Punahou wraps water polo season with rout of ILH rival Kamehameha

Synnove Robinson fired home six goals and Hope McCarren added four scores as top-seeded Punahou overpowered Kamehameha 17-4 in the title match of the Kyo-ya Hotels &Resorts/HHSAA Water Polo State Championships on Saturday night at Kamehameha Schools.

McCarren was essentially Punahou’s point guard, a tall, deceptively sharp playmaker. She finished with three assists and a host of unofficial hockey assists as the Buffanblu carved out good looks against a tough Kamehameha zone defense.

Ava Aguilera anchored the squad on both ends, giving Punahou a perfect 22-0 record and back-to-back state crowns under veteran coach Ken Smith. This is girls state title No. 17 under Smith.

The three playmaking seniors — Robinson, McCarren and 2025 ILH Player of the Year Aguilera — played their final match in buff and blue. Robinson will suit up for Harvard next season. Aguilera will play for Claremont-McKenna, while McCarren, who Smith considers the linebacker of Punahou’s rugged defense, will play at Fresno State, a top-10 program.

“Coach says, ‘You’re always guarding two people.’ Always hustling, your head’s on a swivel,” McCarren said. “This team inspires me to be a leader. They’re the root of it.”

“It feels incredible. We put in all this work the whole past few years. Coming back and getting that championship game in our last year together means everything,” Aguilera said.

Punahou’s balanced attack included two goals by 5-foot-4 junior Zoe Pang, whose athleticism above the water seemed more like a 6-footer all night. Pang had a team-high five assists. Kaia Chaney, another junior, also had two goals.

“These guys make it easy for you,” Smith said. “It’s a joy to be around them. I don’t think I’ve ever had a group from day one to the end that worked like this team has every single day. They’re No. 1 in that.”

Senior Ava Carlson led the Warriors (12-6) with three goals. Kalea Pascua added a goal in the second half. Robinson added two assists in her final prep contest.

“It’s great that we have so many people on the team we can trust to get the job done. I trust every single person on the team. I know I can pass them the ball and they’re going to make it happen,” Robinson said.

Robinson scored two goals in the first quarter as Punahou opened a 4-1 lead. In the second quarter, the Buffanblu allowed only one shot on goal, using tenacious, physical defense to constantly push Kamehameha backward on the perimeter. The visitors led 9-1 at halftime behind four goals by Robinson and three by McCarren.

Hawaii Prep World

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