Kamehameha Wins ILH Volleyball
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Bob Hogue - Senior Sports Correspondent
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October 23, 2007
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With
more than 1200 island volleyball fans screaming on every point,
top-ranked Kamehameha got the last gut-wrenching yell, edging
second-ranked Iolani in the ILH girls volleyball title match Tuesday
night, 25-22, 27-25.
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When all-American senior outside hitter Kanani Herring came screaming
in from the backrow to hammer down the last of her match high 14 kills,
the Warriors and their fans erupted in celebration. It was the
rubber match in a series of heart-stopping games between the state�??s
top two teams, with Iolani winning the first round, then Kamehameha
coming back to take the next two by winning the second round tournament
format, plus the ensuing championship match Tuesday at Iolani.
�??We achieved our goal, which was to be the #1-seed in the States,�?� said Herring, who has
verbally committed to play for the University of Hawaii Wahine next
season. �??They almost took it away from us for awhile, but we got
it back. Iolani played wonderful. We were just having a
ball out there.�?�
Herring was helped out by fellow senior outside hitter, Bekah Torres,
who pounded down six of her 10 kills in the second game. Iolani
was led by their senior sparkplug, outside hitter Leinani Keanini, who
also pounded down 10 kills on the night.
�??My team, we played with heart and fought for every last point,�?�
Keanini said. �??It was a game that could have gone either way.�?�
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| Herring on the Block
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How true that was! And the fans who streamed into Iolani�??s gym
knew it. Nearly 15 minutes before the start of the match, it was
announced that every seat was taken, and the those in the overflow
crowd would get a chance to watch on closed-circuit TV in the school�??s
upper gymnasium. Many of the fans held signs, and others dressed
up. None were disappointed.
�??I was
feeding off their energy,�?� Keanini said. Volleyball fans on both
teams fed off the energy of watching Keanini battle Herring throughout
the first game, with each player dominating the kill statistics�??both
had six each in that first game.
When
Keanini hammered down a kill from the backrow, Iolani had battled back
from a three-point deficit to tie the game at 7-all. Herring then
worked her spectacular magic, hitting three monstrous kills in a matter
of moments and Kamehameha led 14-10.
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Iolani
was forced to come back, and they did so. Lauren Minkel went
cross-court with a kill as the Raiders scored seven of the next nine
points and eventually led it 17-16. But Kamehameha setter Caitlin
Andrade found Torres and Herring for back-to-back kills and the
Warriors were suddenly on top by three points, 21-18.
The dynamic hitting duo of Torres and Herring
continued to pour it on for the next few points, and the Warriors
finally prevailed in game one, 25-22.
�??When they had to, they went to their best,
Kanani and Bekah,�?� Iolani head coach Jenic Tumaneng said. �??It was
a great game.�?�
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| iolani Attack
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Indeed, it was. Amazingly, game two was even better, as both
teams stepped it up to a level that had volleyball fans from both teams
clamoring for more.
Iolani put together an
early run with Lauren Ching and Chelsea Hardin helping the Raiders to
an early 7-4 lead. When Mahina Haina scored on a block at the
net, the Raiders were up 10-7. A couple of points later, the lead
was up to four and Warriors head coach Chris Blake knew it was time for
a time-out.
�??Iolani put us in a hole, but our girls showed character and heart and were so resilient,�?� he said.
When Blake�??s Warriors came out of the timeout, they responded with a
run of their own. Andrade�??s ace and then a big kill from Jordan
Meredith put Kamehameha on top. Torres then followed with a
masterful step-out move for the kill and the Warriors were up,
21-19. When Herring smashed down back-to-back kills from opposite
sides, Kamehameha was on the verge of victory, up 24-22.
That�??s when Iolani re-grouped, big time. A passing error by
Kamehameha, followed by a block in the middle by Haina, and a monstrous
facial by Keanini put Iolani in the lead, 25-24. The crowd was
nearly delirious; the tension was mind-numbing.
�??When you have the top two teams playing at that level, someone�??s got
to lose. It was a battle all the way,�?� Tumaneng said.
�??We were losing; we needed to stay focused,�?� Torres said. �??We stayed calm.�?�
That calm belied the frenzied scene in the stands where fans of both
teams cheered on their favorites. Finally, Kamehameha got the
lead back and they went to their ace, Herring, for match point.
Her monstrous kill in which she seemed to fly several feet in mid-air
from the backrow ended an awesome struggle between two magnificent
teams.
�??It was a relief,�?� said Torres. �??We worked so hard; now we�??re ILH champs!�?�
But don�??t think it�??s the last time these two juggernauts of Hawaii high
school volleyball will meet. Both teams qualified for the state
tournament next week in Hilo. Don�??t be surprised if they�??re back
at it again on November 3rd for the state title.
�??I told the girls �??that was a battle. We go to war next week�??,�?� Tumaneng said.
This time, the war for the ILH went to the Warriors.
�??I want to play them again for the state championship,�?� Keanini said
afterwards. �??I want so much to get that second chance.�?�
For Keanini and her Iolani teammates, they may get that chance.
But for now, the first title�??the conference championship�??belongs to
Kamehameha.
�??It was a great win,�?� said Blake. �??It was a great team effort.�?�
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