Kanani Herring
Watching Kamehameha outlast Punahou in three sets last night, it became clear to see that the Warriors are simply too talented, too deep and too committed to be anything but the favorite to win the state championship.
Herring's vertical is higher, significantly higher. Power. Pure power, great defense, tremendous timing, complete dedication.
Bekah Torres is everywhere. She'll make a great dig one minute, roof someone clean the next, step out for a slam or deliver a sweet dink shot with ultimate finesse for a point.
Jordan Meredith, Kea Kea, on and on. It's almost unfair for normal high school teams to face this lineup of club all-stars. Punahou, which was state champion not so long ago, seemed diminutive next to this Kamehameha squad. Liz Kaaihue is a powerful force, able to play any position. But so is every member of the Kamehameha lineup. They don't even have use for a libero. Every single starter in the lineup can play the backrow, and play it well.
Iolani has a win over Punahou, which means an Iolani-Kamehameha showdown is going to be off the hook, as the young people say. Iolani has great balance and chemistry, but from what I saw at the Ann Kang tourney, the Raiders aren't at Kamehameha's level.
It all still comes down to proving it on the court, and the regular season hasn't even started. I'd be shocked, however, if Kamehameha doesn't sweep through the ILH and the state championships. They're off to a great start under second-year coach Chris Blake. He and his staff are outstanding at their craft, a year older and wiser, emphasis on wiser.
Not everyone can coach and win at Kamehameha. It is a unique school, one of a kind in this nation, and its tradition of excellence in sports is both a blessing and a curse for all coaches there on the hill. Are the expectations this year way too high for any coach? Perhaps. But extracting the kind of work ethic, camaraderie and performance that Blake gets from his team is undeniable.
The prospect of a dull season dominated by the ILH's best trio of teams, well, that's undeniable, too. You will have to see it to believe it.
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