It was the same old story for the Big Island Interscholastic Federation at the Hawaii High School Athletic Association volleyball tournament. ADVERTISING It was the same old story for the Big Island Interscholastic Federation at the Hawaii High School Athletic
It was the same old story for the Big Island Interscholastic Federation at the Hawaii High School Athletic Association volleyball tournament.
The league’s best in Division I watched the Interscholastic League of Honolulu flex its muscle again.
McKenna Granato and Lillie Klemmer each recorded 11 kills Saturday night, and Punahou swept Kamehameha-Hawaii 25-15, 25-16, 25-17 in Pukalani, Maui, in the state quarterfinals.
The five-time BIIF champion Warriors (15-1) entered the match unbeaten and armed with what was likely the strongest roster in school history and league history. But they never got on track and were held to a -.012 hitting percentage.
“Unfortunately, we just weren’t able to play at the level that we expected and the level we reached against Waiakea in the BIIF championship,” coach Sam Thomas said. “The girls would have liked to have done better.”
Kaiulani Ahuna led Kamehameha with nine kills and Maraea O’Connor added six.
Thomas said the Buffanblu’s height and hitting prowess were too much to overcome.
“We’re a big team for the BIIF, but Punahou is bigger,” Thomas said. “When you’re a tall player and you make an error, you can compensate it with being big.”
The Buffanblu (14-3) finished runner-up in the ILH to Kamehameha-Kapalama, which also reached the state semifinals Saturday by sweeping Waiakea 25-11, 25-18, 25-23 in Honolulu.
Kadara Marshall led the BIIF runner-up Warriors (13-5) with six kills.
Kamehameha entered having not won an opening match at states in 10 consecutive trips. But — armed with three USA Volleyball A-1 players: Ahuna, Zoe Leonard and Kamalu Makekau-Whittaker — it had reason to believe the streak would not reach 11.
Instead, the Warriors went out in 71 minutes.
Asked about a bright spot, Thomas pointed to Ahuna’s passing.
Kamehameha took three more swings than the Punahou but finished with 17 fewer kills. Ahuna (.120 hitting), O’Connor (.087) and Leonard (three kills , -.190) all took more than 20 attempts. Makekau-Whittaker compiled 17 assists.
“We just made a lot of hitting errors,” Thomas said.
Punahou’s attacl rate was .275, and none of its hitters took more tham 18 swings.
The ILH powerhouses have combined to claim the last 11 state championships, and Thomas said it’s difficult to simulate the rise in play that BIIF teams face once they reach states.
Thomas was an assistant on a Kamehameha-Hawaii boys team last spring that made multiple trips to Oahu and one to the mainland to gain a competitive edge.
“I think that’s what you have to do to overcome it,” Thomas said. “There are some great players in the BIIF, but it’s different when you face the ILH.”
Waiakea wins opener
The one-two hitting punch of Marshall (13 kills) and Alison Fuata (12) helped Waiakea come back to beat Mililani 21-25, 11-25, 25-16, 25-11, 15-6 on Friday in the opening round.
Marshall was nearly flawless as the Warriors rallied from a two-set deficit against the Trojans of the Oahu Interscholastic Association, making only one error in hitting .414. Freshman Kayla Kahauolopua added nine kills, Hilei Ishii-Chaves had eight and Kakano Maikui had six.
Waiakea outdug the Trojans 85-74, getting 18 from Tiani Teanio, and it won the serve-receive battle with nine aces, including three by Kylee Ancheta.
HHSAA Division I glance
FRIDAY
First round
at Moanalua High, Honolulu
Waiakea def. Mililani 21-25, 11-25, 25-16, 25-11, 15-6
Kahuku def. Kamehameha-Maui 25-11, 25-16, 27-25
at Kamehameha-Maui
Kapolei def. Castle 25-13, 25-22, 25-17
Punahou def. Nanakuli 25-13, 25-15, 25-10
SATURDAY
Quarterfinals
at Kamehameha-Maui
Punahou def. No. 3 Kamehameha-Hawaii 25-15, 25-17, 25-15
Kapolei def. No. 4 King Kekaulike 22-25, 18-25, 27-25, 25-18, 15-8
at Moanalua High, Honolulu
No. 2 Moanalua def. Kahuku 25-21, 25-13, 25-22
No. 1 Kamehameha-Kapalama def. Waiakea 25-11, 25-18, 25-23
Consolations
at Kamehameha-Maui
Castle def. Nanakuli 24-26, 25-22, 15-11
at Moanalua High, Honolulu
Mililani def. Kamehameha-Maui 23-25, 25-23, 15-10
FRIDAY, NOV. 7
Semifinals
at McKinley High, Honolulu
No. 1 Kamehameha-Kapalama (16-0) vs. Kapolei (14-3), 5 p.m.
No. 2 Moanalua (15-0) vs. Punahou (14-3), 7 p.m.
SATURDAY, NOV. 8
At Neal S. Blaisdell
Arena, Honolulu
Third place
Semifinal losers, 3:30 p.m.
Championship
Semifinal winners, 7 p.m.
