LIHUE — The Kapaa High School boys volleyball team wrapped up the Central Pacific Bank Kauai Interscholastic Federation boys volleyball championship in straight sets on Friday at the new Kauai High School gymnasium.
Playing before an audience swollen by the Kauai High School celebration of nine senior players, and the anticipation of the Warrior crown, Kapaa set the tone for the night after its Junior Varsity squad took its series over the Red Raiders. Kapaa JV won the first set, 25-23 before dropping the second set, 22-25, and coming back 15-13 in the third set.
The varsity Warriors locked up the title in straight sets, 25-15, 26-24, and 25-17.
Scores from the Island School hosting Waimea were not available at press time.
On the varsity court, Kauai charged out to an 8-5 bulge after the Warriors marked a service error. Kapaa’s Filisi Hunt took the service block to serve up a string that put Kapaa up, 12-8, enhanced by a whack from Emry Picturachsatit and three Raider hitting errors.
Kauai stayed close, until Warrior Syren Burley took the service block and pulled the Warrior to a 24-15 bulge before Picturachsatit slammed the door, 25-15.
In the second set, both teams exchanged leads until Red Raider Trestyn Reis served Kauai to a 13-11 bulge with help from Kapaa miscues.
Warrior Landon Szegda answered in the service block, pulling Kapaa to a 15-14 edge with help from Austin Green, Isaiah Noguchi, Hunt, and Burley.
Kauai’s Pierson Fox answered and the contest locked 15-15. Kapaa could not pull ahead until the scoreboard read a 24-24 stalemate. Szegda took the service block and coughed up three points with help from a whack from Hunt and a pair of hits from Burley for the 26-24 margin.
Kapaa charged off the bench in the third set and settled the scoreboard on a 7-1 lead behind a strong block. From that point, both teams chipped away at the scoreboard until Kapaa substitute, Isaiah Gutierrez (for Noguchi) got the fans excited by serving up a point, 22-14, and set Picturachsatit for a hit, 23-14.
Kauai’s Christian Vito served up an ace, and immediately followed that with a service error for the Kapaa 24-17 read on a Dylan Takata pound.
Curren Pope sealed the deal, 25-17.
With the championship, Kapaa finishes the season with 11 wins and a loss. The Warriors will represent the KIF at the 2025 New City Nissan Hawaii High School Athletic Association Boys Volleyball Division II state championships that will play on Oahu from May. 8 through 10.
For information, visit the HHSAA website at www.hhsaa.org.
