Waipahu outlasts Kaiser in five-set thriller


The Marauders celebrate after knocking off the Cougars in five sets. Pete Caldwell | SL

What a finish.

Waipahu built a two-set lead and staved off a furious rally by host Kaiser to pull off a five-set win Monday night in the opening round of the New City Nissan Division I Boys Volleyball Championships. Set scores were 25-23, 26-24, 21-25, 18-25, 16-14.

After the Cougars, the Oahu Interscholastic Association runner-up, made it 14-13 in the final stanza, Ken Sachio Boctot put down back-to-back kills and Kaiser had a hitting error to help Waipahu hold off Kaiser in the finish.

The Marauders, the OIA's No. 6 team in the tourney, moves on to face Big Island Interscholastic Federation champ Kealakehe, the fourth-seeded team, Thursday at Moanalua. First serve is slated for 5:00 p.m.

Jacob Summers had 20 kills with four blocks and 17 digs to lead the Cougars in their season-ending loss.

Waipahu's Bradley Tacata led all hitters with 22 kills and five blocks.