Sadie Kapaku-You leads top-ranked Kapolei into Friday night's Division I state final against Danielle Cervantes and second-ranked Campbell. ScoringLive photo illustration

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For eight consecutive weeks, Campbell sat atop the Hawaiian Electric/ScoringLive Softball Power Rankings.

At the time, all indications were that the Sabers were a heavy favorite to win to repeat as Division I state champions.

But then a Hurricane rolled through.

Kapolei knocked off the Sabers, 5-4, in a semifinal of the Oahu Interscholastic Association tournament and went on to win its first league crown in 11 seasons, supplanting its nearby rival on the Ewa plain. Consequently, the Hurricanes supplanted Campbell at No. 1, where they have held firm the past two weeks.

The season will come to a head Friday when the two teams face off in the title game of the DataHouse/Hawaii High School Athletic Associaion Softball State Championships.

First pitch between the Sabers (17-1) and Hurricanes (15-3) is slated for 7 p.m.

It'll be the third consecutive trip to the big game for Campbell. It pummeled then-defending champion Mililani, 16-4, in last year's state final to avenge a 2-1 loss to the Trojans in the 2014 championship game.

"For me, I'm happy, but I'm happy for the girls that from their freshman year, they've accomplished a lot and here they are today; They're going to play for the state title again," Sabers coach Shag Hermosura said following his team's 5-2 semifinal victory over Mililani.

Campbell, the OIA's third-place team, opened the state tournament with back-to-back shutouts. It cruised to a 15-0 five-inning win over Kealakehe in Tuesday's first round and followed that up with an 8-0 quarterfinal win over fourth-ranked Kamehameha Wednesday.

While there's been no shortage offense, pitching has led the way for the Sabers this week.

Senior Elisa Favela struck out eight in a two-hitter against the Waveriders and junior Danielle Cervantes fanned 17 in a one-hit gem against the Warriors. Cervantes registered nine strikeouts in a five-hit complete game against the Trojans.

Hermosura said Thursday night that he had yet to decide between Favela (6-1, 2.30 ERA) or Cervantes (10-0, 1.08) to start against Kapolei.

"I'll talk to the coaches and make a decision for the team," Hermosura said. "We're going to put our heads together. Really, we don't know who we're going to throw yet."

Whichever pitcher Hermosura gives the nod to Friday night will have some of the state's top bats to back her.

Jocelyn Alo, a senior catcher and University of California, Berkeley commit, has the third-highest batting average (.571) in all of D1 and has a state-best 28 hits. The Kahuku transfer also leads the team in doubles (11) and home runs (5). Favela, who bats behind Alo in the clean-up spot, is tied for sixth in D1 with 21 RBI.

Senior middle infielders Chardonnay Pantastico and Cydney Curran are third and fourth in the state in runs scored. Pantastico, a shortstop and University of Hawaii signee, has scored 22 runs and Curran, a second baseman and Cal State Bakersfield signee, 21 times.

"They're scary," Kapolei coach Tony Saffery said of the Sabers. "Campbell is a competitor. They compete and I think one through nine (batters are) a threat."

The OIA champion Hurricanes aren't too shabby themselves. Their power spots in the lineup — No. 3 hitter Sadie Kapaku-You and clean-up batter Laugatausala Pedebone — are two of the best on any team.

Kapaku-You, a junior pitcher, has gotten the job done in the pitching circle and in the batter's box. She is 13-3 on the season with a 1.73 ERA and is batting .373 with 24 RBI — which ties her for second in the state. She slugged a solo home run in Thursday night's 6-5 eight-inning semifinal win over Pearl City.

"That Sadie is a competitor. I love her to death," Saffery said. "I really wanted her to be in this game and for our seniors as well. She deserves to be there."

Pedebone, a senior shortstop and clean-up hitter, leads her team in hits (26), batting average (.481) and doubles (7). Senior first baseman and leadoff hitter Makana Meyers had scored a team-high 23 times, which ranks second in D1.

"Sadie is a helluva of a pitcher and Pedebone is a batter that you've got to contend with," Hermosura said. "Their defense is tough. Hopefully we can match hit for hit, out for out and see who comes out the winner."

It will mark the fourth meeting between the teams this season. Campbell won both regular season meetings by scores of 4-2 and 4-3, but Kapolei's 5-4 playoff win is the one blemish on the Sabers' record this year.

The Hurricanes' only state championship came in 2004 — when the school was only four years old. Saffery is hoping his team will have some magic Friday night.

"I hope so. We're here and that's going to be the message — that this has been a long time coming," Saffery said. " ‘We're here, now do we want to be passive?' Hey, this is the last game of the season, so I just want them to play with no regrets."