Illinois team edges Kamehameha in volleyball final

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KRYSTLE MARCELLUS / KMARCELLUS@STARDVERTISER.COM
Kamehameha’s Kaehu Kaaa slammed a kill past Brother Rice’s Spencer Scott and Kevin Myren in Saturday’s title match of the Hawaii Boys Invitational Tournament.
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Kamehameha entered the Hawaii Boys Volleyball Invitational at ‘Iolani as just another good team.

The Warriors walked away from this year’s event as one of the best in the state.

"We were nothing coming into this," Kamehameha coach Kainoa Downing said. "We played Punahou II tough, but we didn’t run away from them. I feel like we just played a better team and we played better and to me that is a great sign of possibilities at the end of the season."

Kamehameha made it to the championship match of the tournament, needing three sets to beat Leilehua and sweeping Punahou II before losing in the championship to Brother Rice (Illinois) 26-24, 28-30, 15-10. The Warriors went 4-2 in the tournament, losing to Moanalua to finish up pool play, and went to three sets three times.

Brother Rice looked unstoppable despite playing its first games of its season, sweeping ‘Iolani and Kamehameha-Hawaii in the Gold bracket and Maryknoll, Hawaii Baptist and ‘Iolani II before that. The Crusaders got all of the challenge they wanted in the final.

"That’s the best we have played in the opening weekend in the 22 years I have coached our program," Brother Rice coach Paul Ickes said. "The atmosphere was amazing. It was like state playoffs in Illinois and I was just amazed at the level of play. Our guys didn’t flip out. They kept their composure."

Brother Rice held a 3-point advantage in the first set, 23-20, but the Warriors battled back to tie it before senior outside hitter Mitch Weiler blasted two kills over Kamehameha’s single block. The Crusaders then took a four-point advantage in the second, 21-17, but Kamehameha fought back to tie it 23-all and traded points until the Warriors’ Kahiau Machado buried a kill in the back corner, David Kaaa roofed Weiler, and Brother Rice’s Spencer Scott took a big swing but sailed his shot long.

Kamehameha led in the third set until Jim Dwyer served up an ace to make it 10-9 for Brother Rice and the Crusaders took off from there. They ended it when Kevin Myren and Matt Mandernach roofed Kamehameha’s Kaeho Kaaa.

Myren led Brother Rice with 19 kills, but was held to two in the deciding frame. Weiler had 12 kills. Kaaa led Kamehameha with 13 kills but went 0-for-5 in the third set, and Machado chipped in 11 kills.

"I think this really brought our team together," Kaaa said. "I feel like we kind of doubted ourselves coming in here after losing to Punahou (on March 18), but I feel like throughout this tournament we got a lot more confidence, especially this last game."