparked the Warriors to their third straight unbeaten league season.
Krzyska was named the BIIF Player of the Year in a vote by the league’s coaches, capping a four-year career that left her as the league’s most prolific scorer.
“She has averaged at least four goals a game, and over the course of her career, including states, she has at least 200 goals, and maybe closer to 250,” Kamehameha coach Dan Lyons said. “She started as a freshman, so that eliminates a lot of people.”
And to think, Krzyska almost didn’t join the sport. She grew up as a swimmer and was encouraged by friends to try water polo as a freshman. From there, she kept getting better, increasing her goals each year. She had 56 last year and 47 as a sophomore.
She also had a pair of good role models to follow in former Warriors and BIIF Players of the Year, sisters Ryenn (2011 graduate) and Kanoe Lyons (’07 graduate), who each earned the honor twice as well as a reputation for working hard.
“They were my workout partners last summer,” Krzyska said. “Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning we would work out, lift weights, swim or run.
“I feel very fortunate to get the honor. There are a lot of good players in our league. It’s a product of hard work. I worked really hard and tried to push myself and maximize my potential.”
Joining Krzyska on the All-BIIF first team are a pair of junior teammates in Sydney Plunkett, whose 53 goals were second-best in the league, and Paula Imoto; Waiakea seniors Rachelle Krahner and Lauren Hill; Hawaii Prep juniors Bhillie Luciani and Anu Nihipali; Hilo senior Kayla Ongais; Kealakehe senior Lindsey Caldwell; and HPA senior goalie Tori Campbell.
“During the season, I set goals for myself for each game to measure myself,” Krzyska said. “I just love the sport and our team’s personality. We all get along, and we know how to work hard and have fun at the same time.
“My passion for the sport drives me. I never had the feeling of, ‘Oh, I don’t want to play.’ It was, ‘Oh yeah, it’s water polo.’ I definitely learned a lot about commitment and sacrifice.”
Krzyska could one day join her old workout partners as a future teammate in college.
Ryenn Lyons will transfer from St. Francis College in New York, where she scored eight goals, to Notre Dame College in Ohio to play with her sister, Kanoe.
NDC coach Matt Kittle offered a scholarship to Krzyska, who graduated with a 3.2 grade-point average. She also drew interest from Lindenwood University, a Division II school in Missouri.
However, both were late offers, and Krzyska already made plans to walk on at the University of Hawaii, where she has a guaranteed place on the team.
“I have a roster spot, and I have to work my way up,” she said. “The coach (Maureen Cole) scouted me at states. She likes my potential.”
Besides her pile of goals, there’s another thing that stood out about Krzyska. She was another BIIF Player of the Year and Warrior who was a product of hard work.
“She has leadership qualities, and she leads by example,” Dan Lyons said. “She encourages people, studies the game and works hard in games. She’s a tough kid and loves the game, and works hard at it.
“We had players of the year the last few years, and she learned from them. That work ethic.”
Her passion keeps her going, and she’s passing it along to others. Krzyska is spending her summer working hard and teaching youngsters to swim at Naeole Pool. She was at the Kamehameha campus on a recent day, from 7:50 a.m. until 6 p.m.
“I was running bleachers, then taught little kids how to swim, then did water polo a little bit, and taught more little kids how to swim,” she said. “I’m always at the pool, and I ended up with something to do for the summer. It’s a summer job.”
Her real job starts again when she jumps into the pool at UH. She doesn’t have a singular hobby — like singing or playing an instrument. Her passion is working hard in water polo.
“My BIIF career went by really fast,” Krzyska said. “I wasn’t going to play as a freshman. I was going to stick to swimming. Everyone told me to play, and I’m glad I did.”
