The Makua Lani and Ke Kula O Ehunuikaimalino girls volleyball programs are still growing, but the two met Thursday evening at Konaweane High’s Ellison Onizuka gymnasium.
Makua Lani has a small advantage on Ehunuikaimalino in the building process and that showed in the BIIF opener for both schools as the Lions defeated Na lo in four sets 25-13, 25-12, 21-25, 25-12.
“This season is five years in the making right here,” said Makua Lani head coach Aaron Alapai. “We are finally at a point where we can be competitive. The girls are coming back healthy and they are having fun.”
Led by Enjolique Hughes and Bryana Smith, Makua Lani jumped out to a large early leads in three of their four sets. The duo showed chemistry and will provide the main source of offense this season for the Lions.
“Bryana has some club experience and has really stepped up her game,” Alapai said. “We look forward to her stepping up her role. She is not very vocal but speaks through her play.”
A powerful net player, Smith was able to take what Hughes, her setter, gave her throughout the match and consistently turned it into points.
“Enjolique has been a huge addition to the team with her experience. We now actually have a setter,” Alapai said. “We have never really had a setter and her and Bryana have been communicating very well.”
While the Lions are returning several players, from last year’s squad, Alapai would not yet call the girls a veteran squad.
“Most of the girls on the team have played for two or three years on the team, but they are all still learning the game at the high school level,” Alapai said. “I am still coaching relatively young minded volleyball players at this level and getting coached is a little new to them. Maybe in another couple years we can say we have veterans.”
Leading the squad into the 2016 season is captain Neena Charles.
“She is probably the most experienced player we have on the team,” Alapai said. “She is helping to lead and guide the girls. She offers great encouragement no matter how the girls are playing. She is also very teachable, even as a captain.”
Charles is a multi-talented player on the court, playing every position well.
“She sets, she hits, she digs, she communicates, she is everything a coach would want out of a coach,” Alapai said.
As for Ehunuikaimalino, — the team is a very young and inexperienced. They are entering only their second year as a program and this is the team’s first year at the varsity level.
“The girls did very well last year but they are young and need to develop which will only come over time,” said Ehunuikaimalino head coach Kuulei Kahananui.
“Making the team even younger, only three players from the JV squad last year are returning, two of which had playing time before last year, Ka’ea Alapai and Kau’ionalani Navas-Colburn.
Alapai and Navas-Colburn are co-captians for this year’s squad despite only being sophomores.
Kahananui has one expectation for her captains this year and that is for them to lead by example. Making the step from JV to varsity, she knows wins will not come easy but hopes to see communication and growth on the court.
“Everyone is so new they need to get a feel for each other and that only comes with playing time,” Kahananui said. “This is definitely a different feeling than I am used to coaching little kids. There is a lot more drive from the players for the game.”