HIGH SCHOOL VOLLEYBALL
Warriors make a statement in Kang
With weapons at every spot on the court, the Kamehameha girls volleyball team has established themselves as the early favorite to win a third straight state championship.
Kamehameha, ranked fifth in the nation by prepvolleyball.com, knocked off Punahou 25-20, 25-17 yesterday in the championship round of the Ann Kang Invitational Volleyball Tournament at Iolani.
Two-time Star-Bulletin player of the year Kanani Herring put down a match-high 11 kills and Bekah Torres added six kills on just 10 attempts as the Warriors won in a rematch of last year's state title game.
Kamehameha hasn't dropped a set in the tournament and will face Santa Barbara at 9:45 a.m. The Warriors need to win two games tomorrow in order to advance to the 6:30 p.m. championship game.
"We're excited to be in this tournament," Herring said. "We didn't get to play in it last year and we know the next bracket is going to be tough."
Torres put down five kills and hit an astounding .833 in the opening set as Kamehameha scored six of the final seven points of the frame to take Game 1.
Punahou junior Charlotte Fonua hammered three kills early in Game 2 to help the Buffanblu jump out to an 11-9 lead. But as will be the case all season, Kamehameha turned to its leader in Herring when in trouble.
The 5-foot-11 senior put down four kills and a block as the Warriors scored the next seven points to take a 16-11 lead.
Herring finished with seven kills for the game, but took 16 attempts. Senior Skyler Kamaka put down the final kill to end the match.
Herring finished with four errors and hit .269 for the match.
The Warriors had 10 total errors, but just two in Game 2.
"We made a lot of preseason mistakes and mental errors," Kamehameha coach Chris Blake said. "We've got a lot to work on and we need to play our best every match because we have a bull's-eye on our back. Everyone is going to play their best against us."
Kamehameha received five kills from Jordan Meredith, who will also be counted on to produce from the outside.
"We've got a lot kids who can play and we've always been about the team," Blake said.
"We've got some tough games coming up and it will be a good opportunity for us to see if we can step up our game to another level."
Punahou junior Anuhea Keanini, a second-team all-state selection a year ago, led the Buffanblu with six kills, and sophomore middle blocker Juliana Behrens added five.
Behrens started in place of Shaena-Lyn Kuehu, who saw brief playing time in Game 2, but struggled.
Kuehu, another returning second-team all-state selection, is slowly working her way back into the rotation after suffering a torn ACL last season.
Ann Kang Invitational
At Iolani
Yesterday
Championship round
Kamehameha def. Punahou 25-20, 25-17
Santa Barbara def. Dana Hills 25-18, 23-24, 25-11
Iolani def. Moanalua 25-17, 22-24, 24-22
Redondo def. Corona Del Mar 25-21, 25-18
Punahou def. Dana Hills 25-18, 25-15
Consolation round
Hawaii Baptist def. Kapolei 25-17, 24-21
Capistrano def. Brentwood 25-21, 25-17
Capistrano def. Kapolei 25-9, 25-13
Hawaii Baptist def. Brentwood 25-22, 25-13
Brentwood def. Kapolei 25-21, 25-15
Capistrano def. Hawaii Baptist 25-21, 25-10
Oxnard def. Waianae 25-12, 25-19
Sacred Hearts def. Molokai 25-15, 25-14
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