Posted on: Tuesday, January 25, 2005
OIA boys, girls soccer tourneys begin this week
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By Leila Wai
Advertiser Staff Writer
The Kapolei and Roosevelt boys soccer teams won their first league division titles this season, and received first-round byes for the O'ahu Interscholastic Association boys tournament, which begins Friday.
"This year, I think any one of the teams can win it," Roosevelt coach Ed Ota said. "On any given day, whoever plays the best is going to take it this year."
Representing the East are No. 1 Roosevelt (8-2-0), No. 2 Castle (7-1-2), No. 3 Moanalua (7-2-1), No. 4 Kaiser (6-1-3), No. 5 Kalaheo (5-3-2) and No. 6 Kalani (5-5-0).
The West teams are No. 1 Kapolei (7-0-2), No. 2 Mililani (7-0-2), No. 3 Leilehua (6-2-1), No. 4 Pearl City (6-3-0), No. 5 Radford (3-2-4) and No. 6 'Aiea (3-5-1).
Kapolei and Mililani are tied for first in the standings, but Kapolei was the West's top seed because of a tie-breaker.
"We know that Mililani and Leilehua are probably the top teams in the West, but you can't leave out Pearl City either," Kapolei coach Bryce Kaneshiro said.
Mililani, the three-time defending OIA champion and four-time defending state champs, still looks like the team to beat.
"They find a way not to lose. That comes with tradition," Kaneshiro said. "Is this the year to beat them? Every year we think that, but they find a way not to lose."
OIA GIRLS TOURNAMENT
The Moanalua girls soccer team won its first division title since joining the O'ahu Interscholastic Association Eastern Division in the 2000-01 season, and Pearl City clinched its second title in three years, helping both earn first-round byes for the OIA girls tournament beginning tomorrow.
"If you take the fifth and sixth (seeded) teams lightly, it can burn you," Moanalua coach Nikki Dela Pena said. "We just have to prepare for one game at a time. That will be the biggest key: don't look ahead."
Representing the East are No. 1 Moanalua (6-0-4), No. 2 Kailua (6-1-3), No. 3 Kalaheo (5-2-3), No. 4 Kahuku (5-3-2), No. 5 Roosevelt (5-3-2) and No. 6 Castle (5-3-2).
For the West are No. 1 Pearl City (9-0-1), No. 2 Mililani (8-0-2), No. 3 'Aiea (8-1-1), No. 4 Leilehua (6-3-1), No. 5 Kapolei (6-3-1) and No. 6 Wai'anae (5-5-0).
"Seeing all (the West) scores in the paper, I know they're a big offensive threat," Dela Pena said. "Of course, that's going to be one of our concerns."
ILH
The Iolani (8-0-3) and Kamehameha (9-2-0) boys, tied for first in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu standings, play at Kamehameha at 4:15 p.m. today.
About one week remains in the boys schedule, and the top two teams receive state berths.
On the girls side, Punahou (5-1-2) plays Iolani (4-1-3) at Kamehameha Saturday at noon in ILH third-round action. The teams played to scoreless ties in the first and second rounds.
BIG ISLAND
Hilo's Katrina Chong scored three goals as the Vikings defeated Kealakehe, 3-2, Saturday to win the Big Island Interscholastic Federation regular-season title and a state tournament berth.
The girls soccer tournament begins tomorrow with Kea'au playing at Hilo, Honoka'a at Kealakehe, Hawai'i Prep at Waiakea and Konawaena at Kamehameha. All matches are at 3 p.m., except HPA-Waiakea, which is at 2 p.m.
MAUI The Maui Interscholastic League boys tournament begins today with Baldwin (5-1-0) playing Kamehameha (2-1-3) at 5 p.m. and King Kekaulike (4-1-1) taking on Seabury Hall (3-1-2) at 7 p.m. Both matches are at the War Memorial Stadium.
The girls begin Friday, with Baldwin (7-0-0) against Lahainaluna (4-3-0) at 5 p.m. and King Kekaulike (5-2-0) at Maui (5-2-0) at 7 p.m. Both matches are at Kekaulike.
Reach Leila Wai at lwai@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2457.