ILH champion Punahou received the top seed in the Outrigger Hotels & Resorts Girls Soccer State Championships beginning Friday.
The Buffanblu are joined by OIA champion Campbell, MIL champion Baldwin and BIIF champion Konawaena as the top four seeds.
Punahou will await the winner between perennial powers Kamehameha-Maui and Mililani, who play at 5 p.m. at Kamehameha. Waiakea and Pearl City face off in the other first-round match at Kamehameha, with the winner meeting Campbell for a berth in the semifinals.
The other regional will be played at Konawaena, where the Wildcats will enjoy a distinct home field advantage. Konawaena has been in the last four state tournaments but lost its first match in each of the last three.
They can expect a test this time, too.
Moanalua and Kaiser face off at Konawaena in the first round’s only all-OIA match with the winner taking on the Wildcats on their home field. Na Menehune beat Kaiser 3-2 in the regular season.
The other first-round match on the Big Island puts ILH runner up Iolani vs. Kahuku with the winner facing Baldwin. If the Bears, who are in the tournament for the first time since 2012, can win that match they will fly from the Big Island to Oahu, where the Final Four will be held Feb. 20 and 21 at Waipio Peninsula Soccer Complex.
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