KAILUA-KONA — It seems like every time Kealakehe takes the volleyball court this season, the Waveriders are making some kind of new mark — blowing away expectations and signaling their arrival as serious contenders for a BIIF crown.
That continued Tuesday, as the ‘Riders broke through, knocking off undefeated Waiakea — the reigning BIIF Division I champion and winners of the league title in two of the last three seasons — for the first time since 2013.
“It was a match,” said Kealakehe head coach Kahinu Lee. “We knew they were going to come with something. They have a nice, young nucleus of girls and we were not going to take them lightly. We hung around, played tough and communicated well. We also did our best to try to stay positive throughout the match.”
The Waveriders won their match against the visiting Warriors 25-21, 23-25, 25-18, 25-14, but the team’s positive attitude was tested early.
Waiakea jumped out a 5-0 lead in the first set after three unforced errors by Kealakehe and kills by junior Kayla Iwata and senior Cadelynn Kahauolopua.
Back-to-back aces by senior Makena Hanle later in the match put the Warriors up 8-2.
Kealakehe then began its steady comeback, tying the match at 14, and then taking a one-point lead for the first time in the set off a pair of kills by the team’s heavy hitter, Anastasia Tuifua, a junior who transferred from Konawaena last season.
“Anastasia is always the go-to girl,” Lee said. “She is our big gun, our hammer, and she has been ever since she transferred.”
Waiakea came back to tie the set at 15 but a Warrior serve went long on the next point and Kealakehe managed to go up by two on a block by senior Pi’ilani Tupou, her third of the game.
“She has some ups and she hangs. It is exciting,” Lee said. “When she is getting her footing right and is seeing the ball clearly, she can block anything.”
Kealakehe never let off the gas for the remainder of the first set to take a 1-0 advantage in the match. However, Waiakea managed to pull away late in the second set to even things up.
The Warriors continued to build on their momentum in the third set, taking an 8-3 advantage. Kealakehe then rolled off six straight points, with Tuifua picking up two more kills.
After a timeout by Waiakea, the Waveriders came back out and started to pull away behind Texas transfer Ke’ala Wright. The senior is originally from Hawaii and is playing her first season at Kealakehe.
Wright picked up the first point after the break and added three more in the set, including back-to-back kills that put the Waveriders up 24-16 before Tupou spiked the ball to give Kealakehe a one-set lead once again.
Wright showed her versatility in the final set, putting the Waveriders up 4-0 from the service line. During the run she picked up an ace and somehow managed to graze the net on the serve three times.
“That was a little scary but I was confident in my serves,” Wright said. “I think I played really well today but I could have stepped up a little more.”
Wright also helped the Waveriders build a 17-10 lead when she went back to the service line for a four-point run.
At the net, she was unpredictable — which wasn’t a bad thing. Even her coach did not know what she was going to do.
“Ke’ala can hit righty, lefty — it is hard to know what is coming,” Lee said. “I don’t even know what hand she is going to hit with. The set comes and then we see what happens.”
Wright also had several tough digs and managed to pick up kills all over the court.
“She is dynamic and changes things up,” Lee said. “She really opens up the court, which also helps Anastasia.”
Aulike Kaiawe closed out the set and the match with a kill, moving the Waveriders to 9-1 on the season.
Next up for Kealakehe is another tough match, this time on the road with an undefeated Hilo squad. The Vikings (11-0) defeated Konawaena in straight sets on Tuesday.
When all is said and done this season, Kealakehe is hoping they are not on the outside looking in on a packed Division I race. The Waveriders have never won a BIIF title, let alone made an appearance at the HHSAA Division I tournament, always watching some combination of Waiakea, Hilo, or Kamehameha grab state seats.
“This was a great team victory today,” Lee said. “Now we we get back to work, try to fix our mistakes from the game, and get ready for Hilo.”
For Waiakea, the Warriors look to get things back on track with a match at home against Keaau on Thursday.