The one-game-at-a-time mind-set that’s common for teams in their post-season already was in place in late July for the Aiea girls volleyball team.<\/p>\n
A stretch of three straight road games to begin their Oahu Interscholastic Association West slate was one reason co-head coach Kory Toyozaki was on guard against her players looking ahead.<\/p>\n
“It was a tough beginning to have our first three games on the road, but having three at home to finish is a good way to end,” said Toyozaki, who shares coaching duties with Blythe Yamamoto.<\/p>\n
“We’re hoping our fans will come out and support the girls. We’re really going one at a time with this group. They weren’t used to winning last year, so we’re trying to keep them focused.<\/p>\n
“Every team in the league is pretty solid – it doesn’t matter if they’re Division I or Division II.”<\/p>\n
Much is on the line over the next two weeks for Aiea, which was one of four West Oahu teams still undefeated at 3-0 heading into the middle of last week.<\/p>\n
Aiea hosts Waialua Wednesday before turning its attention to Saturday’s showdown at Pearl City. That game with the Chargers will be the final road date before a three-game home stand against some of the West’s elite programs – Mililani Sept. 25, Kapolei Sept. 28 and Leilehua Oct. 2. (All three were a combined 9-1 as of last week.)<\/p>\n
West race aside, the Pearl City-Aiea matchup has been on both schools’ radar for another reason.<\/p>\n
Toyozaki is a Pearl City graduate and was the Chargers’ head varsity coach last fall before moving over to coach Aiea in the off-season. She teaches in the special education department at Aiea High School.<\/p>\n
Ironically, new Pearl City head coach Bryan Camello also is a teacher at Aiea in the same department.<\/p>\n
“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t excited,” Toyozaki said of the Pearl City match. “It’s hard. Of course I want our Aiea girls to do well, but I also want the girls I coached at Pearl City to do well.<\/p>\n
“We’ve scouted them already, and they’ve improved. It’s going to be about defense. Pearl City always plays good defense, and defensive play is what we’re stressing at our place as well.<\/p>\n
“It’s their homecoming, so they’ll be pumped up. They have a lot of club players. We have to come in and play our game.”<\/p>\n
Aiea’s rotation features Roina Ma’afala, Megan Ma’afala-Maiava, Destyni Grace, Leleo Maeva, Lole Kalani-Liulama, Mich’lae Higa, Katelyn Nakasone, Taylor Griep-Kadokawa and Paula Mao-Tamasese.<\/p>\n
Na Ali’i went 3-0 during its three road games, posting wins at Campbell, Waianae and Nanakuli.<\/p>\n
“We’re making slow improvement in all areas and hoping we’ll peak at the right time,” Toyozaki<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The one-game-at-a-time mind-set that’s common for teams in their post-season already was in place in late July for the Aiea..<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":41,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11,16,107],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-28834","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-hawaii-community-news","category-west","category-west-oahu-sports"],"yoast_head":"\n