Correction: In an article released Wednesday, it was incorrectly stated that the Monday Oct. 16 match between Honoka‘a and Christian Liberty would be the last regular season match. Though it will be the final BIIF DII match, several DI matches will be played that week — Kealakehe at Waiakea on Oct. 17, Kea‘au at Hilo Oct. 17, Waiakea at Hilo Oct. 19 and Kealakehe at Kea‘au Oct. 19.
Pahoa 3 – St. Joseph 1
The Daggers won their last match of the season on the road, defeating St. Joseph School on Tuesday at the Hilo Armory to approach BIIF playoffs with a comfortable, 8-5 record and solidify their No. 5 standing in BIIF DII.
The first match was close, with the score bouncing back and forth until midway through, when Pahoa established a lead and eventually won 25-19.
The Cardinals did not end their final home showing without a fight, winning the second set 25-16. However, the Daggers won the next two sets 25-16 and 25-14 to end the regular season with a win.
Pahoa will all but certainly enter the BIIF DII playoffs as the No. 5 seed — hosting the No. 8 seed for the first round of the BIIF DII playoffs, which is slated for next Saturday (Oct. 21). If the Daggers were to win that match, they would play away at the No. 4 seed three days later.
Now 4-7, SJS has fallen out of a tie for No. 7 with Honoka‘a and onto the bubble at No. 8. With one regular season match remaining — away Friday night at Kohala HS — its results will determine whether or not SJS will secure a playoff berth.
Makua Lani 3 – Laupahoehoe 2
Despite scarce success this season, the Lions did not give up the fight — defeating the visiting Seasiders in a five-set battle on Tuesday at Kona Old Airport.
Makua Lani got the upper hand early, winning the first two sets 25-21 and 25-16. Laupahoehoe stayed in the game, and took it to five by winning the third and fourth sets 25-17 and 25-18.
The Lions won the fifth set 15-11 to notch their second win on the season, moving to a 2-9 record.
At 4-8, Laupahoehoe did not fall from its No. 9 standing, but has entered a more difficult position from which to enter playoffs. In order to reach No. 8, the Seasiders will not only need to win their final match —Saturday night at home against No. 3 Konawaena (10-1) — they will not be able to rise in the standings if SJS and Honoka‘a do not lose their upcoming outings.
Makua Lani’s final match of the regular season will be 7:30 p.m. Friday against Ka ‘Umeke Ka‘eo (2-8) at Old Airport.
If the Lions win Friday and the stars align, they could potentially still grasp a playoff berth. If a three-way tie exists in the standings at the end of the season, the No. 10 team will play a postseason match against No. 9. The winner would then face off against No. 8, then that winner would enter the first round of playoffs as the No. 8 seed.
No. 10 is currently held by CLA (3-7). If the Canefire loses its two remaining matches, Makua Lani wins on Friday and a three-way tie forms among other teams — Makua Lani could see the postseason.
Konawaena 3 – Parker 0
Konawaena swept Parker on Tuesday in Kealakekua by scores of 25-10, 25-17 and 25-21.
With the win, the Wildcats improved to 10-1 — tied for No. 2 in the BIIF DII standings with Hawaii Prep. The two teams will face off in the premier west-side matchup at 5 p.m. tonight in Ellison Onizuka Gymnasium.
The Bulls, finishing 6-5 in 2023, currently remain at No. 6. Parker has completed all of its regular season matches.