The Hawaii High School girls volleyball season is in full swing and so is the state’s most dynamic talent.
Two weeks ago, Kamehameha senior Devin Kahahawai returned to the Warriors after winning a bronze medal with Team USA’s U18 squad at the FIVB World Championships in Mexico.
“It was honestly an unreal experience. The caliber of play and competition was so awesome and the biggest thing I took away from it was the relationships you build. Just the twelve of us, the team was so strong and I look forward to one of the girls on the team is actually going to come stay with me here in Hawaii for Christmas. I can’t wait to show her our,” Kahahawai told KHON2 Sports Director Rob DeMello.
Kahahawai made her season debut two weeks ago in a victory over Iolani, where she led the team with 28 kills. She would play less in a victory over Mid Pacific, but made her presence felt with eight kills. The return to ILH play was heartfelt for the University of Texas commit who admits that even though she was away, never removed herself from the Kamehameha team.
“Don’t tell my coach this but I stayed up until 1:30 one night watching I want to say a Punahou game, because I was just so into it. It was so exciting, I was like, oh my gosh. I texted them before every game just to wish them good luck and let them know that I’m still here, so I’ve been keeping touch with them in Mexico and it was just so much fun to watch them play,” said Kahahawai. “It’s fun to be home. I had my time in Mexico, that was nice but I’m glad to be home and I just can’t wait to play with and compete against the girls that we’ve known since we were in middle school and elementary.”
While Kahahawai was away, Kamehameha played Punahou twice and came up short in both meetings. On Tuesday the Warriors wiill face the Buffanblu for a third and final team in the regular season, and although league and state playoffs, Kahahawai doesn’t deny that the upcoming match is an important one.
“I want to say it’s because it’s going to be our last time playing Punahou in the regular season. So this is kind of important for us because this is our last chance to kind of show who we are against them and we wouldn’t see them again until mid November so this is pep in the step, like get us going, see where we are and it’s going to be fun.”
The Warriors and Buffanblu will face off on Tuesday at 6:30 pm on the campus of Kamehameha. The match will be televised on Spectrum OC16.