High schools
Kamehameha captures ILH championship

By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer

Kamehameha's Eric Kalima comes up with an impressive dig against Punahou in the first game. The Warriors won the match to take the Interscholastic League of Honolulu championship. Gregory Yamamoto • The Honolulu Advertiser

The Warriors were pushed to the hilt in defeating the Buffanblu, 15-10, 15-9, 11-15, 15-8, to capture the Interscholastic League of Honolulu overall championship last night at Kekuhaupi'o Gym.

The final match of the ILH's second round lasted two hours, nine minutes; the Warriors (15-0) clinched because they also won the regular season title.

Punahou (12-3), second place during the regular season, will play second-round second place Iolani (11-4) for the ILH's second state tournament berth later this week.

"We expected them to play tough," Warriors coach Pono Maa said. "They're true to Punahou tradition. As they stepped it up, we let up. It was a combination of them stepping their game up and we made more errors. It made the game really close. But I'm proud of our guys for fighting."

The Warriors took the first two games, before dropping the third. They had an eight-point run after trailing 9-4 to win the first game and used a seven-point run in the second to hold off the Buffanblu, who had pulled to within 6-4 at one point.

The fourth went back-and-forth, having been tied at 5, 7 and 8 before the Warriors finished off the Buffanblu with seven unanswered points. With the game knotted at 8 and setter Ainoa Miyashiro serving, the Warriors reeled off six consecutive points. David Hoke blasted three kills, one on a well-placed set by Miyashiro. But Rickey Estrada put the exclamation mark on the run with a kill and block. Estrada, who had 15 kills, also made two key blocks during the span.

"Just mentally, we were kind of losing it, but we just had to focus in," Estrada said. "If everyone knows his role and does his job, we knew we'd be fine at the end."

The Warriors were solid in all phases of their game. They had four key returnees starting, but were complemented with sophomores Miyashiro and opposite Adam Tuifugu. They performed like veterans.

"We're surprised how those sophomores stepped into those roles and handled it." Maa said. "This is a program with high expectations, but they've handled it well."

Punahou coach Lyman Lacro was impressed with Miyashiro.

"They have a new setter, but he's not really new," Lacro said. "He's got four other guys that return — their two middles and two outsides. He's got a lot of good players to work with. He's a good addition to that team."

Estrada said the older players helped ease the sophomores into fitting in.

"We just had to show leadership on the court, tell them good things so they don't get down on themselves," Estrada said. "We'll always be there for them on the court."

Middle blocker Willy Melemai led the Warriors with 16 kills.

Gary Johnson and Ryan Zabriskie led Punahou's attack with 16 and 15 kills, respectively.

Meanwhile, the Buffanblu must prepare for a playoff with Iolani for the ILH's second state berth. The match is likely to be Thursday.

"We have a couple days to work on some things and hope they come out strong on Thursday," Lacro said.