honoluluadvertiser.com

Sponsored by:

Comment, blog & share photos

Log in | Become a member
The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Kamehameha takes fourth straight ILH girls soccer title

By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Amber Fuller

spacer spacer
Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Meleana Shim

spacer spacer

Kamehameha senior Amber Fuller may have made history yesterday as the first Warrior to be a member of four Interscholastic League of Honolulu girls soccer championship teams.

Meleana Shim was just happy to be back with her teammates for a third title after spending her junior season in Arizona.

Kamehameha sealed the crown with a 4-0 victory over visiting Mid-Pacific in the regular-season finale at Kunuiakea Stadium.

The Warriors finished with a 10-0-2 ILH record and 32 championship points, just ahead of runner-up Punahou (9-0-3, 30 points). Both teams have secured berths for next week's JN Automotive State Championships at Waipio Peninsula Soccer Park, but the Warriors earned a top four seed and first-round bye with yesterday's victory.

"It's fabulous," Fuller said about the four-peat. "It's a lot easier having (Shim) back; she brings a lot of leadership and communication to the field, and of course a lot of goals."

Shim finished the season as the ILH goal leader, scoring her 12th in the fifth minute yesterday to give Kamehameha a quick 1-0 lead.

It came off a cross from the right corner by Shawna Kinilau. Shim controlled the pass, squared to the goal and shot it into the lower right corner of the net.

The Warriors took a 2-0 lead in the 18th minute on a short header by Leila Machado, off an assist to the back post by Kauwela Neal.

That's how the score remained until the 76th minute, when Fuller took a corner kick from Kinilau on the right side of the goal box near the back post, slid to her left and sent a shot into the lower left corner of the net.

Kamehameha made it 4-0 a minute later when Neal scored on a short goal off an assist from Shim as the ball bounced off the keeper's arms and rolled just past the goal line.

The game-ending double whistle was sounded three minutes later, completing an unbeaten regular season for the Warriors (they tied Punahou, 2-2 and 1-1).

"This team has been very consistent," Kamehameha coach Michele Nagamine said. "We have seniors with experience and leadership, and they've helped everybody stay calm and focused all year."

Shim, a two-time All-State midfielder, spent her junior year in Arizona being home-schooled and playing in as many club tournaments as she could. She plans to sign a National Letter of Intent on Feb. 4 to play for the University of Santa Clara.

But her heart never left the Warriors, and she followed Kamehameha's progress from a distance throughout last season.

"I was on the phone with my mom the whole state championship game (a 1-0 victory over Punahou); I missed them," said Shim, pointing to her teammates. "Aside from seeing my family, that (rejoining the Warriors) was the thing I looked forward to most when I came back home."

She described winning a third ILH title as a senior as "a big, big deal."

Mid-Pacific finished 3-8-1 and tied for second in the ILH Division II standings with Sacred Hearts (3-8-1). The two teams will face off at 4:15 p.m. tomorrow at Kapi'olani Park field No. 2 for the league's second DII state tournament berth.

Pac-Five (4-6-2) finished first in the ILH DII standings and has secured the first state berth.

Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com.