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SPORTS

ALL-STATE BOYS VOLLEYBALL

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Keau Christian
Tavares Tafao:
Thompson: Moanalua
Punahou Outside hitter
Opposite 6-0 Junior
6-3 Senior

JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARADVERTISER.COM JAY METZGER / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-ADVERTISER

Aidan Tune brought a high level of play every day. Riley Haine’s vibe brought balance to the Buffanblu.

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Aidan Heston
Tune: Cabinian:
Punahou Kamehameha
Outside hitter Outside hitter
6-1 Senior 6-2 Junior

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Riley Harryzen
Haine: Soares:
Punahou Kamehameha
Outside hitter Libero
6-5 Senior 5-11 Sophomore
GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARADVERTISER.COM JAY METZGER / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-ADVERTISER

Keanu Kawaa combined power and finesse. Keegan Au Yuen averaged 10.7 assists per set.

PUNAHOU’S THOMPSON
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BROUGHT THE HEAT
Keanu Tyler
Kawaa: Russell:
Moanalua Seabury Hall
Outside hitter Outside hitter
6-4 Senior 6-1 Senior

The high-flying senior provided a power arm and led the Buffanblu to a ninth straight state title
By Paul Honda already diverse and elite
phonda@staradvertiser.com
STAR-ADVERTISER’S FAB 15 skill set. Serving, hitting,

T
passing, digging — clone a
he right side was good team of Aidan Tunes and it
to Keau Tavares RANK NAME, SCHOOL POS HT YR would be a machine.

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Keegan Thompson.
Au Yuen: So good, opposing
Punahou coaches couldn’t stop
Setter the high-rising senior with
6-0 Senior the rocket arms. Coaches
and media voted the Puna-
hou opposite top honors as
the Star-Advertiser Boys Vol-
leyball All-State Player of the
Year in one of the closest
votes in years.
Sean Chang, who guided
Pearl City to its first boys
volleyball Division II state
championship, was voted
All-State Coach of the Year.
1. Keau Tavares Thompson, Punahou Opp 6-3 Sr. “He was already good, but Makoa
2. Aidan Tune, Punahou OH 6-1 Sr. as the season progressed, Kekaula-
3. Riley Haine, Punahou OH 6-5 Sr. he got better and better,” Van Gieson:
4. Keanu Kawaa, Moanalua OH 6-4 Sr. Cabanting said. Nanakuli
5. Keegan Au Yuen, Punahou S 6-0 Sr. The effort was daily and Outside hitter
6. Fati Seei-Tofi, Pearl City OH 6-0 Sr. consistent through the off- 6-0 Senior
7. La‘i Hirahara, Kamehameha OH 5-10 Sr. season.
8. Thomas Russell, Seabury Hall OH 6-1 Sr. “Aidan is a grinder and is
9. Christian Tafao, Moanalua OH 6-0 Jr. one of our steadiest play-
10. Heston Cabinian, Kamehameha OH 6-2 Jr. ers,” coach Tune said. “He
11. Harryzen Soares, Kamehameha Lib 5-11 So. practices and plays every
12. Tyler Russell, Seabury Hall OH 6-1 Sr. day with a high degree of in-
13. Makoa Kekaula-Van Gieson, Nanakuli OH 6-0 Sr. tent, and focuses his efforts
14. Braydon Simmons, Punahou Lib 6-1 Sr. on what he can control. He
15. Kale Spencer, Kamehameha-Maui OH 6-5 Sr. is one of the most commit-
ted athletes I have ever
Player of the Year: Keau Tavares Thompson, Punahou

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Thompson earned the nod
Fati
in the closest voting among
Seei-Tofi: the top three players in at
Pearl City least two decades. Aidan
Outside hitter Tune was a very close sec-
6-0 Senior ond, with Riley Haine right
behind in third in the ballot-
ing as the Buffanblu locked
down the top three spots.
Keanu Kawaa of Moanalua,
Keegan Au Yuen of Punahou
Coach of the Year: Sean Chang, Pearl City
HONORABLE MENTION
Casey Lyons, ‘Iolani, Jr.
Dylan Friedl, Kamehameha, Sr.
Brycen Yadao, Mililani, Sr.
Dylan Oliva, Kamehameha, Sr.
Manase Fetulimoeata, Mililani, Jr.
Kainoa Wade, Kamehameha, Fr.
Brayden Yadao, Mililani, Sr.
Wyatt Nako, ‘Iolani, Sr.
Andrew Muragin, Saint Louis, Sr.
Tyler Van Cantfort, ‘Iolani, Jr.
Petar Miocinovic, Mid-Pacific, So.
Matthew Mokan, Hawaii
Baptist, Jr.
Luca Connor, Seabury Hall, Sr.
coached, and has pro-
Braydon
gressed as much in his de-
velopment as any player I’ve Simmons:
had while simultaneously Punahou
enduring more pressure and Libero
criticism than any player in 6-1 Senior
my coaching history.”
Inafuku recognized the co-
hesive effect of Tune.
“Aidan is kind of their glue.
The thing with him is he does
COUTESY MAUI NEWS

Luke Ramirez, Maryknoll, Sr. Claymon Morante, Waiakea, Jr.

and Fati Seei-Tofi of Pearl
City round out the first six.
Thompson was a differ-
ence-maker with his bazoo-
kas. Haine and Tune were
Alexander Parks, Maryknoll, Sr.
varsity head coach.
“Keau Thompson was a
He is one of a few guys that
doesn’t get tired and no
it in so many different ways.
Scoring points on the left,
they can set him on the right,
and he hits that quick attack
from the back-row line. He

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heavily involved in Puna-
La‘i hou’s outstanding passing
Hirahara: game. Having a finisher like
Kamehameha Thompson was, perhaps, as
Outside hitter much of a psychological
5-10, Senior edge as it was physical.
“Just wicked of an arm.
His aggressiveness on the
hit just makes him lethal as
a hitter and on the service
line,” Moanalua coach Alan
Cabanting said. “You know if
it was going to him it proba-
bly was going to be a kill.
More importantly, he
doesn’t make too many mis-
takes. With him on the oppo-
consistent threat that we al-
ways had to be aware of,
from the front row and back
row,” Agpoon said.
“Keau did what he’s been
doing for several years now,
a lot of arm swing and
range,” ‘Iolani coach Jordan
Inafuku said. “Keau can bail
them out of any situation
with his jump and arm
swing.”
Punahou coach Rick
Tune, who led the Buffanblu
to an undefeated season and
their ninth state title in a
row, enjoyed the inner drive
amount of reps is ever
enough. He is absolutely one
of the most skilled volleyball
players in the sate of Hawaii
and in the nation as well and
will add a tremendous
amount of skill to the Ball
State roster,” Tune said.
“When he’s grooving his
serve it is probably the most
difficult serve in the state to
pass and he is a true ‘termi-
nator’ with one of the best
arms I’ve ever seen. He put a
significant amount of pres-
sure on himself to perform
every time he steps onto the
scores with the block, he
scores with the serve. That’s Kale
why he got ILH Player of the Spencer:
Year honors. They have a lot Kamehameha-
of passionate athletes and he Maui
keeps it steady for them,” In- Outside hitter
afuku said. 6-5 Senior
Tune signed with Pepper-
dine. Haine is heading to USC.
“Riley has a volleyball
body that is second to none
and high-level skills to
match,” coach Tune said. “In
the last year, his game has
grown more than any player
on our roster, and he has
much more potential to

8 C
Thomas site side, Punahou’s attack of all his players. Thompson court and wants to be great.” reach. He is an imposing Sean
Russell: was always balanced.” was no exception. The coach’s son, Aidan blocker, steady passer, and Chang:
Seabury Hall Kamehameha’s Sava Ag- “Keau’s talent is undeni- Tune, took his game to a high-level pin attacker that Pearl City
Outside hitter poon saw plenty of the Buf- able and his commitment to new level. With a 39.5-inch was an essential part of Coach of
6-1 Senior fanblu in his first season as getting better is tremendous. vertical leap, he added to an what we did this year.” the Year