HHSAA Boys Volleyball
Hawaii Baptist holds off Kapaa for seventh-straight D2 title


  



Sat, May 6, 2017 @ Blaisdell [ 5:00 pm ]


FINAL  1   2   3   4   5      
HBA (23-0) 25 25 25 - - 3
KAPA (14-1) 17 23 20 - - 0

Hawaii Baptist Academy's 2017 volleyball title turned out to be lucky number seven.

The Eagles had to grind out three tough sets to beat Kapaa, 25-17, 25-23, 25-20 to win their seventh-straight Division II boys volleyball title in the New City Nissan/HHSAA Boys Volleyball Championships at the Neal Blaisdell Center on Saturday.

Both the Eagles and Warriors swept their opponents in the quarterfinals and semifinals to reach the title game.

"It was a great season and we knew we could get to this point. We were excited and stoked to get to this game," said Kapaa coach Kapule Kaona.

HBA continues to dominate Division II and title under coach Teoni Obrey as the Eagles cap the season at 23-0 overall.

"This group was very young, new to the roles, but of all the groups we had, they improved the most. I'm really excited and pleased for them," said Teoni Obrey, on his squad.

"Our team had to come a long way and we had to develop," said Davin Raucsh.

Kapaa returned to the title game for the first time since 2005 when it won its only state volleyball title.

"This senior group has been very special and had them since they were freshmen. None of our boys are club players, but they find time to play on their own. They are close knit and they are special group," said Kaona.

"They had a lot of senior and we knew they would fight back even after the first and second set," said Michael Johnson.

Johnson led the Eagles with 13 kills and hit, .200 on the match and had 15 digs. Davin Rausch added 30 assists and 14 digs Dru Pang had 12 digs. Kellen Takatsuka (nine kills, two aces) is the only senior on the Eagles' roster while the rest are underclassmen.

The Eagles went on a 5-0 run to force an early Kapaa timeout and that run ballooned to 11-0 for a double digit lead. A kill by Carson Schmick brought Kapaa within four, but could get no closer the Eagles went back up on back-to-back aces by Dru Pang and pulled away to claim the first set.

"We had to be really disciplined and playing the point," said Rausch.

"The nerves and jitters got the best of us in the first set and put us on our heels and gave them confidence heading into the rest of the game," said Kaona.

Kapaa held a two-point cushion after Kiran Costa and Saxsem Shiira combined for a block and Shiira followed up with a kill. HBA fought back to tie the game at 16 and reclaimed the lead, 20-18 following Eric Wong's kill. The Warriors rallied within one, 24-23, but Johnson was there for the set-clinching kill.

"We got our feet under us in the second set. We were going point-for-point. Had we pulled out that second set, it would've been a different outcome and give us more confidence," said Kaona.

"They are one of the best Division II teams we played. The coaches do a great job with them and improved a ton since last year. They are senior heavy," said Obrey.

Carson Schmick and Shiira each placed 12 kills and Shiira had four of the team's eight blocks. Jayson Hawthorne passed out 34 assists for the match and Kurt Napoleon and Pomai Rabago-Kaiwi combined for 35 digs of the team's 61 digs.

HBA held a 13-12 lead and created some separation, until Shiira tied the match at 17 and the Warriors tied it again at 20. The Eagles went on a 5-0 run on Takatsuka's ace and Rausch's kill. Schmick's attack was too long to give HBA the sweep.

New City Nissan/HHSAA Boys Volleyball State Championships
All-Tournament Team (as selected by the media and HHSAA)

DIVISION II


Kellen Takatsuka, Hawaii Baptist
Carson Schmick, Kapa‘a
Saxsem Shiira, Kapa‘a
Micah Kalei, St. Francis
Davin Rausch, Hawaii Baptist
Dru Pang, Hawaii Baptist

Most Outstanding Player: Michael Johnson, Hawaii Baptist



Reach Brandon Ching at [email protected].




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