Thursday, February 14, 2002

Mustangs earn
shot at Bears

Kalaheo beats Hawaii Prep 3-1
for a chance to play the 2-time
defending state champions

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By Jason Kaneshiro
jkaneshiro@starbulletin.com

A game of role reversal at halftime proved to be the boost the Kalaheo girls soccer team needed to keep its state title hopes alive yesterday.

The Mustangs scored a 3-1 win over Hawaii Prep in the first round of the Meadow Gold Girls State Soccer Championships at Waipio Peninsula Soccer Park.

Kalaheo, the Oahu Interscholastic Association runner-up, faces two-time defending state champion Baldwin of the Maui Interscholastic League in a quarterfinal match today at 3 p.m. in the park's main stadium.

HPA drops to the consolation bracket and meets Big Island Interscholastic Federation rival Kealakehe today at 3 p.m. on Field 3.

Kalaheo took a 1-0 lead 19 minutes into the match when Jenna Tomasa sailed a shot over the head of HPA goalkeeper Laysan Unger from about 40 yards out. But the Mustangs struggled to put together an offensive push for much of the first 40 minutes.

At halftime, the players took it upon themselves to adjust their attack.

"We had the girls tell us what they were doing wrong," Kalaheo coach Alan Heu said. "The coaches didn't tell them what they were doing wrong. They recognized exactly what the problem was and they went ahead and they produced."

Instead of charging down the middle of the field, the Mustangs decided to attack the Ka Makani defense from the side.

Kalaheo wasted little time after the break to convert on the changes. Lindsey Peck, attacking from the right, sent a pass across the field to Tina Garcia, who booted it into the net to give the Mustangs a 2-0 lead.

"Even though we were down at half I thought it was an even match," HPA coach Steve Perry said. "We had a quick little breakdown and two-zip is a big lead."

Peck extended Kalaheo's lead five minutes later by taking a pass from Breton Frazer and outrunning the Ka Makani defense to score the Mustangs' third goal.

"We started connecting our passes and playing more wide so we could spread the field and work the ball around," Peck said of Kalaheo's second-half strategy.

HPA scored its lone goal 23 minutes into the second half when Rachel Gleed scored on a header off a corner kick by Mikela Yawaramai.

Kalaheo now turns its attention to trying to knock off a team that hasn't lost a state tournament match in two years. But after its performance yesterday and in the OIA championship against Mililani, the Mustangs enter the match with confidence.

"They're looking forward to the challenge," Heu said. "We had to play Mililani, who is the No. 1-rated team in the state, and held them scoreless for 100 minutes only to lose in the shootout. I think the girls feel they can do it and tomorrow's going to be the big test for them."

Pearl City 3, Kealakehe 0: The Chargers dominated from beginning to end to move on to the quarterfinals.

"We were ready and we want to play Punahou," Pearl City coach Frank Baumholtz said.

Nearly the entire match was played in front of the Kealakehe goal as Pearl City took 29 shots to just two for Kealakehe.

The Chargers led 1-0 at halftime on a goal by Carmen Calpo, who converted on a crossing pass from Chante Figueroa. The gap would have been wider if not for the play of Kealakehe goalkeeper Sherilynn Toledo, who finished with 10 saves.

"She played awesome," Kealakehe coach Garolyn Akiona said.

Figueroa added to the Pearl City lead 6:53 into the second half and Shayna Egloria capped the scoring with a penalty kick at the 72:29 mark of the match.

The Chargers face Interscholastic League of Honolulu champion Punahou at 5 p.m. today in the main stadium.

"They will be up for that one," Baumholtz said. "There's no way they won't be hyper and psyched for that."

Aiea 2, King Kekaulike 0: Aiea, the third-place team from the OIA, won the battle of Na Alii behind goals by Kimberly Unten and Amanda Jungblut.

Unten gave Aiea a 1-0 lead 20:25 into the match. Jungblut added the insurance goal 9:16 into the second half.

Aiea advances to play BIIF champion Hilo at 1 p.m. today. King Kekaulike faces Kapaa in a consolation match at 1 p.m. on Field 2.

Kailua 4, Kapaa 1: The Surfriders erased an early deficit to cruise past the Warriors.

Kailua advances to face top seed and OIA champion Mililani tonight at 7.

Jasmine Stevenson gave Kapaa a 1-0 lead 24 minutes into the match, but Kailua tied it 12 minutes later on a goal by Anela Gonzales.

Gonzales struck again two minutes into the second half to give Kailua a 2-1 lead. Angela Ramelb and Carla Keona Byers added goals late in the match to seal the win for the Surfriders.

2002 Meadow Gold Girls State Soccer Championships At Waipio Peninsula Soccer Park Yesterday First round Aiea 2, King Kekaulike 0 Kalaheo 3, Hawaii Prep 1 Pearl City 3, Kealakehe 0 Kailua 4, Kapaa 1 Goals--Aiea: Kimberly Unten, Amanda Jungblut. Kalh: Jenna Tomasa, Tina Garcia, Lindsey Peck. HPA: Rachel Gleed. PC: Carmen Calpo, Chante Figueroa, Shayna Egloria. Kail: Anela Gonzales 2, Angela Ramelb, Keona Byers. Kap: Jasmine Stevenson. Today Quarterfinals In Main Stadium No. 4 Hilo (15-0-0) vs. Aiea (10-1-2), 1 p.m. No. 3 Baldwin (10-1-2) vs. Kalaheo (11-2-1), 3 p.m. No. 2 Punahou (7-1-2) vs. Pearl City (10-3-1), 5 p.m. No. 1 Mililani (11-0-1) vs. Kailua (10-2-2), 7 p.m. Consolation bracket Field #2 Kapaa (4-1-1) vs. King Kekaulike (9-3-2), 1 p.m. Field #3 Kealakehe (12-5-0) vs. Hawaii Prep (12-5), 3 p.m.

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