Hana Beats Kaimuki, Face No. 1 St. Francis Today

King Kekaulike junior outside-hitter Kalia Aguera (3) during Na Alii match with Moanalua on Tuesday. Photo courtesy of expressionshawaii.net.

By Rodney S. Yap

Hana defeated Kaimuki in five sets Tuesday, 26-28, 25-18, 27-25, 19-25, 15-10, in the first round of the New City Nissan/Hawai’i High School Athletic Association Division II Girls Volleyball State Championships at Kalani Gym.

Pakalani Helekahi-Cass led the Dragons (11-3) with a match-high 28 kills and added 2 aces and a block, and teammate Brandy Lecker-Tolentino addded 10 kills and 7 blocks.

Amako Kinere led Kaimuki (5-11) with 13 kills, 3 aces and a block and Allison Paloga added 11 kills and an ace.

Hana will play top-seeded St. Francis tonight at 7 p.m. at Kalani High School. Meanwhile, No. 3 Seabury Hall will face Hawaii Preparatory Academy at 5 p.m. at Farrington Gym.

HPA beat Hawaii Baptist, 3-1, 25-21, 24-26,28-26, 25-20 to advance against the Spartans.

At the state Division I tournament, Moanalua defeated King Kekaulike 3-0 in first-round action Tuesday at McKinley High School on Oahu.

Maui Interscholastic League runnerup King Kekaulike will face Castle today in an elimination match. Castle lost 25-20, 26-24, 25-18 to Mililani on Tuesday.

Taylor Fernandez had 11 kills for King Kekaulike (8-7), Kayla Uyesugi had 12 digs and Kaila Aguera had two aces.

Moanalua, which improved its record to 13-4, got 14 kills and four blocks from Analise Austin. Joy Kurosawa had eight aces.

MIL Division I champion Kamehameha Maui will face Kamehameha-Kapalama, 3-0 winners over Kalani on Tuesday, 25-17, 25-15, 25-18.  KS-Maui is seeded No. 3, its game against the Warriors of Oahu is slated for 7 p.m. tonight at Kaimuki Gym.