When Waiakea’s Kayla Kahauolopua saw an opportunity for a dink shot early in the first set, she took it. When Kadara Marshall and Lindsey Maikui saw an opening to pound a ball, they did.
The Warriors were risk-savvy and open to trying new things, coach Ashley Hanohano said. The result was something new for all of the Warriors’ players and coaches.
Marshall and Kahauolopua each put down six kills Wednesday night and Waiakea bested visiting Kamehameha 25-15, 25-21 in the BIIF season-opener, handing its private-school rival its first league loss since 2011.
“It feels great, but one game at a time,” Hanohano said. “We still have to play them again.”
While five-time defending Division I champion Kamehameha is replacing five starters in its lineup, Waiakea’s returning experience made it the presumptive favorite in the league race.
On opening night at its gym, Waiakea was far more poised than its opponent.
“Everyone knows we have hitters that can pound the ball,” Hanohano said. “But are they smart enough to take the shots when they‘re supposed to? Yes they are.
“That’s something we’ve practiced. Trying different things.”
The only drawback for Waiakea was that it happened too fast.
Under the new best-of-three format, the match was over by 8:10 p.m. Hanohano said she wouldn’t have minded a late practice session so Waiakea could get more work in.
“I have a lot of energy left,” sophomore Jordan Hayashi said.
She also had her fingerprints all over the victory. Marshall, Kahauolopua, Maikui (five kills) and Hiilei Ishii-Chaves (three kills, two aces) stuffed the stat sheet, but the coach praised her libero for touching the ball on more than 80 percent of Waiakea’s possessions and triggering the defense along with senior captain Casi Gacusana.
Waiakea seemingly had an answer for everything Kamehameha threw it at offensively. Twice, Cassie Emnase went to the net with a teammate to stuff Kamalu Makekau-Whittaker, Kamehameha’s lone returning starter.
“We were very active and hustling,” Hayashi said. “We read the ball good.”
Conversely, Kamehameha coach Sam Thomas saw a risk-adverse effort out of his young squad.
“I thought we’d come out with a little more drive,” he said. “I think we came out a little scared in the beginning and were scared of making mistakes.”
Senior Hiwa Ka’upuni came off the bench and ignited a spark with three kills, and Keani Akui had three as well. Kaui Cabatu finished with two kills and two aces.
“(Hawi) was my (only) risk-taker for the night,” Thomas said. “She decided to go for it.”
Kamehameha won the junior varsity match 25-22, 25-22.