He is rarely content for long.
Shortly after sparking Kamehameha to its first boys volleyball state championship since 2009, Kainoa Wade tucked his 6-foot-9, 190-pound frame into a coach seat and flew to the Colorado Springs, Colo., site of the Olympic Training Center. All for the chance to try out for the national U21 team, airfare provided.
“I had the aisle seat on the way there,” Wade said. “Six hours to Phoenix and one hour to Colorado Springs. “I’m a competitor. I like to compete. I’ve been with the group of (U19) guys for a while now. I finally got the call to go train with them, so I couldn’t turn that down at all. It’s so competitive. It’s good fun. I thought I held my own. It’s a good experience.”
Wade is just 17, but that does nothing to shake his optimism or belief. Long before Kamehameha embarked on the 2024 season, the two-sport standout had already divulged his plan: graduate from high school early, enroll at the University of Hawaii at Manoa by the spring of 2025, and compete for a starting position with the Rainbow Warriors. Playing for his father, longtime UH coach Charlie Wade, will be the perfect next chapter.
“I’ve been around UH volleyball for 15 years now. To finally get out of the stands and to be on the bench with the team is pretty cool. I’m excited,” he said. “All my friends want me to stay (in high school), of course. Going out on top is pretty cool. Just follow your dreams. Dreams come true.”
Wade’s prep career concluded with the ultimate team goal — in a grueling, roller-coaster ILH season — and his second individual honor as the best player in the islands. Coaches and media voted Wade as the Star-Advertiser All-State Fab 15 Player of the Year for a second year in a row. He completed his final prep year averaging 14.9 kills, 4.1 digs and 1.1 aces per set.
Wade was a unanimous selection, followed by Evan Porter at No. 2, Koa Laboy of University at No. 3, Kanalu Akana of Punahou at No. 4, and Tyler Duranceau of Mililani at No. 5.
“This year is definitely different. We ended up winning the whole thing. I thought it was more of an earned thing,” Wade said.
In a year of tremendous breadth and depth of elite talent statewide, Wade elevated his peak performance at the most important moment. He delivered 34 kills in 76 swings as Kamehameha avenged four losses to Punahou with an astounding 25-27, 25-23, 25-17, 25-21 win at Blaisdell Arena.
“I was feeling good. It was a fun night. The guys around were playing great, too,” Wade said.
Longtime Punahou coach Rick Tune has seen plenty of masterful play while guiding his program to 12 state titles, including 10 in a row before losing to Kamehameha in May.
“You’ve got to know when to do what. He has a level, at least in the ILH and state, that no one else could reach. You saw it in the finals. He’d never gone over blocks before and he took it to a new level,” Tune said. “There’s not a lot you can do when a guy goes over your block. Our guys have nothing to hang their heads about. They were 15-1. … Kainoa had a great finish. We always knew that was a possibility that he had an extra gear.”
Moanalua coach Alan Cabanting took his squad to the Best in the West tournament in San Diego, where he saw the newest version of Wade.
“Sad to say that I thought, he’s good, but how good is he? It wasn’t until Best of the West and the battle between Corona Del Mark and Kamehameha. (Sterling) Foley, the U19 (national) outside hitter went up against Kainoa and, holy cow, these two are going at it,” Cabanting recalled. “Hitting angles, every kind of shot, a battle between two big superstars of their teams. I saw Kainoa’s defense and court vision improved. Wow!”
Kamehameha ousted a hot Moanalua team in the state semifinals. Wade powered the way with 36 kills in 60 swings as the Warriors won in four sets, 25-11, 26-28, 25-20, 25-19.
Mililani coach Gabriel Maunupau was on staff at UH when Wade was a youngster, a decade away from winning a state crown.
“I’ve known that kid since he was 7 or 8. I used to pepper with him after UH games. The biggest thing is his intention and focus. Like any young kid, he was emotional. I saw two or three plays at the state championship, I knew Kamehameha was going to win,” Maunupau said. “Kainoa is finally locked in. To see him take the helm and stop worrying about what he can’t control. You’re 6-9. You have great touch, great reach. Go destroy everybody.”
Sava Agpoon led a crowded field in the voting for Coach of the Year honors, Under his watch, the Warriors captured their first boys volleyball state title since 2009, battling back after a second-place finish in the ILH.
“The team knew the state championship was the end game,” Agpoon said. “I attribute it to the athletic staff. They’re super supportive of me.”
Jonah Reyes, who guided University to the D-II state championship, was a close second in the voting.
Tune, Lee Lamb (Le Jardin), Jeremiah Keola (Waialua), Cabanting and Maunupau also received votes.
Punahou’s squad landed four Fab 15 selections. Senior Evan Porter led the way, barely taking a day off since the start of basketball season. He spent Sundays during Punahou’s hoops season working out with his volleyball club and was a key component in the Buffanblu’s superb, balanced attack.
“He’s a great example for younger kids on how to put it all in balanced and put it all in perspective,” Tune said. “A true competitor and a class act. It doesn’t always work out your way and it’s part of the journey. You pour your heart out and sometimes it’s good enough, sometimes it’s not. You can’t just be a great guy when you win. He’s a great guy all the time, a perfect embodiment of that.”
Laboy, son of former Rainbow Wahine player Nohea Tano, struggled with an injury during the regular season, then erupted in the Division II state championships. The 6-foot-4 junior had 40 kills in 98 swings as University edged Le Jardin in the final, 25-22, 25-27, 27-25, 25-27, 15-12.
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STAR-ADVERTISER’S FAB 15
RANK NAME SCHOOL POS. HT. YR.
1. Kainoa Wade Kamehameha OH 6-9 Jr.
2. Evan Porter Punahou OH 6-0 Sr.
3. Koa Laboy University OH 6-3 Jr.
4. Kanalu Akana Punahou S/OPP 6-1 So.
5. Tyler Duranceau Mililani OH 6-5 Sr.
6. Ezekiel Sablan Moanalua OH/OPP 6-3 Jr.
7. Waipehe Winchester ‘Iolani OH 6-1 Sr.
8. Harryzen Soares Kamehameha L 6-1 Sr.
9. Presley Longfellow Hawaii Baptist OH 6-4 Sr.
10. Adam Haidar Punahou M 6-4 Sr.
11. Brayden Van Kuren Kamehameha S 5-10 Sr.
12. Elijah-Shore Flores Le Jardin OH 6-3 Sr.
13. Micah Nakasato University OH 6-0 Sr.
14. Matthew Chun Punahou L 5-8 Jr.
15. Carson Lee Saint Louis OH 5-10 Sr.
Player of the Year: Kainoa Wade, Kamehameha
Coach of the Year: Sava Agpoon, Kamehameha
HONORABLE MENTION
• Malu Wilcox, Moanalua
• Conor Williams, Kamehameha
• Poukihi Awai, Kamehameha
• Cody Pili-Rumusod, Castle
• Petar Miocinovic, Mid-Pacific
• Elijah Smith, Punahou
• Julius Momoe-Mitchell, Campbell
• Kaden Sato, Moanalua
• Kullen Pua, Kamehameha-Hawaii
• Kaupo Hoopai-Waikoloa, Kamehameha
• Brody Badham, Punahou
• Trevor Kwak, Moanalua
• Kenna Quitan, University
