The Waiakea Warriors celebrate after edging KS-Maui in five sets in the Division I quarterfinals. CJ Caraang | SL

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Waiakea had to grind out five close sets to dispatch Kamehameha-Maui, 25-21, 22-25, 20-25, 25-21, 15-11 in the quarterfinals of the New City Nissan/HHSAA Division I Boys Volleyball Championships at Moanalua on Thursday. 

Koby Aiona had a game-high 32 kills and added 18 digs, Santana Madrid added 12 kills while Nakana Labrie passed out 53 assists for Waiakea. The Warriors move on to the semifinals to play defending state champion Punahou at Moanalua. KS-Maui drops to the fifth place semifinals to play Moanalua at Radford. 

KS-Maui had three players with double-figures in kills: Hanalei Alapai (17), Ronald Jacintho (12) and Hawaeookalani Johnson (10). Austin Peters contributed 31 assists while Jacintho had 21.

Waiakea took the first set, 25-21, but KS-Maui stormed back to tie it up with a 25-20 win in set two. KS-Maui claimed the third set, but Waiakea fought back to force a fifth and decisive set.

With the game tied at nine in the fifth set, it was all Waiakea as the Warriors went on a 6-2 run to win the match.