It’s not how many you lose, when you lose them is way more important.
Kahuku, which looked like the class of the OIA East all season and rose as high as No. 2 in the Star-Advertiser’s top 10 poll, drew a particularly tough draw in the Division I girls volleyball state tournament beginning Tuesday on the Big Island.
The Red Raiders, who lost successive matches to Mililani and Moanalua in the OIA tournament this week, fell to third in the OIA and open their state tournament against Hilo at Kamehameha-Hawaii. Should Kahuku get by the scrappy Vikings, they would play ILH Champion Kamehameha in the second round. The Warriors earned the top seed with a win over Punahou to win their first ILH championship since 2008 on Thursday night.
Kamehameha-Maui is the other seeded team on Kamehameha’s side of the draw and will get the winner between Moanalua and Leilehua.
Undefeated OIA champion Mililani was awarded the second seed in the tournament and opens on Wednesday at Keeau against the winner of Tuesday’s opening-round match between King Kekaulike and Aiea.
Kamehameha-Hawaii is the third seed but wasn’t given any favors for it. The Warriors, who are ranked eighth in the poll, will have to play their first match against either No. 10 Farrington or NO. 2 Punahou. The Governors and Buffanblu feature the only first-round matchup containing ranked teams. Kahuku is currently ranked No. 4 but is certain to fall when the new poll comes out on Tuesday.
Kamehameha and Punahou have played in each of the last five state championship matches and the final game has pitted two ILH teams against each other every year since 2002.
The semifinals are set for Thursday at Kamehameha-Hawaii with the championship the next day at the same site.
Division I girls volleyball tournament
| Match | Date | Matchup | Time/Scores | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oct. 29 | Aiea 3, King Kekaulike 0 | 25-21, 25-20, 25-10 | Keaau |
| 2 | Oct. 29 | Punahou 3, Farrington 0 | 25-9, 25-9, 25-14 | Keaau |
| 3 | Oct. 29 | Moanalua 3, Leilehua 0 | 25-13, 25-7, 25-11 | KS-Hawaii |
| 4 | Oct. 29 | Kahuku 3, Hilo 0 | 25-14, 25-16, 26-24 | KS-Hawaii |
| 5* | Oct. 30 | Farrington 2, King Kekaulike 0 | 25-10, 25-14 | Keaau |
| 6* | Oct. 30 | Hilo 2, Leilehua 1 | 25-22, 18-25, 16-14 | KS-Hawaii |
| 7 | Oct. 30 | Mililani 3, Aiea 0 | 25-17, 25-15, 15-9 | Keaau |
| 8 | Oct. 30 | Punahou 3, KS-Hawaii 0 | 25-11, 25-22, 25-17 | Keaau |
| 9 | Oct. 30 | Moanalua 3, KS-Maui 0 | 27-25, 25-18, 25-10 | KS-Hawaii |
| 10 | Oct. 30 | Kamehameha 3, Kahuku 1 | 25-27, 25-22, 25-18, 25-14 | KS-Hawaii |
| 11* | Oct. 31 | Hilo 2, Farrington 1 | 23-25, 25-23, 15-13 | Keaau |
| 12* | Oct. 31 | Kahuku 2, KS-Maui 0 | 25-23, 25-15 | Keaau |
| 13* | Oct. 31 | KS-Hawaii 2, Aiea 0 | 25-21, 25-18 | Keaau |
| 14 | Oct. 31 | Kamehameha 3, Moanalua 0 | 25-18, 25-22, 25-19 | KS-Hawaii |
| 15 | Oct. 31 | Punahou 3, Mililani 0 | 25-10, 25-12, 25-8 | KS-Hawaii |
| 16** | Nov. 1 | Kahuku 2, KS-Hawaii 0 | 25-20, 25-19 | KS-Hawaii |
| 17# | Nov. 1 | Mililani 2, Moanalua 1 | 25-23, 26-27, 15-11 | KS-Hawaii |
| 18*** | Nov. 1 | Kamehameha 3, Punahou 0 | 25-19, 25-20, 25-15 | KS-Hawaii |
| * — consolation | ** — 5th-place match | |||
| # — 3rd-place match | *** — championship | |||
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