Iolani's Saige Kaahaaina-Torres bumps the ball in a match against Moanalua. She moved over from the right side to the outside this season. Michael Lasquero | SL

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Iolani's Saige Kaahaaina-Torres bumps the ball in a match against Moanalua. She moved over from the right side to the outside this season. Michael Lasquero | SL

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Few people would have thought Iolani would be state champions in 2016 after falling to Kamehameha in the title game a year ago. 

With All-State Player of the Year and setter Bailey Choy off to play for the University of Utah and a handful of seniors graduating, it looked like another rebuilding year for Iolani. 

The Raiders said otherwise.

Iolani had several players switch over to a new role at the start of the season and never looked back as it avenged its title game loss to Kamehameha a season ago and brought home its first state title since 2001, the program's second crown in school history.

Some of the notable changes included Ana Oglivie, the Raiders' starting libero in 2015, moving over to setter, and Saige Kaahaaina-Torres switching from a right-side hitter to the outside. 

The position changes took a while to get used to, but over time, the Raiders were able to grow and develop into a top team in the state.

"We've grown a lot," said Oglivie. "You can see it physically between the hitters and the setter. As myself, I feel a a connection with them. I think we've been able to make our system evolve and everyone has gotten more confident in each other and themselves."

Kaahaaina-Torres, a University of Missouri-commit, added that playing different positions really helped the team this season.

"I think the biggest difference from being a right side to a left side hitter is the amount of swing that you take and how much you're team depends on you," she said. "I think that was really good this year, to be able to step into that position and have the seniors help with that transition." 

Iolani coach Kainoa Obrey said he was proud of his kids in how they responded to change and the adversities of a season.

"They're resilient," he said. "They just want to get better and approach it day by day in the practice gym, matches and everything else. We just go after it. The youthfulness by the end of the season became a little more experienced than we might have originally thought at the beginning of the year, but it's cool to see the way they played for sure." 

The youngest contributor for Iolani in its title run was Oglivie's younger sister Elena. Although the 5-foot-9 outside hitter may just be a freshman, the younger Oglivie played above her years.

In the state championship game against Kamehameha she posted a double-double of 23 kills and 22 digs. Her performance throughout the tournament also earned herself Most Outstanding Player honors.

The younger Oglivie was ecstatic about bringing Iolani another title after the championship match last Saturday.

"This is so big. We were doing it for the community of Iolani. We were doing it for the players and coaches, and it's such an unreal experience. It's so amazing to have it with my sister. I can't feel it right now, but it's so good. I'm just really happy."