Ana Kaufusi isn’t the tallest or loudest.
She just brings the block to Kahuku’s block party. Kaufusi roofed Moanalua’s power-hitting Surfia Grounds twice during a key final-set run as fifth-ranked Kahuku outlasted third-ranked Moanalua 24-26, 25-20, 24-26, 25-19, 15-12 to capture the OIA Division I girls volleyball championship on Wednesday night.
A packed house at Moanalua’s gym saw the home team take a 2-1 lead in sets, but Kahuku was tireless and relentless.
The final set was tied at 5 when Kaufusi roofed Grounds, a 6-foot-5 sophomore outside hitter, on back-to-back plays as Kahuku opened a 9-5 lead. After a roof by Lamona Lauhingoa, the lead was 10-5.
An ace by Grounds sparked a 3-0 mini-run. After a back row kill by Grounds and a right-side kill by Auvaa Kingston, it was tied at 10.
Kahuku responded with the next two points, including another roof by Kaufusi. After Kaufusi roofed a back-row attempt by Grounds, Kahuku led 13-10.
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Makamae Schilling and middle Talia Soliai-Tui closed it out with kills for Kahuku.
Kaufusi finished with 7.5 blocks, including four solos.
“Just thinking about all the sacrifices my teammates and I did. I do it for my why, my parents. They mean a lot to me. They motivate me to do everything,” said Kaufusi, who said she gets her hops for her father, Teumuli Kaufusi. “He played rugby.”
Schilling was busy in the back row and at the net with 14 kills and one ace. The Lauhingoa sisters, Elenoa and Lamona, were unavailable when the teams met at Moanalua during the regular season. Elenoa had an allergic reaction in her eye that day, but was fire on Wednesday with 11 kills and nine assists, adding four of her team’s 11 aces. Talia Soliai-Tui tallied 11 kills and a team-high five aces, while Haley Kotobalavu had six kills and Lamona Lauhingoa chipped in four kills.
Tilauana Tonga dished out 19 assists and Ireson Fotu had nine.
“Our momentum. We were hungry to play because last time we played them, we lost,” Elenoa Lauhingoa said. “It’s all mental. You’ve got to want to fight.”
“Ana did a really good job. The credit should go mostly to our blockers,” Schilling said. “They did a really good job.”
Kahuku (29-2 overall) will have a first-round bye at the upcoming New City Nissan/HHSAA State Championships presented by the Hawaii National Guard. Moanalua (22-6 overall) will open play on Monday.
This is Kahuku’s 15th OIA title and the first under Lesina Manutai.
“I’m exhausted, but I feel so happy for the kids. They put in so much work. I’m so proud of them. They came out and did what they had to do,” Manutai said. “We train them hard. We told them trust your training and trust what we do.”
The teams split during the regular season. On Sept. 22, Moanalua edged Kahuku 22-25, 23-25, 25-14, 25-21, 15-12.
“Today was the same thing. We told them to be patient and trust the process,” Manutai said.
Grounds led Moanalua with 20 kills. Miya Waikiki added nine kills and Alessandra Siazon had eight. Auvaa Kingston and Nora Carey tallied seven kills apiece. Rylie Ramones dished 22 assists and Faleaka Fonua dished 20.
“I’m so proud of these girls. At the beginning of the season with the amount of seniors that we lost, I couldn’t be prouder of these girls,” Moanalua coach Alan Cabanting said. “We showed that we’re still competing and still fighting all the way through. It’s a great learning experience for these girls. We’ve still got the state tournament to take care of.”
Kahuku had game point in set one, but Moanalua rallied and took a 25-24 lead on a kill by Grounds. A roof by Carey, a 6-foot sophomore, gave Na Menehune a 1-0 lead in the match.
After Kahuku tied the match at 1, Moanalua opened the third set with a run. Grounds made two diving digs in the back row during a long rally that ended with a Kahuku hitting error. That opened Moanalua’s lead to 14-7.
The Lady Raiders rallied to tie it at 16, but committed a service error. They tied it at 17, but had a hitting error. Moanalua responded with a 4-0 run.
Na Menehune struggled to closer the door. Kahuku rallied to the third game, 23-all. Lamona Lauhingoa delivered a kill, but Grounds answered from the right side, tying the set at 24-all.
Siazon met the challenge with a roof to give Moanalua the lead. She then drilled a right-side kill to end the second set, and Moanalua led the match, 2-1.
Kahuku refused to yield, storming to an 12-3 lead in game four after an ace by Elenoa Lauhingoa.
After an ace by Kaufusi, it was 13-3. With Schilling and libero Taea Moeai digging up the missiles sent by Grounds and Kaufusi dominating the net defensively, Kahuku led 19-9.
Moanalua found some consistency and momentum, cutting the score to 23-17. The set ended on a hitting error by Siazon, sending the match to a fifth game.
Kahuku won two titles under Michelle Tevaga (2021, 2022), one under Mounia Tachibana (2016), one under Camilla Ah-Hoy (2012), one under Kaniela Kalama (2010), two under Uila Fotu Vendiola (2008, 2009), four under Mona Ah-Hoy (2001, 2002, 2004, 2005), two under Masa Fonoimoana (1992, 1993) and one under Hiram Kahele (1982).
The Division I state tournament begins Monday and runs through Saturday, Nov. 1.
On Monday, Mililani plays at Konawaena; Hilo plays at Moanalua; Campbell plays at King Kekaulike and Kapolei plays at No. 2 Kamehameha.
Receiving first-round byes are top seed and No. 1 ‘Iolani, second seed Kahuku, third seed Kamehameha-Hawaii and fourth seed Kamehameha-Maui.
Quarterfinal matches are Thursday, with ‘Iolani playing the Konawaena/Mililani winner at 5 p.m. at Moanalua; Kamehameha-Maui facing the Hilo/Moanalua winner at 7 p.m. at Moanalua; Kahuku taking on the Campbell/King Kekaulike winner at 5 p.m. at McKinley, and Kamehameha-Hawaii playing the Kamehameha/Kapolei winner at 7 p.m. at McKinley.
The championship will be at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center on Nov. 1 at 7 p.m.