Punahou and Kamehameha remain at No. 1 and No. 2 in this week’s Star-Advertiser Girls Volleyball Top 10.
That is, even with the benefit of a bye week. Punahou was active with scrimmages against Damien and Mililani. Kamehameha? The Warriors may have been slightly disappointed at not being invited to the Kamehameha-Hawaii Labor Day Classic over the weekend.
The massive field of 24 teams at Kamehameha Schools’ pristine Keaau campus included nine teams from the mainland. Otay Ranch, one of six squads from California, peaked in time to win the tournament. Teams from Nevada and Oregon also played in the relatively new event.
‘Iolani, which remained at No. 3 in this week’s poll, was unbeaten through pool play and round two, beating Otay Ranch in two sets. However, the Raiders eventually got swept by Otay Ranch in the Gold (championship) bracket semifinal 25-18, 25-24 (25-point cap).
The Raiders played a whopping nine matches in three days, all best-of-three.
Moanalua lost to Bishop Alemany (Calif.) in the quarterfinals, then lost to host Kamehameha-Hawaii in a fifth-place match, 22-25, 25-23, 15-13.
Kamehameha-Hawaii was unbeaten until losing to Campbell Hall (Calif.) in the semifinal round. The Warriors edged past Moanalua in this week’s Top 10 to reach No. 4.
Otay Ranch prevailed in the final over Campbell Hall, 25-20, 19-25, 15-8.
Hawaii Baptist skipped past Baldwin to land at No. 6. The Eagles may have had something to do with ‘Iolani’s demise in the semifinals, pushing the Raiders to three sets in a 23-25, 25-21, 15-8 quarterfinal battle.
At the 10 spot, Mid-Pacific arrived in the poll for the first time this season. The Owls had a bye but endured a litany of elite competition at the Ann Kang Invitational three weeks ago. Among the teams they beat were Kapolei, 25-22, 25-23, and Baldwin, 25-19, 17-25, 15-11.
The dangerous Hurricanes of Kapolei went 2-7 at the Labor Day Classic, losing twice to Damien, another rising star.
Star-Advertiser Girls Volleyball Top 10 Fared
Monday, Sept. 4, 2023
Rank School (1st) (record) Pts LW
1. Punahou (8) (14-1, 0-0 ILH) 97 1
> bye
> next: at Hanalani, Tuesday
2. Kamehameha (1) (8-1, 0-0 ILH) 87 2
> bye
> next: at Hawaii Baptist, Tuesday
3. ‘Iolani (1) (15-3, 0-0 ILH) 78 3
> def. Campbell Hall 25-17, 17-25, 15-11
> def. No. 10 Kapolei 25-23, 22-25, 15-11
> def. Eleanor Roosevelt 25-21, 25-20
> def. Rocklin 25-19, 25-16
> def. Otay Ranch 25-16, 25-17
> def. No. 7 Hawaii Baptist 25-9, 25-12
> def. No. 10 Kapolei 25-18, 25-20
> def. No. 7 Hawaii Baptist 23-25, 25-21, 15-8
> lost to Otay Ranch 25-18, 25-24
> next: at Le Jardin, Tuesday
4. Kamehameha-Hawaii (11-1, 2-0 BIIF) 68 5
> def. Hilo 25-20, 25-19, 25-15
> def. University 25-22, 25-13
> def. Ironwood Ridge 25-18, 25-20
> def. Otay Ranch 25-14, 25-23
> def. Kalaheo 25-14, 25-16
> def. Waiakea 25-14, 25-14
> def. West Salem 25-20, 25-9
> def. Damien 25-17, 25-24
> def. No. 4 Moanalua 22-25, 25-23, 15-13
> lost to Campbell Hall 25-19, 25-14
> next: vs. Keaau, Wednesday
5. Moanalua (16-7, 0-0 OIA) 67 4
> def. Waiakea 25-16, 25-11
> def. Kaimuki 25-4, 25-8
> def. Cypress 25-24 25-14
> def. Hilo 25-20, 25-15
> def. Campbell Hall 25-18, 25-22
> lost to Bishop Alemany 25-18, 25-24
> def. West Salem 25-10, 25-13
> lost to No. 5 Kamehameha-Hawaii 22-25, 25-23, 15-13
> next: bye (vs. Roosevelt, Sept. 19)
6. Hawaii Baptist (11-6, 0-0 ILH) 43 7
> def. Seabury Hall 25-22, 20-25, 15-8
> def. Hilo 25-20, 25-23
> def. Bend 25-14, 25-24
> lost to Otay Ranch 25-16, 25-9
> lost to Rocklin 25-21, 25-16
> lost to No. 3 ‘Iolani 25-9, 25-12
> def. Waiakea 25-19, 23-25, 15-6
> lost to No. 3 ‘Iolani 23-25, 25-21, 15-8
> next: vs. Kamehameha, Tuesday
7. Baldwin (4-6, 1-0 MIL) 36 6
> won at Maui 25-15, 25-16, 25-22
> next: at King Kekaulike, Thursday
8. Kahuku (7-3, 0-0 OIA) 25 8
> bye
> bye (vs. Kaimuki, Sept. 14)
9. Mililani (5-2, 0-0 OIA) 20 9
> bye
>.next: bye (vs. Waianae, Sept. 11)
10. Mid-Pacific (2-6, 0-0 ILH) 12 NR
> bye
> next: vs. Punahou I-AA, Tuesday
No longer in Top 10: Kapolei (No. 10).
Also receiving votes: Damien 8, Kapolei 4, Hilo 3, University 2.
