Baldwin, Mililani to play for state soccer title

By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer

WAIPAHU — You can take the 2001 State Player of the Year off the Baldwin High School girls soccer team, but you can't keep the Bears out of the 2002 state championship game.

Punahou's Romy Trigg-Smith beats teammate Kaily Lam and Baldwin's Jenavi Iida to the ball during yesterday's semifinal of the Meadow Gold Girls State Soccer Championship. Baldwin beat Punahou, 2-1. Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser

The third-seeded Bears (12-1-2) will play No. 1 seed Mililani (13-0-1) at 7 in a rematch of last year's final won by the Bears, 2-0.

Baldwin, led to the past two championships by current University of Oregon standout Nicole Garbin, won last night thanks to a outstanding performance by goalkeeper Mahie Atay and — admittedly — some old-fashioned luck.

In 80 minutes of regulation and two 10-minute overtime periods, the Interscholastic League of Honolulu champion Buffanblu (8-2-2) outshot the Bears 22-8, including two golden chances in the final moments of the second overtime.

When the game went to penalty kicks, Baldwin missed its first shot wide and had its second attempt blocked by Ali Lipsher. Punahou made both of its first two shots to lead 2-0, but Atay stopped the Buffanblu's next two shots and their final attempt went wide left.

Meanwhile, the Bears' Christie Trenholme, Kapua Atay and Kami Kapaku converted Baldwin's final three kicks to win the return ticket to the finals.

"I believe in our girls," said Mahie Atay, who made 15 saves prior to the penalty kicks. "We only have two seniors, but the younger girls have some talent."

Mahie Atay, a first-team All-State selection last year, is one of those seniors. She was the busiest person on the field last night, making saves from every angle and booming punts downfield to briefly give herself relief from Punahou's constant pressure.

"Mahie won the game for us tonight," Baldwin coach Kawika Keator said. "Punahou dominated, but our girls never gave up."

Punahou took a 1-0 lead in the 48th minute on a goal by Rachael Lau off a shot that bounced off the front post. The Bears tied it in the 66th minute on Koren Takeyama's goal off the hands of a sliding Lipsher.

The Buffanblu had several chances to win it in the remainder of regulation and the two overtimes, but their shots went everywhere except into the net. In the final 40 seconds of the second overtime, forward Adria Campbell had a line drive skip off the crossbar and another ball was knocked around an empty goal entrance before finally being cleared by Baldwin.

"We hit the crossbar, we had a ball on the line, and then we miss three (penalty) kicks in a row," Punahou coach Jorge Barbosa said. "We're frustrated, but sometimes that's the way it is. Everything fell into place for (the Bears), so maybe it was meant to be."

Barbosa said destiny seemed to be on Baldwin's side, but he also praised the Bears for not folding under the pressure.

"Give Baldwin credit, they weathered our attack and hung in there," Barbosa said. "They kept coming back; they never gave up."

Keator said the Bears' effort is more impressive considering several key defenders were playing injured. Takeyama, a first-team All-State defender last season, was playing "at about 50 percent" two weeks ago due to a deep thigh bruise and since has been splitting time between defense and midfield.

"We had to move our sweeper, Kehani Suzuki, to center-half because she hurt her back and hip," Keator said. "The girl we played at sweeper, Tori Kim, hurt her quad the other week and they didn't think she could play. She just has heart — that and a love for the game."

• Mililani 1, 'Aiea 0: Liane Tom scored the game's only goal in the 69th minute off Rachel Ling's assist to lead the Trojans (13-0-1) past Na Ali'i (11-2-2).

Mililani, which has not won a state title since 1994, outshot 'Aiea 7-4. The Trojans tied Na Ali'i earlier this season and had not beaten them "in three or four years," Mililani coach James Uson said.

"Like Kailua did (Thursday), 'Aiea stacked their defense, and that gives us problems," Uson said. "They know how to shut down our passing lanes. Our game plan was to go around their defense and attack from the outside."

Tom scored after running down Ling's pass deep on the right side of the penalty box and shooting into the left corner from a sharp angle.

CONSOLATION

• Pearl City 3, Kalaheo 1: Chante Figueroa scored two goals and Tracie Miura had one goal, leading the Chargers (11-4-1) past the Mustangs (11-4-1) and into today's fifth-place game against Kailua.

• Kailua 2, Hilo 1: Keona Byers and Anela Gonzales scored second-half goals to lead the Surfriders (11-3-2) past the Vikings (15-2).

Chelsea Kling gave Hilo a 1-0 lead with goal in the 22nd minute. Byers scored a minute into the second half, her third goal of the tournament, and Gonzales scored in the 68th minute.

• CORRECTION: Ashley Collins scored Punahou's first goal in Thursday's quarterfinal victory over Pearl City, and she was assisted by Kaily Lam. A different last name was printed in yesterday's report, and no assist was credited.