Posted on: Wednesday, October 27, 2004

Pac-Five in water polo final

By Leila Wai
Advertiser Staff Writer

For the first time in the program's eight-year history, the Pac-Five boys varsity water polo team will play for the Interscholastic League of Honolulu tournament title.

Pac-Five defeated Iolani, 8-4, in a semifinal last night at Iolani School.

The Wolfpack play Punahou tomorrow for the tournament title at 6:30 p.m. at Iolani. Punahou beat Kamehameha, 9-4, in the other semifinal.

Kamehameha plays at Iolani at 5 p.m. in tomorrow's third-place game.

"It just feels really good," Wolfpack senior co-captain Jason Fung said. "Iolani and Punahou were the top teams forever."

Iolani and Punahou have played each other in the title game "the last 30 years that I've been doing it," longtime Punahou coach Ken Smith said.

If Pac-Five defeats regular-season champ Punahou to claim the tournament title, it would force a playoff to determine the league's overall champion. That would be held Nov. 2 at 6 p.m. at Iolani.

"They always announce the starting lineups in the championship game, and I've always wanted to be announced," said Pac-Five senior co-captain Sean Aoyagi, who scored three goals last night.

The Wolfpack started slow, with Reed Ayabe scoring two goals to give Iolani an early lead.

"I know we were down 2-0, but I felt like our confidence wasn't down," Aoyagi said. "I knew we were going to come back."

Wolfpack coach Shawn Williamson called the team "a second-half team against Iolani."

It was Pac-Five's third win over Iolani this season, after never having beaten the Raiders before.

Cody Edmunds added two goals, and Fung, Lance Takenaka and Harry Kersten had one each.

Iolani's Daniel Lim scored two goals — including the Raiders' only score of the second half.

"Our defense was flat in the first half; they stepped it up in the second half," Williamson said.

Punahou 9, Kamehameha 4: Punahou, winner of four straight ILH championships and 27 overall, hopes to add to its total.

Geoffrey Long scored three goals, Kainoa Aluli and Curtiss Baldwin added two apiece, and Ikaika Aki and Kaniela Lyman-Mersereau had one each.

Kamehameha's Joshua Guth scored three goals and Clifford Kapono added one.

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