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Prep Beat
Sitting on the bench through 80 minutes of regulation play and two scoreless overtimes, Iolani's Jason Keanini had plenty of time to think. Keanini keeps Iolani’s
hopes for title aliveAT&T Wireless Boys' State
Soccer ChampionshipsBy Jack Danilewicz
Special to the Star-BulletinIndeed, he was still in the thinking mode midway through his team's penalty shootout.
But that wasn't exactly what his coach had in mind when he inserted the freshman goalkeeper in the net.
"We put him in there because he's a lot quicker with his reactions," said Iolani coach Myles Arakawa.
Fortunately for Iolani, it was Keanini's reactions that mattered most last night at Aloha Stadium, where he lifted the Raiders to a 2-1 victory over Campbell in the quarterfinals of the AT&T Wireless Boys' State Soccer Championships.
Iolani will meet Mililani tonight at 7:30 for the right to play for a second consecutive state championship.
When the Raiders return to action, it is likely that senior Brent Tatsuno, who played all of regulation and both sudden death overtime periods, will be back in goal for Iolani (10-1-3).
But it was Keanini who came up big in spot duty on this night.
Campbell (9-5-1) had led twice during the shootout, the last time at 3-2, when Keanini changed his approach. He rebounded from letting in the first three goals to stymie both Kenji Lee and David Peterson.
"On the first three (penalty) shots, I did it my way -- I was thinking too much -- and I guessed on the first three shots," said Keanini. "Finally, I gave up and went with the coach's way. I stuck to my instincts, as coach always tells me, and just reacted. And I guess reacting is the best way."
In between the saves, Dale Lee beat Campbell goalkeeper Kawika Ishikawa with a low shot to the left side that gave Iolani a 4-3 lead in the shootout.
"I was just trying to block everything out," Lee said.
"After Jay (Keanini) blocked that shot, I knew we had a chance to win it, and I had picked my side beforehand. I was going to go left, and I knew I was going to give the keeper a little fake with my hip to make him think I was going right, and he bit and I hit it on the other side of him."
Despite being dominated, 14-3, in shots on goal through the first 70 minutes of play, it appeared as though Campbell might unseat the defending state champions after Shaunsey Saito leaped high in the air to head in the game's first goal off a corner kick with only six minutes left in regulation.
But Iolani scored the equalizer only three minutes later on a brilliant individual effort by Travis Watanabe, who fought off two defenders to get off the shot.
Iolani was without its leading scorer, Duke Hashimoto, who injured ligaments in his right knee and is expected to miss the entire tournament.
"That was going to be our problem going in, putting the ball in the net," said Arakawa of the absence of Hashimoto.
"We had our chances," he added. "But we had a different combination of people who don't work together normally, and it showed.
"If anything, I'm relieved for the kids because I know how hard they work."
PEARL CITY 4, KALANI 1:
Richard Shinn broke a 1-1 tie in the 46th minute, and his brother Robert scored at 56:18. Grant Arakaki tallied for Kalani.
HILO 1, AIEA 0:
Jeremy Van Kralingen's goal carried the Vikings past Na Alii.
MILILANI 2, BALDWIN 1:
The match was decided by penalty kicks after Timmy Liu scored for the Trojans and Kawika Kahui countered for the Bears.
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