Sabers top Na Alii
Fourth-seeded Maui High can earn state spot with win today
Maui High School players celebrate after the final point of their 25-19, 25-22, 15-25, 26-24 win over King Kekaulike on Thursday in a Maui Interscholastic League Division I tournament semifinal at Lahainaluna Gym. The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photo
The Sabers’ Noah Rohozinski hits a fourth-set shot against the block of Na Alii’s Morgan Leeks (left) and Ian Martins. The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photo
Maui High’s Jaden James (left) and Trent Takara go up to block King Kekaulike’s Morgan Leeks on Thursday. The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photo
Maui High School players celebrate after the final point of their 25-19, 25-22, 15-25, 26-24 win over King Kekaulike on Thursday in a Maui Interscholastic League Division I tournament semifinal at Lahainaluna Gym. The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photo
The Sabers’ Noah Rohozinski hits a fourth-set shot against the block of Na Alii’s Morgan Leeks (left) and Ian Martins. The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photo
Maui High’s Jaden James (left) and Trent Takara go up to block King Kekaulike’s Morgan Leeks on Thursday. The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photo
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LAHAINA -- The Maui High School boys volley-ball team was playing to keep its season going Thursday -- and needed to get past King Kekaulike, the Maui Interscholastic League's three-time defending Division I champion.
The Sabers were up to the task, advancing to the MIL tournament final with a 25-19, 25-22, 15-25, 26-24 win at the Lahainaluna Gym.
"Oh, it's great, it's like March Madness," said Maui High co-head coach Henry Patao. "One, you're done, so we told the boys: 'Hey, if you guys want to keep going we just got to keep winning.' "
The fourth-seeded Sabers (5-9) will play Kamehameha Maui today -- the winner will be assured of a spot in the state tournament, and will face King Kekaulike, the regular-season champion, for the overall league title on Saturday.
Na Alii (11-2) had swept the Sabers all three times they met this season.
"We just played disciplined volleyball," Patao said. "Everybody played as a team. I mean, hats off to King K -- they're the No. 1 team, so they did a good job. We all played team ball, so it was just everybody for us."
Na Alii's Trystin Hooper suffered a sprained ankle in the third set, and said he is not sure if he will be available for Saturday's match.
"Losing Trystin was a tremendous blow," said King Kekaulike co-head coach Arik Dadez. "Going into the fourth, we were scrambling, but hats off to Maui High. They played to win tonight."
Dadez said his team "has to learn how to come back from this. We have some depth on our bench and we will try to fill in (Hooper's) role."
King Kekaulike's co-head coach Al Paschoal is expected on the sideline Saturday, Dadez said. Paschoal was on Oahu on Thursday to watch his son Kaipo play for Maui High in the state baseball tournament.
* Robert Collias is at rcollias@mauinews.com.
MIL Tournaments
DIVISION I
Thurday's Results
At Lahainaluna
Semifinals
Maui High def. King Kekaulike 25-19, 25-22, 15-25, 26-24
Kamehameha Maui def. Lahainaluna 25-18, 26-24, 16-25, 25-10
Today's Match
Final
At Lahainaluna
Kamehameha Maui vs. Maui High, 6 p.m.
Saturday's Match
Overall championship
Site TBA
King Kekaulike vs. Kamehameha Maui-Maui High winner, noon
DIVISION II
At Hana
Thurday's Results
Semifinals
Molokai def. Lanai 25-9, 25-16, 25-20
Seabury Hall def. Hana 25-19, 25-13, 26-24
Today's Match
Final
Molokai vs. Seabury Hall, 6:30 p.m.
Saturday's Match
Overall championship
Molokai vs. Seabury Hall, if necessary, noon