Mililani, Punahou in rematch for soccer title

By Leila Wai
Advertiser Staff Writer

Pearl City's Blessing Drumeller, left, and Mililani's Jamie Ann Ching converge on a free ball in their semifinal match. Photos by Rebecca Breyer • The Honolulu Advertiser

Pearl City's Chimene Sienkiewicz, left, gets ready to control the ball as Mililani's Shaunna Miyashiro moves in to intercept during a semifinal match in the girls state tournament.

At Waipi'o Peninsula Soccer Complex YESTERDAY Consolation Kailua 2, Hawai'i Prep 1 Baldwin 3, Kalaheo 0 Semifinals Mililani 2, Pearl City 1 (3-1 PK) Punahou 3, 'Aiea 0 TODAY Consolation, at Field No. 7 Kauai (8-1-1) vs. Waiakea (14-3), 4 p.m. Fifth place, at Field No. 8 Kailua (11-3-2) vs. Baldwin (11-2-3), 4 p.m. Third place, at stadium Pearl City (11-3-1) vs. 'Aiea (14-2), 6 p.m. Championship, at stadium Mililani (13-2-1) vs. Punahou (12-0), 8 p.m.

Mililani outlasted Pearl City, 2-1, and Punahou blanked 'Aiea, 3-0, in semifinal games last night at the Waipi'o Peninsula Soccer Stadium in front of 1,094 fans.

Mililani (13-2-1), the O'ahu Interscholastic Association champion, faces Punahou tonight at 8. Punahou (12-0), the Interscholastic League of Honolulu champions, defeated Mililani, 1-0, last year.

"That's just going to add excitement to the game," Punahou junior defender Kelsey Baker said of the rematch. "Mililani made a big comeback late in the season. They started off shaky and they've been progressively getting tougher."

In the first semifinal game, the Trojans defeated Pearl City in penalty kicks after playing to a 1-1 tie after two 40-minute halves and two 10-minute overtime periods.

Mililani junior goalkeeper Ashley Nakamoto stopped two shots and another shooter missed high as the Trojans defeated the Chargers, 3-1, in the penalty-kick phase of the game.

"We decided to go with seniors because it's their season," Pearl City coach Frank Baumholtz said. "In practice, everyone was pretty even."

The 5-foot-2 Nakamoto also made the first penalty kick for the Trojans, who are in their fourth straight championship game.

"This is the first time the whole year I shot," said Nakamoto, who said that she was chosen because she made all three of her shots during practice.

"In the beginning I was thinking we couldn't go into shootout," said Nicole Harris, who said the Trojans lost to Pearl City in penalty kicks during a preseason tournament.

The teams also played to a 0-0 tie in the OIA regular season and Mililani defeated Pearl City, 2-1, in the OIA semifinals.

The Chargers scored first in the 16th minute when Chimene Sienkiewicz put away a ball that bounced off the goal post.

The goal was set up when a throw in by senior Kari Tanimoto bounced into the 6-yard box, and a Mililani defender headed it towards the goal. The ball bounced off the post, and Sienkiewicz was in the middle of the goal and scored.

"I thought (the header) was going in, she (Mililani defender) was trying to clear it and I tried to block it," Sienkiewicz said. "Last time we played Mililani it hit the post three times and no one followed it, so our coach (Baumholtz) told us to crash the goal this time."

Mililani came back from the onegoal deficit on a penalty kick in the 57th minute by Harris, who also made her shot in the penalty-kicks phase.

Harris was awarded the penalty kick when she was pushed down from behind in the penalty box.

"The first one was more pressure," she said. "It's miss and nothing, I had to get that in."

Mililani had appeared to tie the game much earlier, when a goal by Jamie Ann Ching was called back because it was ruled by the referee that she knocked into Pearl City goalkeeper Amber Horn when Horn had possession of the ball.

"From my angle it was hard to know what happened," Mililani coach Ray Akiona said. "I think it gave us a lift, brought our spirits back up. Either way it was good for us."

Punahou 3, 'Aiea 0: It was apparent from Jennifer Lau's shot that zinged off the goalpost within the first five minutes that Punahou was going to dominate offensively.

Senior Allison Tsuchida, senior Kelly Kalapa and freshman Chelsea Deptula scored to lift the defending state champions over 'Aiea.

"Once we score, we get hungry," Punahou coach Jorge Barbosa said. "This team is tenacious and relentless and they keep coming at you. Once we score, we pound on you."

Tsuchida's goal came in the 34th minute when the ball rolled out of the pile of players in front of the goal after a corner kick by Ashley Collins.

Kalapa's goal was in the 47th minute on a low 12-yard shot from the right side of the goal.

Deptula scored in the 58th minute for the Buffanblu, who still have not allowed a goal this season.

Consolation Games

Baldwin 3, Kalaheo 0: Maris Van Der Lee (36th minute), Kehani Suzuki (42) and Kami Kapaku (57) scored as the Bears (11-2-3) defeated the Mustangs (12-5).

Kailua 2, Hawai'i Prep 1: The Surfriders (10-3-2) defeated Ka Makani (15-4), 5-3, in the penalty kick phase after playing to a 1-1 tie after two 40-minute halves and two 10-minute overtime periods.

Tara Imamura scored for Kailua in the 67th minute and Rebekah Chmura scored for Hawai'i Prep in the 53rd minute.

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