Kailua, Mililani advance to girls soccer title match

By Leila Wai
Advertiser Staff Writer

Mililani's Cami Kageno, left, and Pearl City's Joanna Oliveros battled for control of the ball in yesterday's match. Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser OIA soccer Girls Consolation At Castle Yesterday's results Kalaheo 1, Kapolei 0. Kalah: Tonya McBride. Castle 4, Kahuku 1. Cast: Aimee Watanabe, Lindsey Watanabe, Tami Kaliwaa, Krystal Kekauoha. Kah: Tiana Ahue Third and fifth place At Castle Tomorrow Third place 5:15 p.m.—Pearl City (9-2-1) vs. 'Aiea (11-1) Fifth place 7 p.m.—Kalaheo (9-4-0) vs. Castle (10-1-1) Championship Saturday At Kaiser 6 p.m. — Mililani (10-2-1) vs. Kailua (9-1-1) Boys Third and fifth place Tomorrow At Kailua Third place 5:15 p.m. — Kaiser (10-2-1) vs. Castle (9-2-1) Fifth place 7 p.m. — Kapolei (9-3-0) vs. Pearl City (9-2-0) Championship Saturday At Kaiser 4 p.m. — Kalaheo (8-3-2) vs. Mililani (11-0)

But none of that mattered as Surfrider sophomore Hea Kane scored to lift Kailua past previously undefeated 'Aiea, 1-0, in a semifinal game of the girls O'ahu Interscholastic Association tournament yesterday at 'Aiea High School.

Kailua (9-1-2), the East's No. 2 seed, plays West No. 4 Mililani (10-2-1), the two-time defending OIA champion, for the championship Saturday at 6 p.m. at Kaiser High School.

Mililani defeated Pearl City, 2-1, in the other semifinal.

Mililani, West No. 2 Pearl City (9-2-1), Kailua and West No. 1 'Aiea (11-1) already qualified for the state tournament. The OIA's fifth and final berth will be decided when Kalaheo plays at Castle at 7 p.m. tomorrow.

Kane scored on a 45-yard kick in the 39th minute, just over the outstretched arms of the 'Aiea goalkeeper.

"I'm usually scoring on breakaways so that was lucky," said Kane. "Coach is always telling us to shoot when we have the opportunity."

Kane credited her defense with the win.

"Our defense is so strong, and our keeper (Johnalynn Ilae) is super good," she said. "They're so quick and know how to judge the ball."

Kailua coach Wil Kimura joked that 'Aiea "must have outshot us four-to-one."

But with the one-goal lead, Kailua, which has now outscored opponents 11-1 this season, collapsed into its half of the field, hoping to preserve the shutout.

"Our main goal was to keep that lead, so we were just kicking the ball out," senior Ona Miller said.

It frustrated Na Ali'i, who had outscored opponents 34-1, led by Ako and junior Tobi Kanehira, who scored two goals against Kalaheo in the tournament.

"I think we were on the attack, but we just couldn't score, so that was frustrating," 'Aiea coach Gordon Matsuoka said.

Kimura attributed the Surfriders' strong defensive play to the senior-laden defense.

"They're our strength, we don't give up many goals," he said. "We have to try and stop (the other team) and hopefully score. We just get it up to the young ones and hope they can do it."

The strategy worked yesterday, as the sophomore Kane scored her second-game winning goal of the tournament.

• Mililani 2, Pearl City 1: It was a familiar sight, with perennial powerhouses Mililani and Pearl City facing off. Even more familiar was the closeness of the score, this time a win for Mililani in the first semifinal.

"Every game against Pearl City has been won by one goal (by either team)," Mililani coach Ray Akiona said. "You can never let your guard down."

This time, Mililani came back from a one goal deficit behind goals from senior Alexis Choi and junior forward Sarah Yoro, who said she is well aware of the rivalry between the Trojans and the Chargers.

"As long as I've been here, it's been a head-to-head battle," she said. "It's really hard to say who's going to pull it off."

Pearl City scored one minute into the game when a cross from junior forward Blessing Drumeller set up senior midfielder Kari Tanimoto.

"It was almost like it was too early," Pearl City co-head coach Frank Baumholtz III said of the goal. "I think it made us ease off a bit, thinking we were going to score again. We lost the edge, and the edge made the difference."

Mililani tied the game four minutes later on Yoro's header off a Crystal AhSam corner kick.

"It was perfectly placed to the back door and no one was on me," Yoro said.

The Trojans claimed the lead for good when Choi scored on a pass from Raimee Ortega in the 39th minute.

ILH GIRLS

Punahou 1, Iolani 0. Pun: Rachael Lau.

Kamehameha 2, Pac-Five 0. KS: India Soo 2.

Mid-Pacific 3, St. Francis 1. MPI: Ashlee Komatsubara, Mariko Strickland, Erika Lum. St.F: Jennifer Scelsa.

BIIF BOYS

Waiakea 2, Hilo 0. Waiak: Chad Hanashiro, Nick Figueira.

Reach Leila Wai at lwai@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2457.