Konawaena girls volleyball almost completed the improbable comeback, but fell just short.
During Monday’s HHSAA Division I opening round inside Ellison Onizuka Gymnasium, the Lady Wildcats were trailing to the visiting Mililani Lady Trojans after dropping the first two sets — 25-16 and 25-23. But things shifted midway through the third set. Tied 12-12, Kona went on a 10-0 run to take command of the set — led by strong kills and errors on Mililani’s side. Thanks to the late-match surge, the Wildcats survived elimination and won the frame 25-21.
The two teams traded blows in the fourth set, finding themselves tied 19-19 late. But the green and white kept grinding, as Naiya Beymar had the set-saving kill off of a pass from Liliana Hooper to win 25-23 — forcing the decisive fifth set.
Trailing 13-12 in the fifth set, Kona called timeout and immediately tied the game thanks to a kill from Lyla Kahele-Alapai. But it was the last point the Wildcats scored of the season, as Mililani’s Kira Wayfer logged a kill to take the one-point lead, and a Kona attack error sealed the final point for the Trojans to win 15-13.
Mililani logged 66 team kills, led by Wayfer, Sydney Matsuda, Maille Malone and Ivy Taylor with 53 combined. Teammate Kealananea Stephens dished out a match-high 61 assists. As a team, the Trojans logged six blocks.
Hooper led the green and white with 41 assists, mainly dishing it out to teammates Kahele-Alapai, Naiya Beymer and Kaulaloa Hooper — who all combined for 46 of the group’s 52 kills. The Wildcats recorded eight blocks.
Kona ended 2025 with a 13-4 overall record and 13-3 in the BIIF. The Wildcats finished second in BIIF Division I, and peaked with an eight-match win streak from late September to late October — beating the likes of Hawaii Preparatory Academy, Kealakehe twice, Honoka‘a, Kohala, Kanu o ka ‘Aina and Hilo.
Mililani improved to 11-3 overall, and will advance to play first-seeded Iolani in the quarterfinals at 5 p.m. Thursday at Moanalua High School.
On the same side of the DI bracket, the Hilo Vik Queens’ season came to an end after being swept by Moanalua on Monday at Moanalua High School — 25-19, 25-21 and 25-16.
Na Menehune stayed in control for the matches entirety, led by Alessandra Siazon with nine kills. Rylie Ramones led with 11 assists, while Sienna Lee led in digs with eight.
On Hilo’s side, Meleotu Olevao, Desme Pea-Whitney, Mailani Kaleohana-Haili and Punakea Masaoka combined for 18 kills. Ky-Mani Kabalis led the Vik Queens in assists with 14, while Xheidee Kahapea tallied 10 digs.
Hilo’s season ended at 14-5 overall and 14-4 in the BIIF, placing third in the Division I-section of the conference. The Vik Queens beat Waiakea in the BIIF third-place match on Oct. 21, winning in four sets.
Moanalua improved to 12-2 overall, and will next take on No. 4 Kamehameha-Maui in the quarterfinals at 7 p.m. Thursday at home.