DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM Pearl City's Kelli Yuen drove to the inside last night as Leilehua's Heidi Garcia defended in the OIA first-place showdown.

Young Chargers
top Mules to close in
on OIA West title

Pearl City can clinch the division
with a win on Saturday

---

By Jason Kaneshiro
jkaneshiro@starbulletin.com

A Pearl City team expected to be a year away from contending moved a step closer to a championship with a 41-36 home win over Leilehua last night.

The Chargers, who have two seniors, nine juniors and three sophomores on their roster, improved to 8-1 in the Oahu Interscholastic Association's Western Division with the win and can clinch the division title with a victory over Waialua on Saturday.

Leilehua dropped to 7-2 in the division.

"They've really surprised me," Pearl City coach Mike Morton said of his squad. "I didn't know what to expect coming into the season with this young team and they've really showed a lot of maturity."

The Chargers won in spite of Heidi Garcia's 19-point performance for Leilehua. The senior guard kept the Mules in the game by shooting 8-for-13 from the field and making the game's only two 3-point goals. But the Chargers clamped down on the rest of the Mules, limiting them to 8-of-19 shooting.

"One girl is not going to beat our team," Morton said. "Usually one girl will score against us and we'll shut down everyone else and make them work for their points. We have a real good defense."

DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM Pearl City's Marci Lobendahn shoots over Leilehua's Inez Tauvela last night. The Chargers won to take over the OIA West lead.

Free-throw shooting also played a large role in Pearl City's victory. The Chargers made 19 of 33 shots from the free-throw line, while Leilehua went to the line just four times in the game and made two.

Christie Ayers led Pearl City with 12 points, eight coming at the line. Marci Lobendahn scored eight of her 11 points in the second half.

Leilehua scored the first field goal of the contest two minutes into the game to take its only lead of the game at 2-1. The Chargers never led by more than nine points, but spurted away from the Mules every time Leilehua threatened to pass them.

"I always knew Pearl City had something, they were underrated," Leilehua coach Elroy Dumlao said. "If you can play decent defense and be patient on offense you're going to succeed. It's a credit to Mike the way he put his team together."

Leilehua made its last run at Pearl City with less than two minutes left in the game. A breakaway lay-up by Nachelle Scott and Garcia's second 3-pointer cut Pearl City's lead to 36-34 with 1:20 left.

The Mules fouled Ayers, who then missed both of her free throws. But after Leilehua misfired on its chance to tie, Ayers grabbed the rebound and was fouled again.

"I knew I had to make those to give us a bigger lead, and when I missed I just tried to think about the next shot and think positive," she said.

The junior redeemed herself by hitting both free throws to give Pearl City a 38-34 lead and put the game away.

"It's a big boost for our self esteem," Ayers said. "But we still have to win against Waialua on Saturday and then we have playoffs to worry about."

At Pearl City H.S. gym

Leilehua (7-2)	7	9	6	14	--	36
Pearl City (8-1)	13	4	8	16	--	41

LEILEHUA--Priscilla West 0, Heidi Garcia 19, Naschelle Scott 4, Maria Quidez 0, Jesseca Battease 0, Alexis San Nicolas 2, Pikake Nutter-Gaudet 4, Liz Neishell 2, Sarah Smith 0, Inez Tauvela 5.
PEARL CITY--Darcie Hamamoto 0, Jillan Soria 6, Amy Fujihara 0, Christie Ayers 12, Chalice Kaapuni 2, Kellie Yuen 8, Frances Mabalay 0, Tina Questel 2, Marci Lobendahn 11, Lusia Kleinschmidt 0.

3-point goals -- Leilehua 2 (Garcia 2). Pearl City none.

Junior Varsity -- Pearl City 34, Leilehua 9

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