Kamehameha volleyball star Adrianna Arquette stands out at any position

Oct. 10—At 6 feet tall, Adrianna Arquette casts quite the shadow.

At 6 feet tall, Adrianna Arquette casts quite the shadow.

At the net, it is hammer time when Emma Lilo sets her in the middle, where Arquette earned Star-Advertiser All-State Fab 15 honors last season. This year, Arquette has gotten a plethora of swings from the right side. Her versatility as a hitter adds to her skill as a blocker and back-row defender.

The uncanny thing is, Kamehameha's Swiss Army knife isn't even playing her normal position : setter. There have been other Warriors greats who were multi-dimensional. Often, they sacrificed their comfort levels for the sake of their team.

"For club (Spike and Serve ) she has been setting, but for us, no. The things we asked her to do are the things we needed. She's so selfless and such a great teammate, there was no question about it, " Kamehameha coach Chris Blake said. "She's been the best middle in the state the past few years and it's not even her projected position."

Setters who hit. Hitters who set. From Marley Roe last year to Alohi Robins-Hardy a decade ago, it is almost a tradition.

"This year, now that we've expanded all our asks of Adri, she always seems to find a way to rise and do more. We've been using her all over the court, " Blake said. "She had Maui (Robins ) and Devin (Kahahawai ) her freshman year. They just found a way. She's just so quick and we try and figure out the best matchup she has. She can block all positions, play all positions. It's a blessing to have that tool."

It is no coincidence that Arquette's favorite player is former Kamehameha and USC standout Micah Christenson. The two-sport All-State Player of the Year provides plenty of examples as Team USA's setter.

"He's fun to watch, " she said. "I like watching his videos. Just the way he sets is really fun to watch."

Christenson, then 6-5, was an outside hitter during his high school years while setting in club play.

"I was fortunate to work with Micah—lot of similarities in their abilities and demeanor. Not the loudest on the court, but their actions and demeanor are what carry them in their leadership, " Blake noted.

Arquette delivered 18 kills and 15 digs in Kamehameha's win over No. 1 Punahou last week, adding one ace and three assists.

Her peak performance lifted the second-ranked Warriors into a tie with the Buffanblu atop the ILH Division I standings.

Kamehameha (24-4, 11-1 ) and Punahou (25-2, 11-1 ) will clash in a tiebreaker match on Wednesday at Kekuhaupio Gymnasium for the regular-season crown and an automatic state-tournament berth. A deep, talented Punahou squad has been at the top of the rankings all season. Once again, however, Kamehameha has gained momentum week by week. All the reps, all the journaling add up. Two years ago, Kamehameha rose in the postseason to capture the state tournament.

"This year we definitely have a very good group of people. We have a lot of talented underclassmen mixed with everyone else. There's many leaders on this team. Every year the coaches prepare us for the long season and five-set matches. We get better as the season goes along, plus the work on the track and in the weight room, " Arquette said.

As a team, journaling has been a key aspect in development during Blake's watch. Former players who later go into coaching flip their journals open and gain an updated perspective. Arquette keeps her journals, which began in seventh grade, on her bedroom shelf.

"The team definitely saves those journals. It's something to look back on, especially when you're coming back and looking at last year. It's also funny to look back on because after each practice we put in memories and most of the time it's funny memories, " she said.

She is looking forward to signing with Hawaii, where she will devote herself to setting—and adjust to dorm life. The short drive beats a long flight for her parents.

"Lucky for us, she will be just a 30-minute drive away, " Athens Arquette said. "We will miss her laughter, quick-witted remarks and fun demeanor. She can make you laugh and smile when you need it most. She is very family-centric and brightens up our world."

One of Hawaii's finest, Punahou coach and NCAA champion Tita Ahuna is practically the logo for O.G. players who propelled the islands onto the national radar under legendary UH coach Dave Shoji.

"The first time I noticed her was the year Devin (Kahahawai ) was a senior. She was quiet but effective, a huge threat in the middle, " Ahuna said. "She's definitely tough, versatile and unselfish. She, along with other Hawaii players, will do what it takes to benefit the team—a team-first mindset."

Arquette also takes care of business away from the court. She has a 4.0 grade-point average.

"Adrianna's superpower has always been the gift of self-motivation and discipline, " said her father, Athens. "From a young age, she's had high expectations for herself and prioritizes her academics and studies before sports and recreation. Rather than put an emphasis on high marks, points or kills, we have always stressed the importance of putting forth 110 percent effort in all she does."

The reward from mom (Marisel ) and dad for straight A's ?

"I get a 'Good job !' from my parents, " Arquette said.

Those early years as a middle schooler were classically formative for Arquette and two of her classmates. They began learning the ropes and investing long hours into their Warrior culture as seventh graders.

"She, Tia Kapihe and Kalei Watson were freshmen that 2020 year that was canceled. Then they played in the spring, " Blake recalled, noting the ILH's postponed girls volleyball season in'21.

In their limited free time, the youngsters took to social media without hesitation. Their bond began five years ago.

"Seventh grade, I remember we were both sitting in the wrong class at first, " said Kapihe, a 6-foot outside hitter and middle. "We've been doing our traditional TikTok since middle school. Literally, all of them are funny. Adri is a great friend because she has the biggest heart and genuinely cares for you."

Arquette is fond of those years. She remembers her first workout as a Warrior.

"It might have been a summer workout. We were in the gym and the weight room. It was cool to see the volleyball program, especially being a younger girl, you get to be with the high school girls and look up to them. That was cool, we were all in the same gym. In the weight room we had a strength coach. In the gym, it was Coach Chris and Coach Daryl (Tamashiro ). It's very intense, being able to play with older girls and see how their coaching was, " she said.

After sophomore year and a state championship in'21, Arquette dedicated herself to volleyball full time, giving up basketball. By that time, older brother Aiva Arquette had drawn attention as a 6-3, power-hitting shortstop during his junior year. As a senior, Aiva Arquette was the Star-Advertiser basketball Player of the Year as a senior as Saint Louis captured the state title.

"Essentially Adri's been a four-year starter. So versatile, family so supportive and athletic, " Blake said. "She's carved her own niche. She would make it a point where she was 'Aiva's sister.' Now it's 'Aiva is Adri's brother.' She still has so much upside. Her skill, quickness, explosive play. We're now using her all over the court. She's definitely grown into that role."

Aiva Arquette initially cast a formidable shadow on his younger sister, but there has always been candor between the siblings. Even now, Aiva is a baseball player at Washington who happens to send his sister evaluations after every match.

"Looking at training and preparation, I learned a lot from my family about mindset and how to be myself when I'm training and playing. Always put forth my best effort and my best work, " she said. "Aiva is constantly talking to me after every game. He's very supportive. He says this to me a lot : 'Bring out the dog in you !' He likes when I get hyped. He gets hyped too. He'll watch online and send me videos reacting to when we win."

'Iolani rose to the state title last year while Kamehameha's young squad missed the state tournament for the first time in two decades. The past two years of work is culminating in a shot at a state berth.

Trips to the Durango Fall Classic in Nevada and Kamehameha-Hawaii's Labor Day Classic are unforgettable, Arquette added.

"Definitely, my favorite memories are the relationships I made with my teammates and prob the trips we made, " Arquette said. "What would surprise most people is the overall culture of our program. It's not surprising, but it's in full effect. We play for each other and we play for the ones before us. You see the legacy of the players before us and how the coaches set the culture and the tone."

Sometime in the next month, her career as a Kamehameha volleyball player comes to an end.

"It's very sentimental. I'll miss the team and each team out of every year, " she said. "I'll miss the coaches. It's a good thing I'll have these relationships for life."

Adrianna Arquette Kamehameha volleyball —Senior —6-0—Top 3 movies /shows 1. "Ted " 2. "Grown Ups " 3. "The Goonies "—"I like comedies. We've watched 'Ted' like five times."—Top 3 food /snacks /drinks 1. Sushi, Tokoname (Kailua ) 2. Acai bowl, Juiced (Kailua ) 3. Birria tacos. "There's this food truck in Kailua. It's around the shopping center a lot of the time."—Top homemade food 1. Mom's spaghetti. "It's such a simple food, but she makes it so good. It's my comfort food."—Top 3 songs 1. "It Was A Good Day " (Ice Cube ) 2. "Cover Me Up " (Morgan Wallen ) 3. "Here Comes the Sun (Beatles )—Favorite class : Computer and Design. "Mike Massad is the kumu. He's a fun teacher. Drafting up designs on the computer and on paper. Sketches."—Favorite teacher : Mrs. Jsohnel Pacarro. "She's my homeroom teacher. She makes class fun and she's really nice."—Funniest teammate : Tia Kapihe. "She constantly makes me laugh."—Smartest teammate : Bella Amey. "I'm pretty sure she's taking a bunch of AP classes and she's only a sophomore."—GPA : 4.0—Time machine : "I would see the 1900s in Hawaii. It would be cool to see how Hawaii was back then, and how my grandparents were when they were younger."—Hidden talent : Rapping "I make up my own raps. It started with Kalei Watson. It's something we do and it's funny. I think sometimes we have some good moments. It's mostly just improv."—New life skill : golf. "I'm not sure if this is a real life skill. I'm taking a golf class. I golf sometimes with my family. I'm getting my swing down. I think this past week when we went to the range my farthest one was 170 yards."—Bucket list : "I really want to go on a trip to Tahiti for two weeks. That's about it for now."—Youth sports : "My first sport was tee ball. I was 4. I played for two seasons. I shifted more into soccer, basketball and volleyball. Soccer lasted until I was in fifth grade. I stopped playing basketball after my sophomore year. I knew volleyball was the sport I wanted to stick with."—If you could go back in time, what would you tell you younger self ? "I would tell her to cherish each moment and keep doing you."—Shoutouts : "To my family, my teammates and my coaches."