First-year Kohala boys volleyball coach Nick Lorenzo uses the word interesting to describe his volleyball playing career at Kohala. Abbreviated would be apropos as well.
Lorenzo didn’t come out for the team until his senior year in 1989, and even then he admits he wasn’t that into it. He was cut by Earl Villoria, a former longtime coach and athletic director for the Cowboys.
It took awhile, but Lorenzo finally is leaving his mark on the program.
During a tight fifth set Friday night at Waiakea, Lorenzo and assistant Kihei Kapeliela gathered the Cowboys during a timeout.
“It was pretty intense,” Lorenzo said. “I looked at the boys and told them it was time to shift into a new gear. The playoffs are right around the corner. All or nothing.”
A few timely blocks later, Kohala earned its best victory of the season – 25-18, 25-19, 22-25, 19-25, 16-14 – and a first-round bye to the BIIF Division II semifinals.
“I found my love for the sport after school,” Lorenzo said. “I found my way back and am still able to represent.”
Powered by a strong nucleus of players from Kohala’s BIIF runner-up basketball team, the Cowboys (8-5) have won eight of 10 since an 0-3 start and will be seeded second behind Ka‘u (9-4) at BIIFs, which run Friday and Saturday at Afook-Chinen Civic Auditorium.
“We scratched our way to get here,” Lorenzo said. “Earlier in the season, Ka‘u and Konawaena distanced themselves from the rest of the field. Each game we were able to make adjustments and recognize things.”
Kohala last reached the HHSAA tournament in 2012 under Chai Wilson.
Lorenzo is the program’s fourth coach in four seasons, but his brother, Wendell, coached Kohala in 2013 and Nick Lorenzo says he’s watched most of his players grow up since they were little.
“(Kapaau) is a small town, we try to help out as much as we can,” Lorenzo said.
What he didn’t know is which basketball players would come out for the team, beyond outside hitter Hana Caravalho, the Cowboys’ only four-year volleyball player. He was glad when seniors Kealen Figueroa, Kala Jordan and Justin Agbayani opted for volleyball as their spring sport.
Agbayani joins Caravalho on the left side, while Figueroa and senior Brayden Torres hit opposite. Jordan and Kahua Kuali‘i play middle blocker, and Lorenzo doesn’t know where Kohala would be if sophomores Chenna Sarai Duque and Mark Macaspac hadn’t done an admirable job stepping up at setter.
After the state basketball tournament, the Cowboys only had one full practice under their belt when they opened the season with a five-set loss at Konawaena. Kohala prevailed in four sets against Hawaii Prep in Waimea on April 14 to start the four-game winning streak it takes to the postseason.
“The Waiakea win was big for us,” said Lorenzo, who is also assisted by his sister, Uilani. “At the start, I was just glad we were able to put together a competitive squad.”
First-round playoff games will be held Tuesday or Wednesday, with No. 3 HPA (8-5) hosting No. 6 Honokaa (3-10) and No. 5 Pahoa (5-8) playing at No. 4 Konawaena (7-6).
Ka Makani swept Ka‘u 25-17, 25-16, 25-10 at home on Saturday to hand the Trojans – who already have an automatic spot at states – their first loss against a Division II team. The rebuilding Dragons secured their playoff berth Friday night, beating Ke Kula O Ehunuikaimalino in four sets for their second consecutive victory.
In the Division I semifinals, Waiakea (9-4) takes a two-game losing streak into its match against top-seeded Kamehameha (13-0), which already has reached states. Unless Waiakea pulls off the upset, 11-2 squads Kealakehe and Hilo will determine other state spot in the other semifinal.