KAPAA — Island School needed four sets to capture the Central Pacific Bank Kauai Interscholastic Federation boys volleyball crown Saturday night in the Bernice Hundley Gym on the Kapaa High School campus.
In front of a nearly full house of appreciative fans, the crown was won in four sets, 25-23, 25-23, 24-26, 25-22.
Earlier in the evening, the Kapaa junior varsity team earned a two-set victory over the Voyagers, 25-19, 25-23.
Opening the first set on the varsity floor, Kapaa broke out of an 8-8 stalemate with five consecutive points on Steeler Burley's serve, and two hard hits from Kapaa senior Kyle strengthened Burley's string. They caught up to the bulge, 14-8. A bouncy hit, a hard hit from Austin Green, and a solid Warrior block.
Orion Magaoai responded with consecutive points for the Voyagers, making the game a 15-15 decision.
After Burley led Kapaa 17-15, Island School took advantage of three hitting errors and a net violation by Warrior to take a 19-17 lead on Michael Fitzgerald's 3-point service string. After more back and forth, Island School took the first set on a batting error by Kapaa.
The Voyagers' big-bodied Jones led the second set with a six-point ace to give the Voyagers a 17-8 lead and another hitting error by the Warriors en route to a 25-13 final.
Kapaa led 5-3 early in the third set, but Voyager senior Kash Ranini scored back-to-back points and hits from Michael Fitzgerald, Ranini and Kaelen Suzuki-Kaohi put the Voyagers up 10-1. He led with 5.
Kapaa responded when Naela Mokuahi got a service block from a 10-9 deficit and Philisi Hunt sealed the match at 10-10. After another tense point exchange, Kapaa took a 24-23 bulge on a Voyager net violation, but Jones broke the 24-24 stalemate.
Kapaa broke the deadlock with a hard hit from Bouncitt and a block from Green to take a 26-24 lead.
Trailing 11-8 in the fourth set, Hunt stole a service block and scored five consecutive points, then was strengthened by a hit from Bouncitt and a net violation from Voyager to take a 14-11 lead. For the first time in this set, Kapaa entered the driver's field. sheet.
Mokuahi scored two points on hits by Green and Hunt, breaking a 19-19 deadlock and taking a 22-19 lead.
However, Magaoai stole Island School's service block and scored five consecutive points thanks to Michael Fitzgerald's hard hit and Kapaa's net violation, winning 25-22 and clinching the CPB KIF title.
Kapaa began celebrating Aloha Night for six graduating Warriors: Bounsitt, Saxon Kimball, Alakai Sakai-Giddens, Steeler Burley, Miles Green and Mokuahi.
With the title, Island School will represent KIF in the 2024 New City Nissan Hawaii High School Athletic Association Division II Boys Volleyball Championship, which will be contested on Oahu from May 9-11. .
