LIHU‘E — Following losses at the hands of both Island School and Kapa‘a High School, the Waimea Menehune were ready for a taste of victory on Tuesday during the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation boys volleyball games contested at Kaua‘i High School gymnasium.
“This is the battle of the defeateds,” said Waimea head coach Tori Kagawa. “Kapa‘a and Island School are the battle of the undefeated.”
The Menehune got its first taste of victory when the junior varsity won 23-25, 25-16 and 15-10 over Kaua‘i High School, and the varsity Menehune were winners in three sets over Kaua‘i 26-24, 25-17 and 25-20.
Scores from the contests waged when Island School visited Kapa‘a were not available at press deadline.
Both the varsity Menehune and the Red Raiders were tentatively feeling each other out during the team’s first meeting of the season.
The Raiders took a 10-6 lead in the first set after capitalizing on Menehune passing errors, as Cameron Holt-Ho served up three consecutive points.
Waimea was on the trailing end of the set through the 19-19 stalemate before the Raiders broke away on more Menehune court miscues and a whack from Bryan Brown for a 23-19 bulge.
The Menehune answered with a Kulea Kauwe hammer and a block to pull within a digit at 23-22.
Brown answered with a hammer to set up aloha ball that never came, as Kauwe took the service block for Waimea and served up four straight marks for the 26-24 go-ahead that was sealed by back-to-back whacks from Waimea middle Enoka Mose.
Waimea continued on with strong performances from its middles Kelani Lewis and Mose, while getting hitting support from Aukele Kealoha, Kauwe and Shayden Ranis-Alameda Dela Cruz.
Kaua‘i struggled to get its passing wired to set balls for its setter Aaron Juliano. The Raiders’ hitting power came from Holt-Ho, Kana Potts, Brown, with an occasional pepper from Xaedan Valdez.
The KIF boys volleyball series continues on Friday when Kapa‘a comes to visit Kaua‘i and Waimea comes to visit Island School. The JV games at both sites are scheduled to serve up from 5:30 p.m. with the varsity contests following the end of the JV games.
