Kapaa’s Agoot named Player of the Year

As voted by the coaches, this year’s Kauai Interscholastic Federation boys volleyball all stars have been chosen. Seven student-athletes were named in the all star list — three from Kapaa and two from both Kauai High and Waimea.

Kapaa senior Rudy Agoot was selected as the Player of the Year. He was an outside hitter for the varsity Warriors.

“It means a lot. It feels good,” Agoot said Wednesday about the award. “It’s not like we won KIF, but the hard work (amounted to something).”

Agoot said he’ll be taking emergency medical technician courses at Kauai Community College and then move to Oregon in January to become a fireman.

Though the player of the year is typically from whichever school won the KIF championship that season, Kapaa head coach Kapule Kaona said Agoot is deserving of the accolade. Kapaa lost to Kauai High in the season’s championship game earlier this month.

“He’s always been confident. I’ve always been comfortable with Rudy on the court,” said Warriors head coach Kapule Kaona of Agoot, a four-year varsity player. “He’s not someone who is boastful or flashy. He’s more of a quiet leader. On the court, he leads more so by example if anything.”

“You tend to see the Player of the Year from the championship team,” the Warriors coach added. “It’s a little surprise Rudy got the nod, but that shows the kind of player he is. … Definitely, Kauai High had the talent.”

Kapaa’s three all stars are Agoot, senior setter Kai Harrison and junior libero Junard Mata.

Kauai High has two players on the roster — senior outside hitter Kalawaia Judd and senior middle blocker Tyler Fernandez.

“Honestly, this past season was one of the most awkward seasons. It started with a three-way tie. Just fighting through the adversities (was tough),” Judd said about the season. “Every game we won, the championship game and the playoffs, we got shut out (in the previous game). … 3-0 in each game by the same team. But by the next game, we come out firing. That’s one thing we looked at that was good.”

Judd said he intends to play football at the junior college level and is deciding between two schools — Los Angeles Valley College and West Hills Community College – Coalinga in California.

Fernandez, too, said the season had its ups and downs.

“Our players and rotation kept changing. We lost players so we had to make changes,” he said. “All Stars is pretty great because it shows the hard work we put into the game. It’s a great award, but the best one was winning KIF and getting third place at states.”

Fernandez said he’ll continue school at the University of Florida at Gainesville and major in biomedical engineering. He added he’ll probably try out for the university’s club volleyball team.

Red Raiders co-head coaches Dorene Matias and Lorna Basquez were named this year’s Coaches of the Year.

“We had good talent to work with, but (having) two head coaches is difficult. We worked through it. There’s always a yin and a yang,” Matias said. “I just think the boys did a great job working with the new coaches. That’s not easy.”

Matias, too, said the Player of the Year is usually from the KIF title-winning team. She said she’s “surprised, but not surprised” by Agoot being chosen.

“It’s not a bad choice. I don’t know how he is with the coaches, but watching him play and seeing his character on the court, I think he has good character and I congratulate him,” she said of Agoot.

Waimea’s two all stars are senior outside hitter Bobby Oliver and junior middle blocker Jayden Fu. Neither Oliver or Fu, or Menehune head coach Alton Shimatsu, could be reached for comment Wednesday.

KIF Boys Volleyball All Stars

Outside hitters

Bobby Oliver, senior, Waimea

Rudy Agoot, senior, Kapaa

Kalawaia Judd, senior, Kauai

Middle blockers

Tyler Fernandez, senior, Kauai

Jayden Fu, junior, Waimea

Setter

Kai Harrison, senior, Kapaa

Libero

Junard Mata, junior, Kapaa

Player of the Year

Rudy Agoot, Kapaa

Coaches of the Year

Dorene Matias, Kauai

Lorna Basquez, Kauai