Kamehameha is hoping the third time will be the charm.

The Warriors, ranked third in The Advertiser's Top 10 poll, meet top-ranked and No. 1 seed Punahou in today's 7 p.m. championship final of the New City Nissan Boys Volleyball Division I State Championships at McKinley. The game will be aired live statewide on OC16.

Kamehameha lost both previous meetings against Punahou in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu regular season.

Last night the Warriors (18-3) made quick work of tournament No. 2 seed and O'ahu Interscholastic Association champion Roosevelt (15-1) before about 800 fans at Radford's Jim Alegre Gymnasium. Kamehameha won the semifinal in a convincing sweep, 25-18, 25-15 and 25-20 to advance to tonight's title game.

"Last year we fell short, losing to 'Iolani in the semifinals," Warriors' coach Guy Kaniho said. "This season, we're fortunate enough to make it to the final, so we're very happy."

Kamehameha was dominant, hitting at or above .333 in each set and .403 for the match. Micah Christenson led the Warriors with nine kills and two service aces. Analu Frantz had eight kills and Nolan Carter and Kahale Morgan each added seven.

"We knew coming into the match that (Roosevelt's) middles couldn't keep up with our middles so we just tried to exploit that and I think we were pretty successful at that."

Trailing 9-7, the Warriors seized control of the opening set with a 7-0 run, capped by a block by Frantz and Morgan to make it 14-9. Roosevelt got within two points at 18-16, but a Carter kill and back-to-back service aces by Christenson put the Warriors back ahead by five. Kamehameha closed out game one on a 7-2 run to win 25-18.

Game two was all Warriors. Frantz scored four of the first six points for Kamehameha, which took a quick 8-1 lead. Later in the set, the Warriors went ahead 11-4 after Christenson put away consecutive kills and 15-6 after back-to-back solo blocks by Jaylen Reyes. Roosevelt cut the deficit to six at 17-11, but Kamehameha scored the next four points and cruised to a 25-15 win.

Roosevelt coach Kaui Mendonca offered no excuses.

"We didn't have it, I guess," Mendonca said. "Kamehameha came to play, we knew they would, we just kind of fell apart, but Kamehameha played well, they're a tough team."

The third set was back-and-forth, but it was too little, too late. The Warriors scored five of the final seven points to clinch it 25-20.

"We came prepared," Frantz said. "Our middles executed well tonight and our defense was relentless."

Roosevelt's Kenneth Rewick led all players with 11 kills.

Reach Kalani Takase at ktakase@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2404.

PUNAHOU 3, KAMEHAMEHA-HAWAI'I 0

Joshua Taylor had 13 kills, Henry Cassiday had 12 and Maddison McKibbin 11, powering top-seeded Punahou past Kamehameha-Hawai'i, 25-23, 25-10, 25-15, last night at McKinley High's gym.

The Buffanblu (19-1) hit .333 for the match, while holding the Warriors (13-4) from the Big Island to .013 hitting percentage.

Chandler Ka'a'a had six kills and Matthew Coghlan and Daniel Aina, Jr., each contributed five kills for the Warriors.

CONSOLATION MATCHES

KAMEHAMEHA-MAUI DEF. LEILEHUA, 25-14, 16-25, 15-11

KS-Maui kill/dig leaders: Keanu Kaaa 9 kills, 7 digs; Kekoa Mountcastle 7 kills. Leilehua: Keola Malakai 5 kills, Brock Paikai and Sorin Wilcox 4 kills, Effram Ofoia 13 digs, Bryson Sevilla 6 digs.

'IOLANI DEF. WAIAKEA, 27-25, 25-23

'Iolani kill/dig leaders: Nick Christman 8 kills, Taylor Donovan 7 kills, Scott Sakaida 11 digs. Waiakea: Clayton Morante Jr. 6 kills, Brady Smith and Mitchel Shintani 5 kills, Jared Kushi and Kekoa Kabalis 7 kills.