Hilo High girls win BIIF water polo title in triple overtime thriller

Hilo High’s girls water polo team turned a late deficit into one of the season’s defining Big Island finishes, rallying past Kealakehe 10-9 in triple overtime Saturday at the Kona Community Aquatic Center in Kailua-Kona.

The Vikings were down 8-5 late before storming back with three unanswered goals in the final three minutes of regulation to force overtime. That surge kept Hilo alive long enough for Lilinoe Tonelli to deliver the final blow 15 seconds into the third overtime period, lofting a rainbow shot over the goalkeeper and into the right side of the net.

The goal capped more than a single-game comeback. Hilo finished BIIF conference play 10-0, a perfect league run that gave the Vikings the island championship and the BIIF’s top seed for the upcoming state tournament. In a sport often played out of the spotlight, the title game showed how quickly a Big Island matchup can swing from control to chaos.

Kanoe Lyons, who is also Tonelli’s mother, had a front-row view of the moment that tied the family story to the team’s season. Lyons said Tonelli had always loved lob shots when she first started in the sport, making the winning goal a full-circle moment for both player and coach. After the final whistle, Hilo players sang the school song while Lyons jumped in celebration in the pool.

The win also gives Hilo a strong platform heading into the Hawaii High School Athletic Association championships, scheduled for May 4 and May 7-9, 2026. The official roster deadline is Wednesday, April 29 at noon, and the tournament representation page shows BIIF, ILH and MIL tied for the remaining Division I berths, with BIIF 3 already in the field and an ILH3 at MIL3 play-in set for Friday, May 1 for the final berth.

Hilo’s postseason path has recent precedent. In the 2025 state tournament, the Vikings opened with a 12-7 first-round win over Kahuku, and Tonelli scored three goals in that match. Last year’s BIIF championship went to Hawaii Preparatory Academy, which beat Hilo 9-6 and finished 10-2 in league play, a reminder of how significant this year’s unbeaten run is for a program that has now put itself in command of the island race.

For Hilo, the title was more than a trophy. It was a statement that the Vikings can win tight games, finish unbeaten in BIIF play, and enter states not as an afterthought but as a legitimate threat.