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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Saturday, February 9, 2002

Mililani, Kamehameha in final

By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer

WAILUKU — The Mililani High School boys soccer team is a win away from repeating as state champion, thanks in large part to a junior forward who was not a part of last year's title run.

Nathan Amous, a transfer from Kalaheo, scored the game's only goal last night as the Trojans defeated Hilo in a semifinal at War Memorial Stadium. No. 1 seeded Mililani (15-0) will play No. 3 seed Kamehameha, a 2-0 winner over No. 2 Baldwin, tonight at 7:30.

"I've been pretty successful everywhere else except high school," Amous said. "I've been on championship teams (in AYSO) and stuff, but to get this far is special."

Amous scored unassisted in the 57th minute after shaking a defender and shooting straight ahead from about 20 yards out. The ball skidded across the muddy penalty box and skipped over goalkeeper Brandon Morita's head.

"In the first half, the puddles were high but I was still in the dribble mode," Amous said. "We changed it up in the second half and tried to pass it up a little more. Our coach told us to shoot if we had even the slightest opening, even if it was an inch."

Hilo coach Don Memmer said Amous was a constant threat, even in the mud.

"He is very quick and hard to contain," said Memmer, whose team dropped to 15-2. "We got a little disorganized and didn't keep our shape on that goal, but it was a nice shot."

Kamehameha 2, Baldwin 0: Junior midfielder Russell Wassman came off the bench to score both goals to lead the Warriors (12-1-2) into their first state soccer championship game since 1995.

Wassman entered the game in the 10th minute and scored in the 33rd minute on a 20-yard shot from a tight right angle. The ball slightly deflected off a Baldwin defender and barely found the net just inside the back post. Wassman had chased down a pass on the right side and appeared to be too deep downfield to have a shot.

"We were saying, 'How did that go in?' " Bears coach Fred Guzman said. "But it hit hard off one of our boy's side, which changed the flight of the ball just a little. It doesn't matter how it gets in there, as long as it does."

Wassman scored again in the 69th minute on a tap-in goal after a shot by Cary Wong was deflected near the net.

"Russell comes off the bench and ignites our play," Warriors coach Andrew Ah New said.

The entire Kamehameha team appeared to be ignited from the start, getting two excellent shots at the goal in the first two minutes. The Warriors put together crisp passes and applied constant pressure on the Bears, despite a muddy field.

"We played a lot better than I thought we would under these conditions," Ah New said. "If you walk on this field, your foot can sink three inches."

Ah New said Kamehameha's aggressive offense was the best defense against a Baldwin attack which scored six goals the day before.

"They play a lot like Iolani — they like to come out hard and then increase the pressure," Ah New said. "So we tried to counter and get the pressure on them. It's a risky thing to do, because you can burn yourself out, but it seemed to work for us."

Wassman said there's no way the Warriors will be burned out in their quest to bring home the school's first state title in soccer.

"That was our main goal from the start," Wassman said. "We'll always be hungry to win it."

CONSOLATION BRACKET

  • Campbell 3, Castle 1: Michael Ryman scored twice and Taisei Lee added another for the Sabers.
  • Kaiser 4, St. Joseph 0: Landon Beers scored twice as Kaiser blanked St. Joseph. Kaiser goal keeper Josh Curtis had six saves.

• • •

AT&T Wireless State Boys Soccer

Championship
Yesterday's Results

Consolation bracket at War Memorial Stadium, Wailuku

Campbell 3, Castle 1

  • Kaiser 4, St. Joseph 0

Semifinals at War Memorial Stadium, Wailuku

  • Mililani 1, Hilo 0
  • Kamehameha 2, Baldwin 0

Today's Games
at War Memorial Stadium, Wailuku

  • 1:30 p.m. — Consolation: Moanalua vs. Seabury Hall
  • 3:30 p.m. — Fifth Place: Campbell vs. Kaiser
  • 5:30 p.m. — Third place: Hilo vs. Baldwin
  • 7:30 p.m. — Championship: Mililani vs. Kamehameha

Admission: Adults $7, students $5

Parking: Free