LIHUE — Volleyball fans were treated to competitive boys volleyball on the Good Friday holiday during the Kauai Interscholastic Federation games that were played at both the Clem Gomes Gym in Waimea and the Wilcox Gymnasium on the Island School Puhi campus.
The Kauai High School Red Raiders, making the trek over the bridge to face the Menehune, finished by splitting its trip, the Junior Varsity troops dropping, 25-18, 24-26 and 11-15. On the varsity court, the Red Raiders suffered a 9-point loss in the opening set, 14-25, but charged back in the following sets to leave the Clem Gomes with victory, 25-18, 25-22 and 25-20.
On the home side of the mountain, Kapaa held off a strong-hitting Voyager squad in the final two sets to wrap up victory at the Wilcox Gymnasium, 25-15, 25-13, 23-25 and 25-15.
The Warriors pulled ahead early in the first two sets, and kept the Voyagers in check.
In the opening set, the Warriors pulled ahead on a string of serves from Emry Picturachsatit and Curren (the game roster spells it “Current” and the fans’ wear spells it “Curren”) Pope strung up points to an 18-10 lead, including a Pope ace and whacks from Filisi Hunt, and Kapaa blocks.
In the second set, Voyager Piko Vaughn pulled Island School from as 8-18 deficit to a 12-18 chase, including the Warriors being called for a lift, and committing passing and hitting errors until Picturachsatit stopping the bleed and serving up to a 23-12 Kapaa bulge. Whacks from Hunt and Jaxon Capelli put that set to bed.
The Warrior engine faltered in the third set as Kapaa was on the catch-up side of the net for most the contest.
Tied 14-14, Kapaa broke into the lead for the first time in the set on a Capelli hit for the 17-15 lead only to have Voyager Eli Racpan hit the service block to a 19-17 bulge. Tied at 23-23, the Voyagers put away the set on a Sol Schmidt hit and a Voyager block.
Pope took the service block in the fourth set and his tenure to the 11-3 lead included an ace, whacks from Hunt, Tyler Thornton, and Voyager errors before Pope netted the ball on a service error.
Island School chipped away at the deficit, but could get as close as 10-17 before Picturachsatit served up to 21-10 and Voyager Matthew Dobashi secured the side, 11-21. Point exchanges ensued before Picturachsatit put away the night, 25-13.
The Friday night win gives Kapaa the lead at 3-1 for the second round with two more games remaining. Kauai and Island School are tied at 2-2, and Waimea has a win in Round 2.
Kapaa will next host Waimea High School on Tuesday at the Bernice Hundley Gym where the JV contest serves up from 5 p.m. followed by the varsity game starting 20 minutes after the JV game ends.
Kauai High School will host Island School at the new Kauai High School gymnasium in a single contest starting at 6:30 p.m.
