Cameron Porter said it could have been one of many of his teammates.
“Honestly, we have so many good players,” the Punahou junior said. “We can spread it out and let different guys do it.”
This time it was the 6-foot-1 outside hitter’s turn, and it came in the biggest volleyball match of his life, so far.
Porter took over at a critical juncture, and Punahou cruised the rest of the way to a four-set victory over defending champion Kamehameha at the New City Nissan/HHSAA Boys Volleyball State Championships at Moanalua on Saturday.
The Buffanblu completed an undefeated season with a 25-23, 20-25, 25-20, 25-7 victory over their rival.
Tanoa Scanlan led the Buffanblu (18-0) with 21 kills and Porter had 17. Kamehameha finished at 15-7 after the rematch of last year’s state final that turned into a mismatch when Porter took over.
It was tied at a set apiece when Porter’s kill put the Buffanblu up 21-20 after an ace by the Warriors’ Kawai Koahou tied the third set.
Then, Porter served the rest of the way, including an ace of his own to make it 24-20, and a Kamehameha error ended the set.
“In my mind, at that time, I really felt in the flow, and went after a few (with aggressive serves and swings). I felt like it was there.”
Porter’s stellar play continued at the outset of the fourth set, as he had two more kills while the Buffanblu scored the first seven points. When the Warriors finally did score, it was Porter with his 16th kill to start another six-point run that put Punahou ahead 13-1.
“I see it in practice every day,” Punahou coach Rick Tune said after the program’s 40th state championship and 13th with him as head coach. “I think Cameron’s waiting to find his championship groove, knowing when to ramp it up from 85%, when to nuke it — hitting and serving.”
Porter credited his teammates, especially setters Ty Kikuchi and Kahikina Marumoto.
“I’ve played with both of them a long time, so that helps,” he said.
Although Punahou was heavily favored coming in after beating Kamehameha in all three ILH matches, this was very much a match after two sets.
Kamehameha’s Halai Tanaka’s second-set winner went off a defender and 10 rows deep into the Warriors cheering section.
Kamehameha took a 10-6 lead with Cain Kahahawai leading the way, but Punahou came back to tie it at 15-all, with Keola Todd-Perry’s blocks, Scanlan’s kills and Kamehameha mistakes.
Scanlan and Jaeden Miyahana traded kills, and then Conor Williams pitched in with one to put the Warriors back in front, 18-17. Williams led the Warriors with 14 kills.
Punahou’s Todd-Perry launched a cross shot for the first set winner. Porter contributed early, too.
“Three down the line in the first set,” Kamehameha coach Sava Agpoon said. “That gave us more to think about. He has a big repertoire of shots. And when he caught fire and stuck with it, we couldn’t even stop him with a timeout.”
Agpoon said he wasn’t disappointed by the fourth set score.
“It’s an emotional group, and our seniors took it hard,” Agpoon said.
Both teams had just one returning starter from last year’s championship match, won by Kamehameha.
