State volleyball bracket released

Moanalua will have the benefit of some home cooking in the early stages of the state division I volleyball tournament.

The OIA champion Na Menehune are seeded second behind Kamehameha and gets to play at home in the second round against the winner between Kamehameha-Maui and reeling Kahuku. Most importantly, Moanalua avoids an ILH team for an entire week withe the new regional system. Punahou and Kamehameha have been in the state final each year since 2008.

First round, Friday at Moanalua
Kamehameha-Maui vs. Kahuku, 5 (Winner plays Moanalua on Saturday)
Waiakea vs. Mililani, 7 (Winner plays Kamehameha)

First round, Friday at Kamehameha-Maui
Kapolei vs. Castle, 5 (Winner plays King Kekaulike)
Punahou vs. Nanakuli, 7 (Winner plays Kamehameha-Hawaii)

The division II tournament begins Nov. 5, the bracket for that one has not been released. Here is the official DI bracket:

http://sportshigh.com/sports/volleyball_girls/tournament/2014/d1_bracket

A few notes:
Waiakea is in its first tournament since 2010, Mililani has been in the show for each of the last eight years and has won its first match at states in each of the last six years. The Trojans have been ousted by an ILH team four years in a row and would play Kamehameha in the second round if it can beat Waiakea. The winner of that gets Kamehameha, which is in the tournament for the 13th year in a row and won the last two state titles.

Kapolei is in the division I tournament for the first time ever, it’s last appearance at states was the 2008 division II tilt where it bowed out after a first-round loss to Word of Life. Castle is a regular in the tournament, but hasn’t won a match since 2009. King Kekaulike is in its third straight tournament but lost its first game in each of them.

Kahuku has the longest current state streak, getting into the tournament for the 14th straight year, but the Raiders have lost to a Kamehameha school in each of the last five years. KS-Maui is right behind Kahuku with a streak of 12 straight years in the tournament, but the Warriors have not won a match in three years. Moanalua is in its 13th straight tournament.

Punahou is in its ninth straight tournament and has lost to Kamehameha in the final in each of the last two years. Nanakuli is in its first tournament since at least 1996. KS-Hawaii is in its 11th straight tournament and might have to toughest travel plans, playing on Maui in the second round before traveling to Oahu for the Final Four. If everything goes to form, they will have to beat Punahou, Moanalua and Kamehameha to win it all. That is a tough task for a school that hasn’t won a state game since at least 2006.