Damien is 1 win away from sending coach Don Faumuina out a winner

Damien's Kaira Wengler (7) hit against Seabury Hall's Isabella Jardine (10) during Friday's match in the HHSAA state semifinals. Photo by Jay Metzger/Special to the Star-Advertiser.

Damien’s Lala Campbell is doing her best to keep a promise she made to herself early in the season.

It is to send Monarchs coach Don Faumuina out a winner.

Damien is one victory away after outlasting Seabury Hall 21-25, 26-24, 25-18, 15-25, 15-11 in the semifinals of the New City Nissan/HHSAA Girls Volleyball State Championships in Division II on Friday at Kaimuki.


Faumuina, in his fifth season as coach, told the media he was going to step down at season’s end after the Monarchs won their first ILH championship earlier this month.

Apparently, he let others know well before then.

“It was my goal for this year because I actually kind of heard that he was leaving,” said Campbell, a junior who had 11 kills and 12 digs against Seabury Hall. “I made a promise to myself that I would send him out a state champ and an ILH champ.”

Damien (15-1) will face Waimea for the title today at 5 p.m. at the Blaisdell Arena.

“It’s another monkey off of our backs. The last three years we were in the semis but we didn’t make it through,” Faumuina said. “Here we are and our goal was to make it past Friday night to the championship.”

Today’s match will be the final time Faumuina will roam the sidelines sucking on lollipops, which he said is a good-luck charm used since his first season as coach.


“We all play for him because he’s always there to support us and everyone played for each other tonight,” said Damien senior Rayne Pactol.

Kaira Wengler and Pili Kekipi-Nuuanu each had 12 kills for the Monarchs in a back-and-forth match against the Spartans.

“We just told them lights out, play your best, leave everything on the court and whatever happens, know you did your best,” Faumuina said.

In the fifth set, Damien jumped out to an 8-2 lead. Seabury Hall (15-1) got as close as 12-10. Campbell had three kills and Kekipi-Nuuanu added two in the set.

“I was really excited because I just wanted the game to be over. The adrenaline was going high,” Campbell said.


The Monarchs had trouble stopping Spartans 6-foot-1 junior Ella Connor, who put down 31 kills.

“We played together as a team and just tried our hardest and put all of our effort out on the court and it was fun,” she said.

DIVISION II

Match #DateMatchupTime/ScoresSite
1Oct. 23Konawaena vs. McKinleyMcK 25-16, 23-25, 18-25, 25-20, 15-11Kaimuki
2Oct. 23Kalani vs. La PietraKaln 23-25, 27-25, 25-16, 25-16Kaimuki
3Oct. 23Molokai vs. Hawaii PrepHPA 25-15, 25-15, 25-21Farrington
4Oct. 23Ka'u vs. UniversityULS 25-20, 25-18, 25-13Farrington
5*Oct. 24Konawaena vs. La PietraKona 20-25, 25-22, 15-11Kaimuki
6*Oct. 24Molokai vs. Ka'uMol 25-17, 25-15Farrington
7Oct. 24(4) Seabury Hall vs. McKinleySH 25-21, 23-25, 14-25, 25-21, 15-9Kaimuki
8Oct. 24(1) Damien vs. KalaniDMS 25-22, 25-18, 25-15Kaimuki
9Oct. 24(2) Waimea vs. Hawaii PrepWaim 25-19, 19-25, 25-23, 16-25, 15-10Farrington
10Oct. 24(3) Pearl City vs. UniversityULS 25-13, 25-14, 25-16Farrington
11*Oct. 25Konawaena vs. MolokaiMol 26-24, 26-24Moanalua
12*Oct. 25Hawaii Prep vs. Pearl CityPC 25-18, 20-25, 15-12McKinley
13*Oct. 25McKinley vs. KalaniMcK 25-20, 25-21Kaimuki
14Oct. 25Waimea vs. UniversityWaim 25-21, 25-13, 25-15Kaimuki
15Oct. 25Seabury Hall vs. DamienDMS 21-25, 26-24, 25-18, 15-25, 15-11Kaimuki
16*Oct. 26Pearl City vs. McKinleyMcK 20-25, 25-19, 15-8Blaisdell Arena
17*Oct. 26University vs. Seabury HallULS 25-20, 27-25Blaisdell Arena
18Oct. 26Waimea vs. DamienDMS 25-19, 25-11, 25-14Blaisdell Arena
* — consolation

COMMENTS

  1. DMSheartandsoul October 26, 2019 5:22 pm

    Lesgo LadyMonarchs!


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