Trojans fend off rival Na Alii

To get one step closer to their dream, the Mililani Trojans had to get past a familiar foe.

State Boys Soccer At Waipio Peninsula Soccer Park: Yesterday's quarterfinals Division I All games in stadium » Iolani 2, Kaiser 0 » Kamehameha-Maui 1, Roosevelt 0 » Kamehameha 4, Kealakehe 0 » Mililani 1, Aiea 0 Division II All 3:00 matches were called in the second half due to poor field conditions and safety concerns as a result of inclement weather. All scores at that point are final. Ties will continue at 10 this morning in overtime. » Kauai 0, Honokaa 0 » Kapaa 3, Kahuku 0 » Mid-Pacific 1, Hawaii Prep 0 » Kamehameha-Hawaii 2, Seabury Hall 0

Ryan Wert was ready for the challenge. The senior scored at the 33-minute mark off a corner kick as the Oahu Interscholastic Association champions ousted West Division rival Aiea 1-0 last night in the JN Automotive Group Boys Soccer Division I State Championships.

The win vaulted Mililani (14-1-1), the fourth seed, into a semifinal match with No. 1 seed Iolani today at 8 p.m.

It was Mililani's third victory over Aiea this season, and the toughest yet.

"They were tough. All our games with them have been very close. Today's score reflected it more," Mililani coach Jeff Yamamoto said. "There was a lot of battling in the center."

Wert ended the scoring drought with a 10-yard blast from the right side of the box.

"I just got subbed in. (The corner kick) went over everyone's head and fell right to me," he said.

His shot found the left side of the net for a 1-0 Mililani lead and goalkeeper Micah Borja delivered the shutout.

Coach Jon Shirafuji's Aiea squad (8-6-3) had nearly as many shots (seven) as Mililani (eight), but couldn't capitalize. The Trojans kept a lid on Aiea's Scott Kawamura, Dylan Daguay and Ricky Itagaki.

"We knew where we needed to shut them down," Yamamoto said.

Mililani had more chances, too. Three minutes after Wert's score, Michael Anduha was in the midst of a crowd when he missed a 10-yard shot over the middle.

State Boys Soccer Division I At Waipio Peninsula Soccer Park Wednesday First round » Kaiser 2, Waiakea 0 » Aiea 3, Baldwin 0 » Roosevelt 1, Castle 0, PK » Kamehameha 1, Moanalua 0 Yesterday Consolation » Baldwin 3, Waiakea 2 » Castle 3, Moanalua 2 Quarterfinals » Iolani 2, Kaiser 0 » Kamehameha-Maui 1, Roosevelt 0 » Kamehameha 4, Kealakehe 0 » Mililani 1, Aiea 0 Today Consolation » Kaiser vs. Aiea, 4 p.m., field 7 » Kealakehe vs. Roosevelt, 4 p.m., field 8 Semifinals » Kamehameha vs. Kamehameha-Maui, 6 p.m. » Mililani vs. Iolani, 8 p.m. Tomorrow Consolation final » Baldwin vs. Castle, 4 p.m., field 7 Fifth-place game » Today's consolation winners, 4 p.m., field 8 Third-place game » Today's semifinal losers, 4 p.m., stadium Championship game » Today's semifinal winners, 8 p.m., stadium

At the 38-minute mark, Anduha came close but missed on a header on a throw-in from the corner. At the 46-minute mark, a Mililani kick nearly found the net, but Aiea goalkeeper Colin Honeker stopped the shot. The ball squirted away, but Honeker pounced on the rolling ball 2 feet from the left post.

Mililani controlled much of the second half, but Aiea did get a chance to tie at the 63-minute mark. After Kawamura was knocked down just outside the top of the box, Mason Puckett's direct kick was high and wide right.

Itagaki's shot near goal missed at the 67-minute mark.

"We planned a lot for their outside play," Puckett said. "They like to cross a lot. We tried our hardest, but they got one goal in."

Mililani has not faced Iolani all season.

"I'm sure Chris (Lee) was videotaping us, looking for our strengths and weaknesses," Yamamoto said of Iolani's coach. "They have extremely talented players. In states, it can go either way. Aiea could've beaten us today. To win, you've gotta have a little luck. A lot of luck, actually."

Iolani 2, Kaiser 0

Eric Fitzmaurice and Nicholas Goo scored first-half goals as the top-seeded Raiders (10-1-2) shut down the Cougars (11-6) in the first quarterfinal of the day.

Kamehameha-Maui 1, Roosevelt 0

Kody Ganiko scored at the 15-minute mark and the Maui Interscholastic League champions fought off the Rough Riders. The Warriors (15-0-2), seeded second, will face Kamehameha in today's 6 p.m. semifinal.

Kamehameha 4, Kealakehe 0

Ryan Ho scored two first-half goals as the Warriors dominated the previously unbeaten Waveriders. Kimo Komomua and Casey Kusaka added scores as Kamehameha (10-2-2) advanced into the semifinals.

Kamehameha is the ILH runner-up. Big Island champion Kealakehe, the third seed, fell to 15-1.

CONSOLATION

Baldwin 3, Waiakea 2

Tommy Barber scored two goals, including the go-ahead score at the 58-minute mark, as the Bears edged the Warriors. Michael Marrs added a goal for Baldwin (10-2-2).

Jonathan Torigeo and Ian Watanabe scored for Waiakea (12-5).

Castle 3, Moanalua 2

Shane Ihara, Blayne Muraoka and Sean Lamont each scored a goal as the Knights (10-7) jumped to a 3-0 lead and hung on. Sean Nicholson and Keenan Lee scored for Na Menehune (7-9-2) in the second half.