KS-Hawai`i Seeded Third in HHSAA DI Girls VB Tournament

The road to the New City Nissan/Hawai`i High School Athletic Association (HHSAA) Division I Girls Volleyball Championships still goes through the Interscholastic League of Honolulu.

Starting Tuesday, however, a pair of Big Island Interscholastic Federation teams hope that staying at home will be an advantage in disrupting those plans.

The HHSAA released the brackets Thursday night for the 12-team tournament, hosted by Kea`au High School and Kamehameha-Hawai`i.

Two-time defending champion Punahou is unseeded this year after losing a five-set thriller to Kamehameha-Kapalama, the tournament’s top seed, in Thursday’s ILH championship match. Punahou will face Farrington in the Kea`au bracket at 7:00 p.m. Tuesday.

The ILH, specifically Punahou and KS-Kapalama, has won the last 10 state championships dating back to 2003. Both schools have faced each other in the last five state championships with the Warriors winning the first three matches before Punahou’s current streak.

Both schools have combined to win 26 state championships. The BIIF, however, has only won one, dating back to Hilo’s championship season in 1972.

The winner of the matchup between the Buffanblu and Governors will face Kamehameha-Hawai`i, the BIIF champion and number three seed in the state championship, at Kea`au High on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m. KS-Hawai`i defeated Hilo last Saturday to win the BIIF tournament.

Hilo will open the tournament against Kahuku, who went 12-0 in the regular season before falling in the OIA tournament to Mililani and Moanalua. The winner of Tuesday’s 7:00 p.m. match, held at Ko`aia Gym, will face KS-Kapalama on Wednesday at 7:00 p.m., also on the KS-Hawai`i campus.

Oahu Interscholastic Association champion Mililani (13-0) received the second seed in the tournament and will face the winner of Tuesday’s match between King Kekaulike and Aiea. Kamehameha-Maui received the fourth and final seeded spot. The Maui Interscholastic League champion will take on either Moanalua or Leilehua in the quarterfinals.

The Division II tournament will be held concurrently in Honolulu. Brackets are scheduled to be released Saturday night following the completion of the OIA White tournament.

New City Nissan / Hawai`i High School Athletic Association Division I Girls Volleyball Championships schedule

Tuesday

Kamehameha-Hawai`i bracket

Moanalua vs. Leilehua – 5:00 p.m., ESPNHawaii.com

Hilo vs. Kahuku – 7:00 p.m., ESPNHawaii.com

Kea`au bracket

King Kekaulike vs. Aiea – 5:00 p.m.

Punahou vs. Farrington – 7:00 p.m.

Wednesday

Kamehameha-Hawai`i bracket

Moanalua/Leilehua loser vs. Hilo/Kahuku loser – 3:00 p.m.

Moanalua/Leilehua winner vs. #4 Kamehameha-Maui – 5:00 p.m.

Hilo/Kahuku winner vs. #1 Kamehameha-Kapalama – 7:00 p.m.

Kea`au bracket

King Kekaulike/Aiea loser vs. Punahou/Farrington loser – 3:00 p.m.

King Kekaulike/Aiea winner vs. #2 Mililani – 5:00 p.m.

Punahou/Farrington winner vs. #3 Kamehameha-Hawai`i – 7:00 p.m.

Thursday’s schedule

Cougars Gymnasium

Consolation game – 3:30 p.m.

Fifth place semifinal – 5:00 p.m.

Fifth place semifinal – 6:30 p.m.

Ko`aia Gym

Semifinal – 5:00 p.m., ESPNHawaii.com

Semifinal – 7:00 p.m.

Friday’s schedule (all matches at Ko`aia Gym)

Fifth place – 3:00 p.m.

Third place – 5:00 p.m.

Championship – 7:00 p.m., ESPNHawaii.com