It was only a matter of time for Konawaena junior Cherilyn Molina to join the POY club with her two sisters, Chanelle and Celena Molina, and complete a circle of accomplishment.
The Molina sisters have seized a monopoly on the BIIF player of the year awards for their two sports: basketball and volleyball.
With Chanelle at Washington State, Cherilyn grabbed the steering wheel of the BIIF’s greatest dynasty train, also known as the Konawaena girls basketball team.
The 5-foot-5 point guard turned into a giant when the Wildcats needed someone to step up against Maryknoll, a hungry powerhouse, at the HHSAA Division I championship.
With her dribble-penetrate-and-dish skills, efficient defense, and sharp shooting, Cherilyn sparked the Wildcats over the Spartans 53-48 for their third consecutive state title.
How’s this for ball-handling skills: six assists and one turnover against Maryknoll’s best on-ball defender, Rhianne Omori, who couldn’t stop Cherilyn off the dribble in either direction.
How’s this for tenacious and savvy ball-hawking: six of her team’s 12 steals and no personal fouls in all 32 minutes.
How’s this for effective shooting: a game-high 14 points, including 8 of 9 on free throws.
Along the way, Konawaena rolled over league opponents for its ninth straight BIIF Division I title and extended its historic winning streak to a 104-0 record.
Cherilyn continued a family tradition when she was named the BIIF Division I Player of the Year, selected by the Hawaii Tribune-Herald, West Hawaii Today, and the league’s coaches.
She follows in the footsteps of Chanelle, a three-time POY. Nancy Hoist, who led Konawaena to its first state title in 2004, was the first three-time POY for basketball.
Celena, in her favorite sport, was picked as the BIIF Division II Player of the Year for volleyball, following Chanelle, who was a two-time POY recipient and the most decorated standout in league history.
The other first team players were Konawaena senior Celena Molina, junior Mikayla Tablit, freshman Caiyle Kaupu and Hilo junior Mandi Kawaha.
Cherilyn is a three-time first team selection while Celena is a two-time pick as a senior and sophomore.
The Molina sisters have pocketed seven POY awards over four years. That run of prominence and Konawaena’s BIIF record winning streak figure to be unbreakable.
Following family tradition, Cherilyn took her recognition in stride.
“It’s an honor, and I’m super blessed to have been named POY,” she said. “I really missed Chanelle because we were very close, and I always looked up to my older sisters, especially Chanelle.
“My mindset was to work harder, smarter and just play our game — Konawaena style — and prove to everyone that we still have what it takes to win without Chanelle.”
Goodbye sis
Chanelle and Celena welcomed her into the family’s POY club.
“I’m proud of Cherilyn and how she had to step it up and to take on a leadership role,” Chanelle said. “Her best attribute on the court is that she plays hard. Off the court, you know you can rely on her and that transitions to playing well with her on the court.”
Celena summed up her youngest sister in a nutshell.
“She’s like Chanelle, unselfish and very humble,” said Celena, who signed with Wazzu. “She’s a leader like Chanelle and plays her best under pressure.”
Next season, Cherilyn will have to make another adjustment because Celena will challenge herself with three full-time jobs, playing both sports as a Cougar in the Pac-12 and attending classes.
The Wazzu volleyball team lost in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The basketball team advanced to the WNIT. Celena will have a chance to start for volleyball, which runs a two-setter offense and loses a senior starter.
“Knowing Celena will be gone, I’ll again feel a bit of sadness, but I know I still have great, talented teammates around me,” Cherilyn said. “I still have Mikayla Tablit, who is much more than my best friend. She’s someone I can count on and will be still be by my side next year. Just having her makes it much easier to adjust since I’ve always considered her as my very own sister. A lot of people think she’s my twin sister.
“I’m so happy Celena will be joining Chanelle at Washington State to keep her company since all my family are here in Hawaii. Also, I will miss our arguing and catfights at home.”
Growth spurt
During the preseason at the Iolani Classic, the Wildcats took their lumps against two nationally ranked teams, falling to Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.) 79-39 and to Salesian (Richmond, Calif.) 57-32.
Cherilyn led her team in scoring against both with 11 and 10 points, respectively. But the Wildcats didn’t look to be in sync. Maybe, Maryknoll, which also lost to Konawaena for the state title in 2016, would be the team to beat at states.
But, as her sisters know, Cherilyn works hard, passes the ball to turn a good shot into a better one and plays her best under pressure. Her teammates followed Cherilyn’s lead, and the Wildcats kept improving.
Coach Bobbie Awa’s dynasty train added a double scoop of championships for the third year in a row. The list of achievements keeps growing.
Then Cherilyn thought about how her community, the league, and the Big Island have stood behind the Wildcats, who have brought home eight state titles and produced priceless lifetime memories for a lot of people.
“The coaches, our fans, and my family have always been there to support me, especially my No. 1 fan, my mom Rose,” Cherilyn said. “She’s been there with me though all the unforeseen adversity and always encouraged me to try my best, never give up and that no matter what will always be there for me and be proud of me.”