The Moanalua boys volleyball team is on the brink of securing their lead over the rest of the Oahu Interscholastic Association in a championship match on Wednesday night. They will face a familiar opponent, as Na Menehune secured their spot in the OIA Division I championship match by sweeping Campbell in three sets on Monday night. Their opponents, Mililani, also earned their place in the final by defeating Castle in three sets.
This will be the third consecutive post-COVID championship match between Mililani and Moanalua. Mililani, who remains undefeated at 12-0, had strong performances from Tyler Duranceau and Aris Mateo against Castle, with both players registering 18 kills each. Meanwhile, Moanalua’s Ezekiel Sablan and D’Angelo Ross led the way with kills against Campbell, with Sablan also contributing with two solo blocks.
Moanalua has been dominant in the OIA D-I tournament, winning 10 of the last 11 titles under coach Alan Cabanting. The only exception was Mililani in 2017 under coach Trent Niino. The winner of Wednesday’s championship match will earn the OIA’s seeded berth in the state tournament, joining ILH winner Punahou with a first-round bye. Other leagues, such as the Big Island Interscholastic Federation and Maui Interscholastic League, will also be holding their finals on Wednesday night.
Brian McInnis covers sports for Spectrum News Hawaii and can be reached at brian.mcinnis@charter.com for additional information or to discuss this article further.
