HONOLULU — The best of the Oahu Interscholastic Association and Interscholastic League of Honolulu will settle softball supremacy over the next two days.
The OIA’s top two teams, Campbell and Waianae, and both ILH representatives to the state tournament, Kamehameha and Iolani, advanced to the DataHouse/HHSAA Division I semifinals with wins at Rainbow Wahine Softball Stadium on Thursday.
Three of the four quarterfinals were lopsided affairs, with Iolani, Kamehameha and Waianae scoring in double digits. They routed BIIF champion Waiakea 16-3, traditional OIA power Mililani 11-4, and MIL champ Baldwin 15-2, respectively.
No. 1 seed Campbell had the toughest time, as OIA West rival Kapolei had the tying run on base in the bottom of the seventh before Sabers ace Taryn Irimata induced a strikeout and a flyout to secure a 4-3 victory.
OIA champion Campbell (14-0) gets ILH runner-up Iolani (15-5) in the first semifinal at 4:30 p.m. Thursday at RWSS. ILH champ Kamehameha (13-5) and OIA runner-up Waianae (12-3) follow at 7.
Campbell is going for its fifth state title, and first since three-peating from 2015-17. Iolani has three titles, the last in 2019. Kamehameha, an eight-time champion, last won it all in 2008. And Waianae, bolstered by some notable transfers this season, is going for its first-ever state crown.
Brian McInnis covers the state's sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at brian.mcinnis@charter.com.