HONOLULU — Some sublime execution of “endgame” Wednesday night ensured that Kamehameha will have the opportunity to be the last team standing in November.
The Warriors took the points that mattered most to sweep Punahou 25-21, 25-23, 25-21 at a playoff at Kekuhaupio Gym to determine the Interscholastic League of Honolulu girls’ volleyball regular-season champion — and more importantly, the recipient of an automatic state tournament berth.
It took on a little extra meaning for Kamehameha, the most dominant program in the state over the last two decades with 11 HHSAA championships since 2005. The Warriors missed last year's state tournament, a first since 2001.
“It means a lot. We’re very, very excited and we can’t wait,” said senior opposite Adrianna Arquette, who led Kamehameha with 17 kills on .317 hitting with 18 digs. “I think overall (compared to last year) it’s just our overall mindset and our competitiveness.”
Kamanao Goldstein added 10 kills for the Warriors while setter Emma Lilo dealt 41 assists.
Longtime coach Chris Blake allowed that his team would enjoy the outcome before it got back in the gym Thursday with a mind to claim the overall ILH title.
“It’s another step in our process. We’re really proud of our work,” Blake said. “We know our job isn’t necessarily close to being done.”
Punahou (11-2), which won the first meeting of the teams this season before dropping last week's rematch in four, had its chances with late leads in each set. Coach Tita Ahuna was left to rue some lapses. The Buffanblu face Iolani to open the double-elimination ILH tournament on Saturday to pursue the league’s other Division I state berth.
“We took the lead several times in this game and we couldn’t sustain that. Hat’s off to Kamehameha,” Ahuna said. “We gotta look at our defense. I was worried about passing, but we came along quite well (in that aspect). But it was our defense that (did it).”
One drill the Warriors work on regularly in practice is dubbed “endgame,” with execution from the 20-point mark and on.
“It’s very important to stay composed,” Blake said. “Our defensive alignment, our serve-receive and also our serving, right there in endgame was a big key in Sets 1, 2 and 3 in the end.”
That included a marathon point in Set 3 that lasted seemingly for minutes before the Warriors put it down to set up match point.
Kala Chock put down the match-winner on a shot down the line.
The Warriors shifted Kalei Watson to the back row with their usual libero, Ashli Lum, out with an illness. Watson, who had 14 kills as a hitter in the Warriors’ four-set win over the Buffanblu last week, responded with 19 digs.
Chock, coming back from an injury from the Durango Fall Classic, moved to the left pin in Watson’s stead and had four kills and 19 digs.
Kamehameha did not substitute, but Blake credited the “Machine” of bench players who prepared the starters for Punahou’s best efforts.
“The thing that we have within our group of 20, we call it our ‘benergy,’ the bench energy happening over there,” Blake said. “They’re checked in, ready to go and do those type of things. Whoever we roll with our crew, they understand that it’s always going to be a team win.”
Lulu Uluave led Punahou with 11 kills.
Brian McInnis covers the state's sports scene for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at brian.mcinnis@charter.com.