It was easy to overlook Bea Padrigo, who’s not very tall and gets lost among the tall trees on a volleyball court.
Still, the Ka‘u senior grabbed attention and went from being unrecognized to pocketing one of the top postseason honors.
Padrigo was named the BIIF Player of the Year in the Red division, in a vote by the league’s coaches.
“It’s a shock. I’m proud of myself that I made it,” she said.
The 5-foot-3 outside hitter wasn’t even an honorable mention last season or as a sophomore. She was on the junior varsity as a freshman.
Her teammate and senior setter Deisha Gascon also landed on the first team. Christian Liberty’s Micah DeCleene, Honokaa’s Randy Iona, Tiera McKenzie, Karly Requelman and Delsey Vaimauga round out the first team.
The league was split into the power-stacked Blue division, which included all the teams that advanced to the HHSAA state tournaments, and the weaker Division II Red division.
Still, someone had to stand out among Honokaa (13-1), Ka‘u (11-3), Laupahoehoe (9-5), Christian Liberty (9-5), HAAS (7-7), St. Joseph (4-10), Makua Lani (2-12) and Parker (1-13).
The Trojans didn’t reach the Division II state tournament. They last went in 2012, the school’s first BIIF title. Padrigo was on the JV back then.
The Trojans lost to Pahoa in the BIIF quarterfinals in four sets at their place in Pahala. At least, Padrigo and her friends went down fighting. She blasted a match-high 13 kills.
“She worked really hard from the beginning of the season,” said Ka‘u coach Josh Ortega, who coached Padrigo in club ball in the eighth grade. “She’s an all-around player. She hustles, plays good defense, can hit from the middle and outside, and hits from the back row as well.
“She was a leader on the team, and we depended a lot on her. Her performance spoke for itself.”
She comes from an athletic family. Her brother is junior Joven Padrigo, who’s on the volleyball team and went to states the last two years. Her sister Kristina Padrigo was on the 2012 BIIF title squad.
In her family, Padrigo is the only one who hasn’t been to states. She plays basketball for Ka‘u. But in the 39-year history of the HHSAA state tournament, the Trojans have never qualified and neither have the boys.
“I’m playing basketball and I enjoy it, but it’s not my sport,” Padrigo said. “My sister was on the 2012 team and I remember her telling me that states was the best feeling ever and it was fun.
“The season was fun and I love the game of volleyball. It’s an adrenaline rush, every strike, dig, and block. We had a lot of chemistry and we all got along.”
Padrigo was born in the Philippines but lived in San Diego with her family for eight years. She enjoys the small-town feel of Pahala.
She’d like to major in culinary when she goes to college, either at Hawaii Community College or maybe somewhere in San Diego.
Padrigo noted she doesn’t really have a hobby. Her passion is volleyball and her favorite memory is a rather simple one.
“It was just the joy of playing. I loved the feeling of it. I got injured one time and coach Josh told me to get ice,” she said. “I told him I don’t need ice and I wanted to play. I didn’t want to stop playing, but he made me get ice. I ran back and went straight back to practice.”
One thing Padrigo can be proud of: She made the most of her BIIF volleyball career and even enjoyed practice.
On the court, that enthusiasm was easy to spot and so was her all-around performance, two tall reasons Padrigo was awarded the BIIF player of the year honor.