Waialua High School senior Kacy Wilia played for a girls volleyball team that did not even qualify for the O'ahu Interscholastic Association White Conference playoffs this season, much less the Division II state tournament.

But last night at McKinley's Student Council Gym, she played alongside 2007 Advertiser All-State outside hitter Anuhea Keanini (Punahou) and 2007 OIA West Player of the Year Candace Soares (Mililani), before a live statewide TV audience on OC16.

Wilia's East all-star team lost the third-place match of the inaugural OC16 Senior Invitational to the South, 16-25, 25-21, 25-20, 25-18. The North swept the West, 25-18, 25-21, 25-22, for the championship.

But more than the scores, what was important in the past two nights was the opportunity for Wilia and the other seniors from around the island to get to know one another, represent their school and play before friends and family one final time.

And — in the case of Wilia and others from lower-profile schools — on statewide TV for the first time.

"I'm honored to be part of this program," said Wilia, a 5-foot-7 outside hitter. "I'm happy with the experience, to be on TV and play alongside this level of competition. It was fun."

OC16 sports director Dave Vinton said the Invitational was modeled after the Hawai'i Union Builders Senior Bowl Goodwill Classic football all-star game. OC16 offered one spot to every Interscholastic League of Honolulu and OIA team, with one senior name submitted by each school. OC16 then took all the names and mixed them up to form the four teams.

The Invitational started with a doubleheader Tuesday at Moanalua, followed by last night's third-place and championship matches. All four matches were broadcast live on OC16.

The rosters included recognizable names like Division I state tournament Most Outstanding Player Caitlin Andrade, the Kamehameha setter who helped the Warriors win their fourth straight state championship, outside hitter Nile Te'o of OIA champ Kahuku and outside hitter Crystal Powell of Division II state runner-up Word of Life.

But they also included lesser-known seniors like Wai'anae outside hitter/setter La Shaun Dela Cruz, who was named the OC16 Player of the Game for the third-place match.

"I was very surprised," Dela Cruz said about the award. "I was expecting one of the other players to get it because they're more well-known. It was exciting."

Vinton said one of the event's goals was to showcase players like Dela Cruz who may have flown under the radar during the regular or postseason.

"Some of the players who don't get the headlines, who weren't known to us, they've really shown us how good they are," Vinton said. "Someone like La Shaun Dela Cruz, we wouldn't have seen her play if not for something like this."

Besides the two matches, the teams also each got to practice together twice.

"We didn't have a lot of time to really hang out, but I'm sure we'll still pull some friendships out of this," Wilia said. "All-in-all, I think I got a lot out of it."