Mililani's Ashley Vaoifi recorded a match-high 12 kills to lead Mililani in a three-set sweep of Castle in an OIA Red Tournament second-round match Thursday. Joshua Lopez | Mililani HS

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Kapolei's Tristan Pebria, shown here on a carry against Waianae, had 111 rushing yards and 3 scores in the Hurricanes' 42-27 win over Kailua Friday. Amber Popovich | Special to SL

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Male Athlete of the Week: Triston Pebria, Kapolei
In less than a year on campus, Triston Pebria has quickly become the catalyst for Kapolei football.

After a breakout junior season at Campbell, in which he rushed for a team-high 483 yards, Pebria transferred to nearby Kapolei in the Winter.

"When he came to us, the kids immediately liked him," Hurricanes' coach Darren Hernandez said. "He earned their respect through hard work. He was always working hard in the weight room and doing just the little things."

This season, Pebria is leading the Kapolei triple-option attack with 757 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns - both team-highs. According to Hernandez, Pebria broke Radford Raquedan's record of 752 yards - the most-ever by a Kapolei running back in a single season - with his 111 rushing yards in the Hurricanes' 42-27 win over Kailua Friday.

"You don't see a lot of 1,000-yard rushers at Kapolei because we run the triple-option and we share the carries," Hernandez said. "Despite that, (Pebria) has really done well and we're really excited to have him. He needs about 110 yards rushing for the most individual rushing yards - which is 860 yards by Mason Koa, who was a quarterback."

Pebria, who Hernandez compares to Jacksonville Jaguars' running back Maurice Jones-Drew at 5-feet, 7-inches and 180 pounds, had just 16 carries against the Surfriders, but found the end zone three times.

He got the Hurricanes on the board at the four-minute and 42-second mark in the first-quarter on an 8-yard run off right tackle to put his team up 6-0. Minutes later, he scored on a 5-yard run to extend the Kapolei lead to 13-0 and early in the second quarter, Pebria added a 25-yard scamper up the middle of the Kailua defense to make it 20-0.

"He's super explosive, he's shifty and he's strong," said Hernandez, whose team rushed for 231 yards (6.4 yards per rush) and four touchdowns on the night.

Pebria rushed for a season-high 189 yards on 19 carries in a season-opening win over Pearl City, but was held to just 35 yards on 16 attempts a week later in a non-league win over McKinley due to a hamstring injury. He also missed Kapolei's next game - a 35-0 loss to Mililani - a week later while recovering.

"It was near the ending of that McKinley game that he said felt a little bit of a twinge. It hurt it really bad during that game and I could notice he wasn't himself," Hernandez said. "He tried to tough it out, but he wasn't the same. There was no push or explosion in that leg, but he came back and it's been getting better and better. I think he's close to full strength now."

Still, Hernandez said what makes Pebria special is his work ethic and leadership.

"He's such a hard worker and just a really solid good kid," Hernandez said. "He's just one of those guys that is a leader on the team. The kids look up to him, he leads the team in prayer. He's just a solid citizen."

Kapolei, the No. 4 seed out of the Red West, travels to Roosevelt's Ticky Vasconcellos Stadium for a Friday date with Red East champion Farrington in an Oahu Interscholastic Association Red Conference Tournament quarterfinal. Kickoff between the Hurricanes and Governors is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

Female Athlete of the Week: Ashlee Vaoifi, Mililani girls volleyball
At 5-feet, 5-inches tall, Ashlee Vaoifi is not your typical outside hitter.

In fact, the Mililani senior is just one inch taller than libero Kayla Magbaleta and four inches shorter than setter Jordyn Keamo. However, in two seasons that Val Crabbe has coached Vaoifi, she has learned not to underestimate her athletic ability or her fortitude.

"Last year coming into tryouts, she was injured and she and her mom really wanted her to work through that injury, but she wouldn't get cleared until a month into the preseason and it would probably take until the playoffs to get her ready," Crabbe reminisced. "Instead, I told them that I felt she should let her body heal. Otherwise the injury will nag her forever and we'd be having this conversation again as a senior."

Vaoifi followed Crabbe's advice and sat out the prep season before coming back for the club season in the Winter.

"It was a hard decision for her, but I think she learned a lot," Crabbe said. "I think it was humbling for her to have to sit and taking stats with us, but she got a different perspective from watching and listening to what we're trying to do. Sometimes when you're removed from it, I think you can understand it a little better and I think that helped her."

This season, Vaoifi has been one of several go-to-players for the undefeated Trojans. She recorded a match-high 12 kills to lead Mililani in a three-set sweep of Castle in an Oahu Interscholastic Association Red Conference Tournament second-round match Thursday.

"She plays a lot bigger than her height," Crabbe said of Vaoifi. "She's just quick. Her reflexes are fast and she just adjusts to everything well. She adjusts to the sets, the speed of it, and a lot of it is just her athleticism. She plays all the rotations and she's really improved on her back row and her serving."

Crabbe is as proud of Vaoifi's academic progress since transferring from Leilehua after her sophomore season.

"I think she has a better appreciation for academics and its importance - I think she's taking two (Advanced Placement) classes this year," Crabbe said. "I think she's seeing that she's really little in volleyball-standards and she's seeing what she's up against, so her future - as much as I think she'd like to include volleyball - it's not like she's banking on it. She's been really focused this year, both on and off the court."

Mililani plays Moanalua in an Oahu Interscholastic Association Red Conference Tournament third-round match Tuesday night at McKinley's Student Council Gymnasium. The Trojans has already punched its ticket to the New City Nissan/Hawaii High School Athletic Association Division I State Championships, which will be played on the Big Island Oct. 29 to Nov. 1.

WEEK 9 TOP PERFORMERS

AIR RIFLERY
Zane Grzeskczak, Pearl City - Won the OIA boys' individual title with a score of 513

Kristi Takaki, Pearl City - Won the OIA girls' individual title with a score of 533

BOWLING
Danielle August, Mililani - Rolled a high-game of 627 in an OIA Western Division girls' tournament

Nicholas Azumi, Pearl City - Rolled a high-series of 667 in an OIA Western Division boys' tournament

Thomas Berger, Aiea - Rolled a perfect 300 in an OIA Western Division boys' tournament

Nicole Fox, Mililani - Rolled a high-game of 239 in an OIA Western Division girls' tournament

Jennifer Lee, Castle - Rolled a high-game of 212 in an OIA Eastern Division girls' tournament

Keenan Nakagawa, Kalani - Rolled a high-game of 224 in an OIA Eastern Division boys' tournament

Bradley Nakamura, Pearl City - Rolled a high-series of 671 in an OIA Western Division boys' tournament

Tyra Sanchez, Moanalua - Rolled a high-series of 564 in an OIA Eastern Division girls' tournament

Ikaika Soderberg, Castle - Rolled a high-series of 621 in an OIA Eastern Division boys' tournament

CROSS COUNTRY
Amanda Beaman, Iolani - Won the Punahou Invitational girls' race in a time of 19 minutes and 14.62 seconds

Davis Kaahanui, Kamehameha - Won the Punahou Invitational boys' race in a time of 16 minutes and 6.78 seconds

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
Silerolia Gaogao, Moanalua - Recorded a match-high 19 kills in a four-set win over Leilehua

Savanah Kahakai, Farrington - Recorded a match-high 22 kills in a three-set win over Waianae

Kayla Kilaulani, Leilehua - Recorded a team-high 16 kills in a four-set loss to Moanalua

FOOTBALL
Jacob Anae, Waipahu - Rushed for 111 yards and a touchdown in loss to McKinley

Chad Aragon, Moanalua - Caught nine passes for 133 yards and two touchdowns in loss to Leilehua

Gerime Bradley, McKinley - Caught a touchdown pass, intercepted two passes and recovered a fumble in win over Waipahu

Dishon Cho, Konawaena - Scored on a 99-yard kickoff return in win over Kealakehe

Dylan Combs, Punahou - Caught four passes for 154 yards in win over Pac-Five

Kingston Fernandez, Kapolei - Recorded three sacks in win over Kailua

Ammon Fukino, Kamehameha - Scored on a 4-yard fumble return in win over Damien

Heisman Hosoda, Punahou - Rushed for 117 yards and two touchdowns in win over Pac-Five

Cameron Howes, Konawaena - Caught a touchdown pass, intercepted a pass and recorded a sack in win over Kealakehe

Keaho Kaawa, Kealakehe - Scored on a 43-yard interception return in loss to Konawaena

Aizon Kahana, Kapolei - Passed for 208 yards with two touchdowns and rushed for 58 yards in win over Kailua

Alika Kahaulelio, Kamehameha - Scored on an 82-yard punt return in win over Damien

Kekoa Kaluhiokalani, Waianae - Rushed for two touchdowns in win over Castle

Tristan Kamaka, Leilehua - Caught a touchdown pass and scored on an 88-yard punt return in win over Moanalua

Kaleo Kanekoa, Castle - Scored on an 80-yard fumble return in loss to Waianae

Micah Kaneshiro, Moanalua - Completed 27 of 45 passes for 294 yards and two touchdowns in loss to Leilehua

Daniel Kelley, Maui - Rushed for four touchdowns in win over King Kekaulike

Charles McDonald, Punahou - Kicked a 36-yard field goal and was 8 of 8 on extra points in win over Pac-Five

Randy Neverson, Leilehua - Rushed 12 times for 182 yards and two touchdowns in win over Moanalua

Triston Pebria, Kapolei - Rushed 16 times for 111 yards and three touchdowns in win over Kailua

Ikaika Piceno, Leilehua - Rushed for two touchdowns and caught a touchdown pass in win over Moanalua

Jared Rocha-Isalas, Lahainaluna - Rushed for two touchdowns in win over Kamehameha-Maui

Kotoni Sekona, Punahou - Rushed for two touchdowns in win over Pac-Five

Kainoa Simao, Kamehameha - Rushed 20 times for 294 yards with two touchdowns and caught a 58-yard touchdown pass in win over Damien

Sheadon Spencer, Kailua - Recovered a fumble in the end zone for a touchdown in loss to Kapolei

Robert Straton, Punahou - Scored on a 62-yard interception return in win over Pac-Five

Chase Takaki, Konawaena - Caught four passes for 131 yards and two touchdowns in win over Kealakehe

Elijah Tasini, Maui - Rushed 17 times for 242 yards and two touchdowns in win over King Kekaulike

Wayne Taulapapa, Punahou - Rushed for 112 yards and two touchdowns in win over Pac-Five

Chazz Troutman, Nanakuli - Ran for three touchdowns and scored on a punt return in win over Anuenue

Tyrell Tuiasosopo, McKinley - Caught two touchdown passes, scored on a 50-yard interception return and intercepted three passes in win over Waipahu

Mathias Tuitele-Iafeta, McKinley - Passed for 204 yards with four touchdowns and made a game-high 11 tackles and recovered a pair of fumbles in win over Waipahu.