Boys volleyball

The all-tournament teams in Division I and Division II in the New City Nissan/HHSAA Boys Volleyball State Championships are listed below. Selections voted on by the media and the HHSAA. Division I Most outstanding player—Ryan Wilcox, Punahou Kanai Akana, Punahou Max Slaughter, Moanalua DiAeris McRaven, Moanalua Cole Hogland, Iolani Jameson McKibbin, Punahou Shea Suzumoto, Punahou Division II Most outstanding player—Jesus Garcia, St. Francis Mofuike Hafoka, St. Francis Justin Faidley, Kapaa Wembley Mailei, St. Francis Zion Tupuola-Fetui, Pearl City Rusdan-Rocket Ahuna, […]

Punahou boys volleyball coach Rick Tune stopped short of ranking his seven different teams that have won state titles in the Buffanblu’s latest dominance of the sport. It was clear in talking to the former University of Hawaii middle blocker, however, that this group, led by a core of four senior starters, was not your ordinary graduating class. “This group checked all the boxes. This group didn’t have any holes,” Tune said after Punahou swept Moanalua 25-19, 25-16, 25-21 in […]

There is willpower, and there is what the St. Francis Saints do with it. They channel their inner greatness. If there ever was a calmer, more positive and cohesive team, well, there may be many, but not quite on the level of this Saints squad. An incredible 15-25, 19-25, 25-18, 25-19, 15-12 championship victory over No. 1 seed Kapaa earned second-seeded St. Francis its first boys volleyball state crown. But it’s more than that. The way they were coachable. Accountable. […]

The last time Moanalua got this deep, Punahou broke their hearts. Na Menehune are back in the final of the New City Nissan/HHSAA Boys Volleyball State Championships and Punahou awaits again. Two years ago, the teams met for the title and Punahou swept a Moanalua squad led by All-State player of the year Austin Matautia. On Saturday night, Moanalua gets another shot against the unbeaten Buffanblu (15-0). Moanalua is no slouch, seeded second, just like 2016. Punahou is otherworldly, a […]

In 41 sets of ILH and state-tourney play, Punahou had won 40. The only discrepancy on the resume of the six-time defending champion came on Mar. 29, when Maryknoll took a set in Punahou’s four-game win. On Friday night, coach Rick Tune weighed his team’s situation and emptied the bench. By design, Punahou played reserves exclusively in the second set, kept most of the court occupied by subs in the third and went back to the starting lineup for the […]

How far back in time would Kamehameha-Maui have to go to find an appearance in the finals or semifinals of the boys volleyball state championships? While Kamehameha-Hawaii had its glory years during the prep careers of four Enriques brothers and their father, Guy Enriques, not much can be said of Kamehameha-Maui. This year could’ve been different, especially after a 14-0 run through the Maui Interscholastic League. It wasn’t meant to be, though. ILH runner-up ‘Iolani, a chiseled, sharpened force that […]

The preparation goes back a long way for Moanalua. Even on game day, Na Menehune didn’t waste a moment. They were in warmup mode in an afternoon workout on their home court. Then it was a bus ride to McKinley Student Council Gymnasium. Instead of another warmup session, the hyped-up Menehune danced to the in-house music. They stood in a circle and played Duck-Duck-Goose. They hollered and yelled. By the start of their quarterfinal match with Kamehameha-Hawaii, Moanalua was ready. […]

Kapolei finished fourth in the OIA West. When the tall, precise, athletic Hurricanes stunned OIA West first-place finisher Waianae in the playoffs, it was Kapolei that looked the part of potential champion. The ‘Canes exploited Waianae’s weaknesses, using major advantages in height and length to smother the Seariders from the left and the right. In fact, with Waianae’s five-set loss at Kamehameha-Hawaii on Monday night, there’s an argument to be made that coach Wilhelm Wagner and his staff did stellar […]