Sakamoto, the defending champion in the 200- and 500-yard freestyle, and Eckert, the state meet record-holder in both events, will not be meeting up in individual events in this week's HHSAA/Local Motion State Swimming and Diving Championship Tournament.

Sakamoto still will be competing in both events, but Eckert will be competing in the 200 individual medley and 100 backstroke.

But there's no telling about the 200 and 400 freestyle relays, which Iolani won, and Punahou came in second last year. Both swimmers were a part of their school's freestyle relay teams last year.

"My coach thought it was better for the team," Eckert said of the reason he wasn't swimming any individual freestyle events.

Iolani is the two-time defending state champion, but is without Hongzhe Sun, who won two individual events and took part in two winning relays. Sun is a member of Stanford's men's swimming team this year.

"This year I think we have pretty good depth and a lot of guys who can score," Eckert said. "I think it's different without Hong, but we still have enough talent to be a contender, and possibly win."

The meet is today and tomorrow in Coach Soichi Sakamoto Pool at the War Memorial Complex in Wailuku, Maui.

Here are some things to watch for:

• Girls rivalry: In the absence of the high-profile competition between two of the state's top male high school swimmers, a girls' rivalry will be taking its place.

Kapolei sophomore Meredith Egloria, the defending state champion in the 50 and 100 freestyle, returns, but faces Waiakea senior Tamarah Binek, who won those two races in 2002.

"I think it's a good thing; it gives me more competition and something to push for," Binek said.

She returns this year with the fastest time in the state in the 50 (24.57 seconds), with Egloria not far behind, in 25.00.

Egloria is tops in the 100 (52.66), with Binek second in 53.29.

• Three-peat hopeful: Waiakea, the two-time defending state girls champion, graduated three seniors on a team that used five swimmers to score all its points. Last year, the Warriors stacked the relays, winning all three — accounting for 36 of the team's 50 points.

This year, Waiakea coach Dan Lyons said Iolani looks like the team to beat.

"I don't know if we have the depth to compete with them this year," said Lyons, who said this is a rebuilding year for the Warriors.

"If Iolani makes a mistake, maybe we'll be there."

• Four-peat hopeful: Kapolei senior Ed Afualo has won the 100 breaststroke the past three years, and his time (59.57) entering this week is the fastest in the state by two seconds.

• Diving: Punahou junior Drew Wallace, who set the meet record in 1-meter diving last year (439.65), has surpassed that mark, scoring 450.65 points this year.

"I just learned a new dive, a front double pike, and if I do it well, I'm hoping it will score me a lot of points," said Wallace, who said the degree of difficulty for that particular dive is greater than anyone else's dive in the competition, hence, the possibility of more points.