The Kamehameha girls water polo team had to wait 48 hours, but Monday finally came and the Warriors were able to end Punahou’s 13-year reign as queens of the pool.

Laikuakamahina Wong scored two goals in the opening quarter, Ava Gurney finished with three goals and Kahala Neumann stopped seven shots as No. 1 seed Kamehameha beat Punahou 6-1 in the final of the Title Guaranty/HHSAA Girls Water Polo Championships at Kamehameha’s Kalaniopu‘u Swimming Pool.

“The girls put in all the hard work during the offseason and throughout the season and kept improving through every single game,” fifth-year Kamehameha coach Anthony Cabrera said. “We didn’t talk about winning, we just talked about improving each and every game. They did a really good job today executing the game plan.”

Kamehameha claimed its second state water polo championship, with the other title coming in 2006.

Punahou’s title streak started in 2008, with no water polo seasons being played in 2020 and 2021 because of COVID-19. The Buffanblu have won 15 of the 18 overall state crowns.

“I don’t even have the words to describe what I’m feeling right now — on top of the world,” said Neumann, a senior.

The game was postponed from Saturday after a swimmer for Moanalua High School and Kamehameha Swim Club died earlier in the day after competing in a meet at Kapolei Aquatics Center. The individual knew members from the Kamehameha and Punahou water polo teams.

The Warriors stymied the Buffanblu offense, which had scored 43 goals in their previous three state tournament matches. Kamehameha’s defense put pressure on the ball and Neumann was there to block any shots fired on goal. She was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.

“I was so ready. I was locked in from the start and I was hyped,” Neumann said. “Our defense was amazing. There were so many times where they picked up my slack. There could have been a really bad counterattack on me, but my team hustled back.”

The Buffanblu finished 0-for-5 on power plays, and fired five shots off the post in the third quarter alone.

“Kamehameha played a great game. They outplayed us,” Punahou coach Ken Smith said. “We had a lot of good opportunities and we didn’t cash in on them. You can’t expect to beat a team like Kamehameha unless you take advantage of every opportunity you get.”

Kamehameha also ended Punahou’s 13-year run as ILH champion last month. The Buffanblu had a winning streak that reached close to 200 games during their stay atop girls water polo.

Kamehameha beat Punahou in four of their six matchups this season.

On Monday, the Warriors also snapped a drought that had them losing to the Buffanblu in six consecutive state tournament finals.

“It’s definitely rewarding to beat such a talented team. I know a bunch of them on that team,” said Gurney, a junior.

Both teams had one shot on goal in the first quarter. Wong’s shot, which came on a power play, went in at 1:03.

Wong scored another power-play goal at 1:31 of the second quarter to put Kamehameha ahead 2-0.

“I felt like I just wanted to get the ball in early and really get the game going. It really helps my teammates stay calm and wanting to get more goals,” said Wong.

The freshman added: “I was scared at first to play on a team with upperclassmen, but they really welcomed me to the team and I feel really comfortable with them.”

The Buffanblu went 0-for-3 on power-play attempts, but had seven steals before halftime.

Gurney scored at 2:42 of the third quarter and added a power-play goal at 1:44 to boost the Warriors’ lead to 4-0.

Kamehameha’s Tea Brandon scored at 5:05 of the fourth to make it 5-0.

The Buffanblu, who started three freshmen and a sophomore, got on the board on Synnove Robinson’s goal at 4:45, and the Warriors’ Gurney capped the scoring with a goal at 4:23.

Gurney finished the tournament with nine goals in three games.

“I thank my teammates because we’re all role players. No one is a star on our team,” she said.

Cabrera and the rest of his coaching staff took the ceremonial plunge into the pool after the victory.

“This is the best I’ve felt being miserable and cold in wet clothing,” he said.