Posted on: Thursday, February 3, 2005

Leilehua, Mililani boys in OIA final

By Leila Wai
Advertiser Staff Writer

HAWAI'I KAI — Stressing a team mentality, the Leilehua boys scored on a last-ditch effort and then shared the credit in an O'ahu Interscholastic Association boys semifinal match last night at Kaiser.

Junior midfielder Daniel Phelps scored about two minutes into injury time as the Mules defeated Kaiser, 1-0.

Leilehua (9-2-1) plays Mililani (9-0-2), a 1-0 winner over Pearl City last night, in the OIA championship match Saturday at 'Aiea at 6 p.m.

All four semifinalists already qualified for next week's state tournament.

Mililani, the four-time defending state champion, has won three straight OIA titles. Leilehua last captured the league crown in 1978 and is advancing to its first OIA championship match in at least 10 years.

Phelps scored after sophomore forward Syd Tom crossed the ball from the right side along the top of the penalty box, which junior Tim Rafferty redirected to Phelps, who was on the left side of the box. Phelps juked one defender and shot the ball into the far right side of the goal.

"I took a little touch and faked the shot," Phelps said. "We were working the ball all over the field, and it just so happens I was at the end of it. It was a team effort."

It was an evenly played match, with both teams utilizing their strengths.

Leilehua relied on crisp, short passes to move it up the field, and Kaiser (8-2-3) sent long passes above or behind the Leilehua defense.

"I think (Leilehua) strung together some nice passes," said Kaiser coach Herb Schreiner, who said the only time he saw Leilehua play was last Saturday in the OIA quarterfinals, at the muddy and rain-soaked Leilehua field. "I never saw them pass, it was a lot of one-touch. That's what they did today, until they figured out to play the ball around."

Unlike when it played at its home field in the quarterfinal match, Leilehua benefitted from a relatively smooth and flat Kaiser field, which allowed it to pass the ball on the ground and work a possession game.

"When we get on a good field like this, we can work the ball on anyone," Phelps said.

Leilehua coach Carl Friedl acknowledged that the ball was passed around to "six, seven, eight players before we scored." But, he added, "Kaiser started pushing the last 10 minutes and it was really scary."

Leilehua played without senior forward RB Bibilone, who received two yellow cards in Saturday's match, a 3-2 overtime win against Castle. Bibilone was third in the OIA Western Division with 10 goals, and will return for Saturday's match.

"Of course we missed him, but I feel as long as we work as a team, a team can beat any individual," Phelps said.

MILILANI 1, PEARL CITY 0

Mililani senior defender Cheyne Eugenio scored in the 20th minute as the Trojans advanced to the championship match to defend their title.

Eugenio scored off a throw-in by Justin Ching from the left side of the field. The ball took a funny skip off the ground, and bounced over the heads of a Mililani player, a Pearl City player, and the Pearl City goalkeeper, who moved to the post on the throw. Eugenio, who was trailing on the play, put the ball into the open net.

"It was meant for a front-post flick," Eugenio said.

Two minutes into the second half, a Pearl City (8-4-0) free kick almost resulted in the equalizer, when a header bounced off the cross bar, but Mililani successfully cleared it out.

About 20 minutes into the second half, Pearl City, down a goal, switched its strategy, moving central defender Steven King up to forward. King was tied for the OIA Western Division lead with 13 goals, but moved to defense late in the season.

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

OIA CONSOLATION

Boys Varsity

Kapolei 3, Castle 2

Goals—Kap: Daniel Garcia, Curtis Kiyabu, Drew Geis. Cast: Kory Muraoka, Bryce Muraoka.

'Aiea 3, Roosevelt 2

Goals—'Aiea: Mark Atta, Terrence Kawano, Ryan Murakami. Roos: Devin Wong, Jun Ji Sawada

ILH GIRLS

Interscholastic League of Honolulu

Varsity

Kamehameha 1, Punahou 0

Goal—KS: Markee Nobriga.

Pac-Five vs. Punahou, ppd.

Match has been rescheduled for 4:15 p.m. today at Kapiolani Park No. 2.