Trying to defend a state title is tough enough. Allowing a goal within the first two minutes of a game makes it even harder.

The 2006 state champion Punahou boys soccer team salvaged a 2-2 tie with Kamehameha after giving up two first-half goals in Interscholastic League of Honolulu play yesterday at Kapi'olani Park.

Kimo Komomua and David Obando scored for the Warriors, and Chris Walker and Caton Smith scored for the Buffanblu. Both teams remain tied atop the ILH standings with 3-0-1 records. 'Iolani is close at 3-1-0.

"We had a lot of confidence," entering the season, said Punahou's Walker, whose team graduated three seniors. "But we get off to slow starts and have to come back. Maybe today will wake us up."

It was the Warriors who came out with high intensity to start the game, possibly to make up for the absence of senior Kekoa Osorio, a two-time All-State first-teamer who is with the Under-18 National Team.

"I wanted to find out how much they believed in themselves (without Osorio)," Kamehameha coach Andrew Ah New said. He said he was happy with how his team played.

Komomua scored 1 minute, 20 seconds into the game on a corner kick by Micah Gomes from the right. Gomes' kick found the foot of Kainoa Kahui, who shot the ball that Komomua chased down.

"(The Punahou defense) let it go to the keeper so he could pick it up and I followed it," Komomua said. "It was good. It gave us the upper hand."

Obando scored in the 32nd minute, dribbling almost untouched into the penalty box.

"I heard people say shoot, but it was my left foot, so I cut back to my right," Obando said. "I chipped it over the keeper. It was pretty nuts."

In the second half, it was "Punahou pride and some angry coaches," according to Buffanblu coach Bob Clague, that woke up the Buffanblu.

"We have 6-3, 6-4 guys and they were beating us to the ball," Clague said. Punahou changed to a high-pressure game plan that resulted in numerous chances, capped by a hustle play by Smith, who was fouled in the penalty box. Walker converted the penalty kick to make it 2-1 in the 56th minute.

"That shot was really what got us going," Smith said.

Walker set up Smith's game-tying goal with less than two minutes remaining on a left-footed cross from the left that reached the far right post of the goal. Kevin Johns passed the ball right in front of the goal for Smith.

"It was a perfect cross right through the middle," Smith said of Johns' pass.

INTERSCHOLASTIC LEAGUE OF HONOLULU

BOYS VARSITY

KAMEHAMEHA 2, PUNAHOU 2

Goals—KS: Christopher Walker, Caton Smith. KS: Kimo Komomua, David Obando.

'IOLANI 3, PAC-FIVE 1

Goals—Iol: Brock Granger, Kevin Fung, Nick Moriwaki. P5: Ross Taira-Kuehu.

MID-PACIFIC 7, DAMIEN 0

Goals—MPI: Ryne Shimbaukuro 2, Cody Sullivan 2, Kelsey Ching, Chase Heilbron, Troy Lambert.

O'AHU INTERSCHOLASTIC ASSOCIATION

RED EAST DIVISION

BOYS VARSITY

MOANALUA 2, KAHUKU 0

Goals—Moa: Rayden Tsutsui 2.

ROOSEVELT 4, KAILUA 0

Goals—Roos: Ryan Pena 3, Rommel Delfino.

KAISER 2, CASTLE 1

Goals—Kais: Kaipo Dean, Kaveh Nikou. Cast: Blayne Muraoka.

KALANI 5, FARRINGTON 1

Goals—Kalan: Carter Kam 2, Kenn Kamoto, Jared Sasaki, Danny Higa. Farr: Jordan Wong.

KAIMUKI 3, MCKINLEY 1

Goals—Kaim: Javier Alvarado 3. McK: Thomas Pae.

GIRLS VARSITY

KALAHEO 2, KAHUKU 1

Goals—Kalah: Kahili Cheng 2. Kah: Kaha'ionakolo Polvado.

KALANI 1, CASTLE 0

Goal—Kalan: Tani Costa.

KAISER VS. KAILUA, PPD (UNPLAYABLE FIELD CONDITIONS)

GIRLS JV

KAHUKU 1, KALAHEO 0

KAISER VS. KAILUA, PPD (UNPLAYABLE FIELD CONDITIONS)

WHITE DIVISION

FARRINGTON 0, MCKINLEY 0

ROOSEVELT 5, KAIMUKI 0

Goals—Roos: Ashley Okazaki 2, Jenna Uyehara, Chanel Rayes, Rachel Domingo.

GIRLS JV

Roosevelt 4, Nanakuli 0

Reach Leila Wai at lwai@honoluluadvertiser.com.