KAPA’A – Kapa’a High School and Island School will compete in a Kaua’i Interscholastic Federation Volleyball Playoff for the second round of the Crown Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at Wilcox Gymnasium on the Island School campus.
The playoffs are mandatory after Waimea High defeated first-round champion Voyagers at Clem Gomes Gym in Waimea on Friday.
Menehune University upset the visiting Voyagers in four sets.
A Voyagers University victory in Waimea would have ended the season regardless of the outcome of Friday’s game at Bernice Hundley Gym between host Kapa’a and Kaua’i High. Voyager’s victory would have given Island School the KIF title in round two and overall, as Island School took the crown in round one.
Instead, Kapa’a’s win over Kaua’i High in five sets puts the Warriors in a tie with the Voyagers for the second-round crown.
The Voyagers won junior varsity games in Waimea on Friday, 2-1.
Also Friday, the JV contests saw Kaua’i High victorious, 25-22, 25-21 and 15-25 over the Warriors.
In college matches, Kapa’a won the first two sets of the marathon, 27-25 and 32-30 before losing the third set, 15-25. Kaua’i High forced the fifth set after overtaking Kapa’a in the fourth set and hanging on for a 25-22 victory over a passing error from the Warrior.
After an early lead in the fifth set, Kapa’a allowed the Raiders to recover from a pair of errors coupled with a hit from Ernesto Alcones of Kaua’i High. The Warriors broke an 8-8 deadlock when Poki Tafea hit one, followed by Kala Rall nailing a pair of hammers that coupled with Raider errors for a 12-8 advantage.
Kaua’i High responded with back-to-back hits from Noah Louis, but could only get to 11 before Kapa’a hit the night on hits from Anthony Durocher and James Kessler, 15-11.
If Kapa’a won today’s playoff contest, they would be the second-round champions and force another playoff match for the KIF overall title.
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Denis Fujimotowriter and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or [email protected]
