Damien’s Lala Campbell is doing her best to keep a promise she made to herself early in the season.
It is to send Monarchs coach Don Faumuina out a winner.
Damien is one victory away after outlasting Seabury Hall 21-25, 26-24, 25-18, 15-25, 15-11 in the semifinals of the New City Nissan/HHSAA Girls Volleyball State Championships in Division II on Friday at Kaimuki.
Faumuina, in his fifth season as coach, told the media he was going to step down at season’s end after the Monarchs won their first ILH championship earlier this month.
Apparently, he let others know well before then.
“It was my goal for this year because I actually kind of heard that he was leaving,” said Campbell, a junior who had 11 kills and 12 digs against Seabury Hall. “I made a promise to myself that I would send him out a state champ and an ILH champ.”
Damien (15-1) will face Waimea for the title today at 5 p.m. at the Blaisdell Arena.
“It’s another monkey off of our backs. The last three years we were in the semis but we didn’t make it through,” Faumuina said. “Here we are and our goal was to make it past Friday night to the championship.”
Today’s match will be the final time Faumuina will roam the sidelines sucking on lollipops, which he said is a good-luck charm used since his first season as coach.
“We all play for him because he’s always there to support us and everyone played for each other tonight,” said Damien senior Rayne Pactol.
Kaira Wengler and Pili Kekipi-Nuuanu each had 12 kills for the Monarchs in a back-and-forth match against the Spartans.
“We just told them lights out, play your best, leave everything on the court and whatever happens, know you did your best,” Faumuina said.
In the fifth set, Damien jumped out to an 8-2 lead. Seabury Hall (15-1) got as close as 12-10. Campbell had three kills and Kekipi-Nuuanu added two in the set.
“I was really excited because I just wanted the game to be over. The adrenaline was going high,” Campbell said.
The Monarchs had trouble stopping Spartans 6-foot-1 junior Ella Connor, who put down 31 kills.
“We played together as a team and just tried our hardest and put all of our effort out on the court and it was fun,” she said.
DIVISION II
| Match # | Date | Matchup | Time/Scores | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oct. 23 | Konawaena vs. McKinley | McK 25-16, 23-25, 18-25, 25-20, 15-11 | Kaimuki |
| 2 | Oct. 23 | Kalani vs. La Pietra | Kaln 23-25, 27-25, 25-16, 25-16 | Kaimuki |
| 3 | Oct. 23 | Molokai vs. Hawaii Prep | HPA 25-15, 25-15, 25-21 | Farrington |
| 4 | Oct. 23 | Ka'u vs. University | ULS 25-20, 25-18, 25-13 | Farrington |
| 5* | Oct. 24 | Konawaena vs. La Pietra | Kona 20-25, 25-22, 15-11 | Kaimuki |
| 6* | Oct. 24 | Molokai vs. Ka'u | Mol 25-17, 25-15 | Farrington |
| 7 | Oct. 24 | (4) Seabury Hall vs. McKinley | SH 25-21, 23-25, 14-25, 25-21, 15-9 | Kaimuki |
| 8 | Oct. 24 | (1) Damien vs. Kalani | DMS 25-22, 25-18, 25-15 | Kaimuki |
| 9 | Oct. 24 | (2) Waimea vs. Hawaii Prep | Waim 25-19, 19-25, 25-23, 16-25, 15-10 | Farrington |
| 10 | Oct. 24 | (3) Pearl City vs. University | ULS 25-13, 25-14, 25-16 | Farrington |
| 11* | Oct. 25 | Konawaena vs. Molokai | Mol 26-24, 26-24 | Moanalua |
| 12* | Oct. 25 | Hawaii Prep vs. Pearl City | PC 25-18, 20-25, 15-12 | McKinley |
| 13* | Oct. 25 | McKinley vs. Kalani | McK 25-20, 25-21 | Kaimuki |
| 14 | Oct. 25 | Waimea vs. University | Waim 25-21, 25-13, 25-15 | Kaimuki |
| 15 | Oct. 25 | Seabury Hall vs. Damien | DMS 21-25, 26-24, 25-18, 15-25, 15-11 | Kaimuki |
| 16* | Oct. 26 | Pearl City vs. McKinley | McK 20-25, 25-19, 15-8 | Blaisdell Arena |
| 17* | Oct. 26 | University vs. Seabury Hall | ULS 25-20, 27-25 | Blaisdell Arena |
| 18 | Oct. 26 | Waimea vs. Damien | DMS 25-19, 25-11, 25-14 | Blaisdell Arena |
| * — consolation | ||||
Lesgo LadyMonarchs!