honoluluadvertiser.com

Sponsored by:

Comment, blog & share photos

Log in | Become a member
The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, May 11, 2007

Lunas score historic victory

By Kyle Sakamoto
Advertiser Staff Writer

The Lahainaluna girls water polo team yesterday became the first school from the Maui Interscholastic League to win an opening-round match of the Local Motion/HHSAA Water Polo Championships.

The Lunas, the MIL champion and No. 4 seed, edged Kapolei, 9-8, behind three goals from Michelle Fuller at Central O'ahu Regional Park.

"We're really excited," Lahainaluna coach Will Hutchison said of reaching the semifinals. "This has been a goal of ours all season and something we've focused on all season."

This is the fourth girls state water polo championship and the MIL has sent a team the past three seasons. In 2005, Baldwin lost all three matches. Last year, Lahainaluna lost its first two matches, but beat Kalani for seventh place, 10-4.

It was a day where all four seeded teams advanced to the semifinals.

No. 1 'Iolani routed Kamehameha-Hawai'i, 17-7; No. 2 Kahuku blanked Leilehua, 10-0; and No. 3 Hawai'i Prep edged Roosevelt, 5-4.

Hawai'i Prep will play Kahuku today at 3:45 p.m., and Lahainaluna faces 'Iolani at 5 p.m.

Fuller, a junior, put Lahainaluna ahead 8-7 by scoring with 1:45 remaining. Alana Hendrickson scored 45 seconds later to put the Lunas ahead by two, and Kapolei's Nicole Hagi converted a penalty shot with 15 seconds left to cap the scoring.

"We're just stoked. We're on top of the world right now," Fuller said.

Lahainaluna (9-0) also got two goals apiece from Moanalani Tuipulotu, Hendrickson and Hailey Gill.

The Lunas used a 6-2 surge in the second half to take the 9-7 advantage. Three of the goals came on power plays.

"Kapolei started to fatigue just a little bit and we were able to see a chink in their armor," Hutchison said. "We were able to push the ball up the pool quickly and that's really what we're all about — fast break and motion."

Hagi and Ashlie Salas-Salem each scored three goals for Kapolei (10-3), the O'ahu Interscholastic Association's No. 3 team.

NO. 3 HAWAI'I PREP 5, ROOSEVELT 4:

Ka Makani's Malia Vitousek scored the go-ahead goal with 36 seconds remaining off an assist from Alex Eason. Eason fed Vitousek, who was open on the left side about 5 feet from goal. Eason scored three goals for Hawai'i Prep (11-0), the Big Island Interscholastic Federation champion. Marissa Young scored all four goals for Roosevelt (11-2), the OIA runner-up.

NO. 2 KAHUKU 10, LEILEHUA 0:

The Red Raiders had no problem dispatching a league rival. Taniya Sifton scored three goals, and Rosie Jaffurs and Minnie Whitford each added two for Kahuku (13-0), the OIA champion. Leilehua (7-6) was the OIA's No. 4 team.

NO. 1 'IOLANI 17, KAMEHAMEHA-HAWAI'I 7:

Aja Kusao repeatedly beat defenders down the pool en route to six goals for the Raiders, the Interscholastic League of Honolulu champion. Dara Tawarahara added four goals for 'Iolani (8-1), which scored on 10 of its first 11 shots. Kanoe Lyons scored three goals for Kamehameha-Hawai'i (8-3), the BIIF runner-up.

Reach Kyle Sakamoto at ksakamoto@honoluluadvertiser.com.