Rugged, quick Mililani tamed speedy, shifty Pearl City last night, but it didn't come easy. Mililani sweeps
Pearl City
for OIA titlesBoys win 1-0 on header
Loo's header gives girls 3-2 win
by Shimatsu in second overtimeBy Nick Abramo
nabramo@starbulletin.comThe defending state champion Trojans needed two overtimes to defeat the Chargers 1-0 and capture the Oahu Interscholastic Association boys championship.
Time was running out when Mililani's Whitney Shimatsu headed in Justin Kim's direct kick past Pearl City goalkeeper Christopher Caswell.
"I didn't want the game to go to penalty kicks," Shimatsu said moments after the winning goal. "The ball came my way, my eyes got wide and I (headed it and) watched it go in. Then I ran so fast and ended up at the bottom of the pile. It kind of hurt."
Trojans coach Jeff Yamamoto credited one of his assistants with the late victory.
"Whitney stepped it up for us tonight and a lot of credit goes to coach Steve McGehee," Yamamoto said. "He makes all of our set plays and he was the one who designed that last one. This game went back and forth and either team could have won it."
Mililani (11-0-1) nearly got what it was looking for -- a goal -- early in the game, but Shimatsu's rocket banged off the crossbar.
The Chargers (9-2-1) made more offensive thrusts than the Trojans in the second half, but failed to score on close-in chances by Christopher Kaaukuu and Ricky Shinn.
Mililani put some pressure on the Chargers late in regulation, only to be turned away numerous times by the last line of the Pearl City defense.
"We came ready to play," Pearl City coach Scott Keopuhiwa said. "There were so many times we could have or should have put it in. But we couldn't put it past their keeper (Darren Smith). Mililani's a very talented team with a lot of weapons and they were the ones to capitalize."
In the first overtime Jordan Kim's 25-yard direct kick was picked off by Caswell's outstretched hands.
Kaaukuu nearly ended the game midway through the second overtime. He took a cross from Shinn, but his point-blank shot on a breakaway went over the goal and rolled down the outside of the netting.
"Ricky gave me that pass and their keeper is big, so I tried to chip it over him. They didn't see me coming," Kaaukuu said. "It's pretty disappointing that we couldn't put one in. Mililani was back on its heels the whole game. We did the best we could, and we'll see them in the states."
Both the Trojans and Chargers play in next week's state tournament.
BACK TO TOP |
Five goals in a championship soccer match is rare, but such was the case last night in Pearl City. Loo’s header gives girls
3-2 win in double-OTBy Nick Abramo
nabramo@starbulletin.comDefending state champion Mililani retained its Oahu Interscholastic Association girls title by tipping Pearl City 3-2 in double overtime.
Jennifer Loo headed in Liane Tom's high-arcing cross for the game's only goal 1 1/2 minutes into the second overtime period.
"I was thinking, 'This is the perfect ball and I'm going to get a head on this,' " Loo said after the dramatic goal.
For about five seconds, players and coaches on both sides didn't know the ball crossed the goal line, as Pearl City captain and sweeper Christie Ayers got a foot on it and sent the ball flying out of bounds.
Play was about to continue when the referee blew his whistle and signaled a goal after hearing from the linesman that the ball did indeed cross the line.
"When she kicked it away, I was thinking, 'Oh shoot, oh no, it didn't go in,' but the linesman saw that it went in and he made the call," Loo said.
By the 20th minute of the first half, Sarah Yoro's two goals had given the Trojans (12-0-1) a 2-0 lead and the game appeared in hand.
"A 2-0 lead is the toughest lead to hold," Mililani coach James Uson said. "You can get comfortable and the other team gets momentum. We had a letdown."
Alexis Choi intercepted a Pearl City clearing pass and sent a cross to Yoro, who redirected the ball into the low left corner for the Trojans' first goal in the 16th minute.
Loo set up Mililani's second goal four minutes later with a 25-yard direct kick that Ashley Nakamoto got to first. Nakamoto knocked a 5-yard shot off the right post, and the ball went straight out to Yoro, who fired the rebound home.
Instead of folding, the Chargers (11-1-1) ferociously fought back.
Kimberly Unten headed in Ayers' 30-yard direct kick to make it 2-1 in the 32nd minute.
Unten assisted on the tying goal early in the second half by breaking down the left wing and sending a soft pass to a motoring Lauren Maeshiro, who one-timed it into the goal for a 2-2 tie.
"It was a good game by both teams and I'm really proud of our girls for not giving up," Pearl City co-head coach Tracee Kono said. "We respect Mililani and know they're a tough team. We lost by that one goal, but it doesn't matter. What matters is we didn't quit."
The Trojans and Chargers move on to play in the Feb. 19-22 state tournament on Maui.
"I couldn't really see the line," Ayers said, referring to the call on the goal she nearly prevented. "I'm disappointed, but was really happy that we were able to tie it up after being down by two goals."
Uson felt his team was fortunate to get a solid chance in overtime before the Chargers.
"It could have gone either way," Uson said.
"These are the two best teams in the OIA. We knew we had to put the pressure on and take shots in the overtime. The opportunity came to us and we were lucky to get that opportunity."
Hawaii School Web Sites