Kapa’a Makes History with First-Ever State Volleyball Title for Kaua’i

The Kapa‘a girls volleyball team etched its name into Hawai‘i high school sports history Saturday night.

The Warriors captured their first-ever state championship — and the first for any school from the island of Kaua‘i — with a thrilling five-set victory over Seabury Hall at Bank of Hawai‘i Arena at the Stan Sheriff Center in the New City Nissan/HHSAA Division II Girls Volleyball State Championships presented by Hawai’i Army National Guard.

Behind a monster performance from senior outside hitter Carlyn Kamoku-Rapozo, who recorded a double-double with 31 kills and 14 digs, the fourth-seeded Warriors (15-0) outlasted the third-seeded Spartans (19-1) by set scores of 25-22, 25-23, 21-25, 21-25, 15-13.

The match featured two previously undefeated teams, each seeking its first state crown. In the end, it was Kapa‘a that prevailed, earning a historic championship for both the program and the entire Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation (KIF).

“If you ask the girls what their ‘why’ is — because we play for a reason, not just for this trophy — their why is Kaua‘i. ‘Kaua‘i as why,’ if you haven’t heard it,” said second-year head coach Paea Tafea, a 2017 Kapa‘a graduate.


“They play for more than Kapa‘a — they play for their family and the other schools on the island. We might compete hard against each other at home, but when we come to states, we represent Kaua‘i together.”

The victory marked redemption for the Warriors, who finished fourth in the state tournament just a year ago.

“We were here last year and got a taste of it,” Tafea said. “More than half the team came back hungry, and tonight they got their reward.”

Kamoku-Rapozo, named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, said the team’s success was fueled by a shared sense of purpose.

“Our ‘why’ is Kaua‘i, and we played for them tonight,” she said. “We did this for our island and hope we made everyone proud. It feels amazing — we came together, made history for our school, and thank God for everything.”

Kapa‘a’s senior class led the way in the championship match. Kuuipo Hunt tallied a double-double of her own with 14 kills and 21 digs, and added six service aces. Libero Mandy Gokan chipped in 16 digs, while setter Kanani Silva notched 48 assists and 11 digs.

“With our team being senior-heavy, they knew they had to lift everyone up,” Tafea added. “They understood the experience and did their job.”

The Warriors’ triumph capped a perfect season and brought long-awaited glory to the Garden Isle. The last KIF team to reach the Division II final was Waimea, which fell to Damien in straight sets in 2019.

“It means a lot,” Kamoku-Rapozo said. “We did this together as one. This moment — it’s something we’ll never forget.”

PHOTOS BY CJ CARAANG