The expectation is unspoken but understood.

To play boys volleyball at Punahou means to play for the Buffanblu tradition of winning a state title. It is no different for this year’s team, which goes for its 31st championship in today’s 7 p.m. Division I final of the New City Nissan/HHSAA Boys Volleyball State Championships.

It didn’t matter to top-ranked Punahou (17-2) who would be across the net Friday but, "You know, we kind of want it to be Kamehameha," Buffanblu junior hitter Larry "Tui" Tuileta said with a smile. "They are our rivals."

Punahou punched its ticket to Blaisdell Arena with a 25-19, 25-19, 25-16 sweep of Kaiser in Friday’s first semifinal at McKinley High’s Student Council Gym. The Buffanblu sat back and watched while Kamehameha survived some anxious moments in Set 4 to turn back No. 2-seed Moanalua 25-12, 25-14, 22-25, 29-27.

"We made some key plays at the end and that was the difference," Warriors coach Kainoa Downing said. "They had taken the momentum and were coming at us like a Japanese bullet train. They were scrappier than hell and we had to fight."

Na Menehune (14-5) were seeking to become the first from the Oahu Interscholastic Association to make it to the state final since Pearl City in 2002. No OIA team has won the state championship since Roosevelt three-peated in 1979.

Instead, it will be another all-Interscholastic League of Honolulu affair between Punahou and Kamehameha, the third in four years and sixth since 2000. It also will be the sixth meeting this season between ILH rivals, with Punahou holding a 3-2 edge, including a five-set win last Friday that determined the ILH champion and No. 1 seed. Their only losses are to each other. Punahou’s 2-0 home defeat back on April 12 was a galvanizing factor for the past four weeks, Buffanblu coach Rick Tune said.

"It was a hard loss, one that either breaks you or makes you," Tune said.

It made his team start refocusing on itself and not the opponent, Tuileta added.

"We started working on our passion, to play as a team, because you need all six guys playing together out there," said Tuileta, who led the Buffanblu with 18 kills and seven digs against the Cougars. "It’s a good feeling to be in the final again. We want to win for our four seniors."

It was a team effort against Kaiser (14-4). Punahou again used a balanced attack, with four other players putting down at least six kills.

"The difference is the experience they have," Cougars coach Jon Stanley said. "They have kids who have played together for a long time. It’s hard to get them into trouble."

Punahou rarely was. Set 2 was tied 10-10. Minutes later, it was 16-11, with the Buffanblu getting two kills and an ace from Tuileta during the 6-1 run. The Cougars never got closer than four the rest of the way in falling behind 2-0.

Kaiser hung tough until the middle of Set 3 behind the arm of senior hitter Casey Bolda. Bolda had two of his team-high 11 kills to pull the Cougars to 17-14.

Punahou found another gear, quickly putting together a 7-1 run that had the Buffanblu at match point. One sideout later, sophomore middle Canton Kaumatule, who has been playing the sport for six months, crushed match ball.

Statistics–Punahou: Larry "Tui" Tuileta (18 kills, 7 digs, 1 ace, 1 block), Kupono Fey (7 kills, 5 digs, 2 aces, 1 block), Micah Ma’a (14 assists, 2 kills, 2 digs, 2 blocks), Dylan Gerard (10 assists, 1 ace), Tylor Wiens (6 kills, 1 block), Daniel Andrews (5 kills, 3 blocks), Noah Hayashida (5 kills, 1 block). Kaiser: Mason Ohta (18 digs, 1 ace), Casey Bolda (11 kills, 3 digs, 1 block), Daniel Fraser (4 digs, 6 kills, 1 block), Riker Kasamoto (15 assists, 2 digs, 1 kill), Makena Kaneaiakala (3 kills, 1 dig, 1 block), Billy McGivern (3 kills, 2 blocks), Joe Hoddick (3 kills, 2 blocks, 1 dig).

Kamehameha 3, Moanalua 1

It was the first championship-bracket match that wasn’t a sweep. It might have been the most entertaining, especially after Na Menehune battled back from embarrassing losses in the first two sets.

The Warriors had frustrated Na Menehune with their defense, digging hard shot after hard shot.

Moanalua was finally able to counter with blocking at the end of Set 3, taking a 20-18 lead on a stuff of Nick Ng. A block of Cullen Mosher made it 23-19, but Mosher answered back with two kills, and a lift call on Moanalua closed the gap to 23-22.

A service error gave Na Menehune set point at 24-22, and Mosher was blocked again to send it to a fourth set.

Set 4 was tied 11 times before Kamehameha broke away for a 19-14 lead. Moanalua rallied behind the serving of Zarin Augustiro for six straight points, a run punctuated by a kill from Tahi Caldwell.

Na Menehune were poised to send it to a fifth set when a kill from Reno Young gave them set point at 24-23. A net violation on Moanalua tied it and the teams traded swings at ending it, with ties at 25, 26 and 27.

A kill by Kaehu Ka’a’a gave the Warriors their fourth match point and, when Caldwell’s attack was called out, it lifted Kamehameha into another final with Punahou.

"We only had two seniors (hitter Caldwell and setter Augustiro) on the court and the nervousness and inexperience showed in those first two sets," Moanalua coach Al Cabanting said. "But we settled down and finally figured it out.

"We went down swinging and I couldn’t be more proud of my team. We still have another game to play."

Freshman hitter Austin Matautia led Na Menehune with 14 kills and junior libero Austin Amian had 12 digs.

Ng, a senior hitter, finished with a match-high 20 kills for the Warriors and Mosher, a senior middle, 10.

Statistics–Kamehameha: Nick Ng (20 kills, 2 aces), Azariah Distajo (4 blocks), Mike Horita (15 digs), Puna Kaniho (53 assists). Moanalua: Austin Matautia (14 kills), Tahiarri Caldwill (3 blocks), Reno Young (3 blocks), Austin Amian (12 digs), Zarin Austiro (35 assists).