The second round of Interscholastic League of Honolulu play meant opportunity but also danger for Punahou.

The No. 2 Buffanblu overcame a slow start and deftly avoided upset-minded and seventh-ranked ‘Iolani in a 25-21, 25-20, 25-15 sweep on Tuesday night at Hemmeter Fieldhouse.

Junior Larry Tuileta pounded 12 kills, and Punahou (10-2) got a host of complementary efforts in the first of five second-round matches for the ILH’s second and final state berth. Top-ranked Kamehameha claimed the first with a win over Punahou last week.

"Tonight was the first night we actually got better as the match went along," Buffanblu coach Rick Tune said. "We’ve been talking about that. I think guys understand now what it’s going to take to be able to do that consistently. They did a nice job of implementing that tonight."

Sophomore setter Micah Ma‘a spread 28 assists on his 16th birthday and had one of the most emphatic kills of the match on a putdown swat of a Raiders free-ball pass over the net in a lopsided third set.

"I’m going straight home. This is all I wanted," Ma‘a said with a grin.

His birthday present was in doubt at the outset, but it was well in hand once the Buffanblu settled in with superior size and distribution.

Punahou jumped out to a 9-2 lead in the first set, but had to sweat it out with four net violations and five service errors. Tuileta scrambled and pushed an unconventional kill over, ‘Iolani followed with a hitting error and Punahou could exhale. It had already lost twice in the building this season, a rarity.

‘Iolani then threatened to make it a long-haul match in the ILH second round’s best-of-five format; the second frame stayed knotted up until Ma‘a keyed a 4-0 spurt to make it 19-15. Kupono Fey (five kills, five blocks) staked his team to a 2-0 set lead on a back-set kill from Ma‘a.

The third set was no contest as Punahou raced to a 14-5 lead and, unlike the first set, did not let up. It finished with five players with four kills or more, causing ‘Iolani fits when it tried to key on Tuileta.

"The good thing is, we can only go up from here," Ma‘a said. "We didn’t have a great game against Kamehameha. They played great. They kept us down. So now we’re going to keep working back up."

‘Iolani (4-8) lost to Punahou for the third time this season. Things get no easier with the Raiders’ next match at Kamehameha on Saturday.

"Now we’re at the point where we have to win out," coach Carl Rallita said. "I know we’re strong enough mentally to be prepared for Saturday."

The Raiders went to senior Andrew Overland to finish attacks. He had 10 kills, but no other Raider had more than five.