Practice time is a precious commodity for Hawaii Prep coach Sharon Peterson.
With many of her volleyball players off island for spring break, Peterson made the most at practice by spending quality time with the three or four players in attendance. Everyone is back now, but with three matches on tap in the next five days, there is little time for drills.
“Where we are now; that is where we are going to be,” Peterson said.
But where are Ka Makani now? Like most Division II teams, they’re inexperienced, especially in terms of club play. While Ka’u likely has the best player again, Konawaena has shown improvement and Honokaa has gone through growing pains, HPA is more of an unknown with only two games under its belt.
Some coaches might assume otherwise, but Peterson said she’s got nothing special up her sleeve as the BIIF season resumes after breaking for the Haili tournament.
HPA returns both middle blockers in Abe Binder, who was second-team all-BIIF last season, and Tucker Higgins. Ghar Pautz plays rightside hitter for his club team on Oahu but he’ll play on the left for Ka Makani, who will also count on Colin Yates. Athletic freshman Zach Chaiken could provide another reliable arm.
Until further notice, the difference-maker in Division II is Kai Enriques, last season’s Player of the Year for defending champion Ka’u. The Trojans have a pair of losses to Division I teams, but the senior outside hitter gives his Ka’u a big edge against D-II foes. Of the seven players who made all-BIIF first team last season, Enriques is the only one back.
In his second season at the helm, Konawaena Wildcat coach Ainsley Keawekane said the team’s court acumen has improved. The Wildcats reeled off three victories in three days just before the break.
Keawekane, who’s guided the Konawaena girls to consecutive HHSAA titles, said he doesn’t see the commitment on the boys side yet to start a club team. As a byproduct, most players reach high school with little experience.
Among the Wildcats’ top returnees are leading blocker Kalalena Santiago and setter Kauila Wall, and Keawekane is high on the potential of his other starting setter, freshman Benjamin McKinley. He called his team’s outside hitting a work-in-progress.
In its first match off the season, Konawaena erased a two-set deficit to beat Kohala in five games. The Cowboys (1-3), under first-year coach Nick Lorenzo, will host Pahoa (3-2) on Friday in a rematch of a play-in game last year that Kohala won to reach the semifinals.
Honokaa (0-3) joined Ka’u at states last season after losing a five-setter in the BIIF final, but the Dragons only return two players.