Whitford continues to make her mark
The “Aloha Spirit” is alive and well in Sage Hill School senior Kekai Whitford.
Whitford, who was born in Honolulu and whose mother, Cathy, moved back to Oahu three years ago, still has a special connection with Hawaii. Talk to her for a moment and the spirit of selflessness, that friendliness which Hawaiians are known for, really comes through.
Sage Hill School girls’ volleyball coach Dan Thomassen said all of his three captains this year, including Whitford, fellow outside hitter Halland McKenna and setter Maddy Abbott, have that “Aloha Spirit.” So does the team’s other senior, middle blocker Ingrid Dickinson.
“I learned about the ‘Aloha Spirit’ a while ago, one of the early times I went to Hawaii,” Thomassen said. “It’s really giving without expecting anything in return. I think it just really fits with the way Kekai is, and the mentality of Sage Hill and what it was founded on. When I think of those four seniors, they’re all that way. To have four seniors on your team who embody that, it’s amazing.
“All four of those families are super-active in the community. All four of those families are all about giving. It’s so good to see the kids carry that on.”
Whitford plays outside hitter for the Lightning girls’ volleyball team, but is bound for Loyola Marymount as a libero. At 5-foot-7, she nevertheless stands tall as one of the top players in Orange County, trying to help Sage win an outright Academy League title, as well as a third CIF title with the core group of herself, Abbott and the Stanford-bound McKenna.
She’s definitely a key piece for the Lightning, who are again top-ranked in CIF Southern Section Division 3AA. Yet, Whitford is just as willing to talk about making blankets for kids in the hospital.
It’s her service learning project at Sage Hill this year. Whitford and four of her fellow seniors are planning to make blankets for children who have been in chemotherapy or who are currently undergoing the chemotherapy process. They will then deliver the blankets to the kids, at Mission Hospital in Mission Viejo as well as at Orangewood Children’s Foundation in Santa Ana.
The name of the project, “Piggies in a blanket,” is a bit silly. The idea is not.
“My friend Kelli [Nagasawa], her dad works at Mission Hospital, and we all wanted to do something that was helping kids somehow,” Whitford said. “That was something that we thought we could do that was simple, but really meaningful and a big gesture. Not for us doing it, but more for them, to have something that they can take with them and remember for the rest of their lives.”
One thing that Whitford won’t forget is playing volleyball at Sage Hill. It’s been a very memorable four-year run, and the team has accomplished many firsts. In August, the Lightning won the top bracket at the Kamehameha Maui Invitational. Last month, the Lightning advanced to the Division 1 quarterfinals at the prestigious Dave Mohs Memorial Tournament, the program’s best finish at the tournament. Sage also swept Mater Dei in a nonleague match. At the time, the Monarchs were ranked No. 2 in the Division 1AA preseason poll.
Sage Hill, which was 9-3 and a perfect 4-0 in league heading into Friday’s match against Brethren Christian, is ranked No. 4 in Orange County by the Register. It’s the first time the Lightning have ever been top-five.
“Last year, we were eighth or ninth, which was awesome then,” Whitford said. “[Being top five in the county] really shows the character in the group of girls that we have here, the ability to work for each other and with each other.”
The immediate goal, though, is to win the league title. Whitford, the Daily Pilot Athlete of the Week, recently helped Sage get a step closer.
She had a match-high 21 kills and 10 digs as Sage Hill swept rival St. Margaret’s at home on Sept. 26. The win was huge, as the Tartans, ranked No. 4 in Division 3AA, appear to be the top competition in league this year.
Even at the start of the match, Thomassen sensed it would be a good one for Whitford and the Lightning.
“I saw her smiling early,” he said. “She’s one of those players, when she’s smiling and enjoying all of the little things, you know she’s going to do great.”
Whitford, last year’s CIF Southern Section Division 3A Player of the Year and a Daily Pilot Newport-Mesa Dream Team selection, continues to do great. She put in the work in the offseason.
Three mornings a week over the summer, the Lightning would lift weights with the guidance of Sage football assistant coach Ricky Sharpe. Whitford would often stay longer to keep working.
Thomassen said that Whitford can squat 225 pounds for reps. Her strength is seen on the court but also in her leadership as one of the three captains for a team that is younger than in the past.
“I think that we definitely try to help motivate in the best way that we can,” Whitford said. “Each girl’s different, each person reacts differently, so I think that we’re trying to find that way to connect with each girl that can help them the most. At the end of the day, we just want to make the team better. Wins or losses, CIF, state, that comes with how well we do in practice and how well we can build our team up, I guess.”
“We have such a great group of hustlers and workers on the team that give it 110% every practice and every game. Being able to be on a team, especially our senior year, that has that mentality? That’s something that is getting us excited for not only the rest of this season, but when we leave, to know that will be what we’re leaving behind.”
“Aloha” also means goodbye. Whitford knows that things will be in good hands when she says “aloha” to Sage Hill.
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Kekai Whitford
Born: Aug. 8, 1997
Hometown: Costa Mesa
Height: 5-foot-7
Sport: Volleyball
Year: Senior
Coach: Dan Thomassen
Favorite food: Frozen yogurt
Favorite movie: “The Blind Side”
Favorite athletic moment: Helping Sage Hill beat Mater Dei this year in a nonleague match.
Week in review: Whitford had a match-high 21 kills and nine digs as Sage Hill swept rival St. Margaret’s in a key Academy League match Sept. 26.
