Mililani wins state soccer title
Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser
The Mililani Trojans celebrate winning the high school girls state soccer championship last night at Waipi‘o Soccer Park, defeating the Baldwin High Bears 2-1 on penalty kicks.
By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer
WAIPAHU — For the second straight night, luck appeared to be on the side of the Baldwin High School girls soccer team. But in the end, Mililani was the team living the charmed life of a state champion.
Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser
Mililani won its first state championship since 1994 last night, defeating two-time defending champ Baldwin, 2-1, on penalty kicks at Waipi'o Peninsula Stadium.
Baldwin's Kehani Suzuki, left, passed the ball beyond the defense of Mililani's Erica Salvador during the second half of last night's Meadow Gold Girls State Soccer Championships final. The Trojans beat the two-time defending champion Bears, 2-1, on penalty kicks.
Mallory Iha, the Trojans' fifth penalty kick shooter, found the top right corner of the net to give Mililani a 5-3 advantage with one shooter remaining for the Bears. Baldwin missed its first penalty kick when Trojans goalkeeper Eryn Kishimoto deflected the ball over the crossbar.
The state title comes one week after Mililani's boys won their state crown on Maui. Baldwin had beaten the Mililani girls in last year's final and in the 2000 semifinals.
"We ended it for them two years in a row, but tonight they came out really hard," Bears coach Kawika Keator said. "You could tell they really wanted it."
Mililani had controlled much of the action for 80 minutes of regulation and two 10-minute overtime periods. The Trojans outshot the Bears 23-10.
But Baldwin scored first, in the 45th minute on Kami Kapaku's left-footed shot into the top left corner of the net from about 18 yards.
Mililani tied it in the 56th minute on Julie Broussard's short goal after her penalty kick was deflected by Bears goalkeeper Mahie Atay. The penalty kick was awarded after Mele French was fouled in the penalty box. She turned her ankle on the play and did not return.
"I had big-time confidence that Julie could do it," said French, who led O'ahu players — boys and girls — with 23 goals in the regular season.
The Trojans outshot the Bears 10-3 in the first half and came agonizingly close to scoring three times. Just a few minutes into the game, French had a shot at an open net from the left flank, but the ball rolled just a few inches outside the far post.
French had a penalty kick opportunity in the 19th minute, but her low shot hit the left post and bounced out. In the 32nd minute, Jolie Nitta's shot from about 20 yards hit the crossbar.
"I've been reading Mia Hamm's book," French said. "She said, 'Do not dwell on shots that you just missed, because there will always be other opportunities.' "
There were, but none went in until the penalty kick period.
Atay, a first-team all-state selection in 2001, had an outstanding game for the second straight night. She saved six shots, several in spectacular fashion. Atay made 15 saves in Friday's semifinal victory over Punahou, a game in which the Bears were outshot 22-8.
"She's an awesome keeper," said French, who signed a letter of intent to play for the University of Oregon next fall on a full scholarship. "I give her all the credit."
But in the penalty kicks, there was no stopping Mililani's five shooters — Nitta, Ashlee Doi, Broussard, Liane Tom and Iha.
"Those were five perfect shots," Keator said.
The last one came from Iha, a junior who tore the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee last May and was told by doctors not to play this year. She returned in midseason.
"I grew up playing with all of these seniors," Iha said. "It meant a lot to me to play this year."
The victory also meant a lot to French, who will join Oregon standout Nicole Garbin, the 2001 Hawai'i Player of the Year, on next year's Ducks squad.
"I'm going to tell her, 'We finally did it,' " French said. "It's a dream come true."
Scoring Summary:
44:00 -- Kami Kapaku, Baldwin
56:30 -- Julie Broussard, Mililani
Mililani Baldwin
Goal Kicks 11 29
Corner Kicks 5 4
Fouls 18 20
Offsides 0 0
Cards 0 1
Shots 33 10
Saves 1 9
OTHER GAMES
• Third place: Charlene Lui, Romy Trigg-Smith and Michelle Quensell scored as Punahou defeated 'Aiea, 3-0, for third place.
• Fifth place: Pearl City and Kailua played to a scoreless tie in the fifth-place game.
• Consolation final: Kainoa Correa scored two goals as King Kekaulike beat Hawai'i Preparatory Academy, 4-2, in the consolation final.
Correction: The Mililani soccer player pictured in yesterday's sports section is Erica Salvador. Another player was identified in a previous version of this story.
