Mililani beats Punahou to win third straight state soccer title

By Brandon Masuoka
Advertiser Staff Writer

That's right, Mililani, it appears blonds do have more fun.

Bleach-blond Mililani players, including Whitney Shimatsu (center), celebrate their third straight state soccer title. "It burns (to bleach our hair), but that's what it takes to be a champion," said Shimatsu, who scored both of his team's goals. Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser

An estimated crowd of 2,500 at Waipi'o Peninsula Soccer Park watched the bleached-blond Trojans become the first O'ahu Interscholastic Association team to win three championships in a row.

"This was really sweet for us," Mililani coach Jeff Yamamoto said. "We've been playing Punahou ... for the last nine years and we've always lost to them. This is the first time we've won."

(Punahou did not play in the last three state tournaments. Mililani lost to Punahou in preseason games in those years.)

Shimatsu's goal at 93:52 in double overtime off an assist by senior forward Nathan Amous ended the game. It was Shimatsu's third goal of the tournament and 11th this season.

Shimatsu also scored in the second half (56:23) on a 15-yard, line-drive shot. The ball was kept alive by junior midfielder Justin Kim and rolled to Shimatsu.

"To go out on top, it feels great," said Shimatsu, who also scored the game-winner against Kamehameha in last year's championship. "It's my senior year. It feels great."

Punahou tied the score 1-1 on a header by senior midfielder Kevin Lenahan at 77:23. It was Lenahan's second tournament goal and third of the season.

After Lenahan's goal, Mililani's defense — which until last night's game had only allowed one goal — buckled down.

Much of the credit went to junior goalie Darren Smith, a 6-foot-4 shot-blocking machine. Smith finished the tournament with 12 saves in three games. His counterpart, Punahou senior David Semenza, recorded 13 saves.

"Our defense wins championships," Smith said. "We showed that to everybody tonight."

The Trojans bleached their hair especially for the tournament. It started about three or four years ago as a show of solidarity.

"They just came to practice one day in the postseason with their hair like this," Yamamoto said. "It's a team bonding thing. They get together at someone's house and they do it and have a good time."

Added Shimatsu: "We use hydrogen peroxide and bleach powder. It burns, but that's what it takes to be a champion."

The game was scoreless at the half thanks to stellar play by both goalies.

Just 10 seconds into the game, Mililani had its best scoring opportunity off the opening kick. But Punahou's Semenza stopped the breakaway for one of his two first-half saves.

On the other side, Mililani's Smith made four first-half saves, including a sliding kick to stop a breakaway by Punahou senior forward Satoshi Mitsuda at 9:21.

Punahou outshot Mililani, 7-1, in the 40-minute first half.

"In the celebration, I said the team that takes the chances is going to win," Punahou coach Bob Clague said. "When Mililani got their chances, they took them, and they put them away. We probably had some that we didn't put away. But that's soccer."

• Title game on TV: The championship game will be broadcast on a delayed basis today at 1 p.m. and again at 10 p.m. on OC-16.

• Kamehameha 2, Pearl City 0: Randall Haraguchi and David Gualdarama each a goal as the Warriors rolled past the Chargers in the third-place game.

Haraguchi scored at 31:12 and Gualdarama added his insurance goal at 69:26.

The Warriors, the Interscholastic League of Honolulu third-place team, allowed just one goal in the tournament — a 1-0 double overtime loss to top-seeded Mililani — and finished the season at 12-5-1.

The Chargers, the O'ahu Interscholastic Association runner-up, finished 11-4-1.

• Hawai'i Prep 1, Hilo 0: Junior forward Trel Mangarin scored one goal and Ka Makani upset the Vikings in the fifth-place game.

Mangarin's goal (12:33) was his third score of the tournament. Ka Makani outshot the Vikings, 16-8, including 10-2 in the first half.

Big Island Interscholastic Federation runner-up Hawai'i Prep ended the season at 17-3, while the BIIF champion Hilo finished 16-3.

• Moanalua 5, Honoka'a 1: Nick Lovan scored two first-half goals (12:26, 18:55) and Nick Dang (41:32), Colin Morikawa (56:44) and Landon Watanabe (57:45) added one goal each as the Menehunes overwhelmed the Dragons in the seventh-place game.

Max Bowman scored for Honoka'a at 19:47. Lovan, a senior halfback, scored three goals in the tournament.

Moanalua, the OIA fifth-place team, finished the season at 12-4-1, while Honoka'a, the BIIF third-place team, ended at 11-7.

Correction: Mililani has not lost to Punahou in the last nine state tournaments. Punahou did not play in the last three state tournaments. Mililani lost to Punahou in preseason games in those years.