WAILUKU >> Punahou girls soccer coach Jorge Barbosa knew it would be important for his team to score first. Punahou slips past
Mililani for titleRachael Lau's goal helps
the Buffanblu win their
sixth state championshipBy Dana McBratney
Special to the Star-BulletinLittle did he know, the Buffanblu would only score once. But it was enough.
Punahou claimed its first state girls soccer title since 1998 when it nipped defending champion Mililani 1-0 last night in the championship game of the Meadow Gold Girls State Soccer Tournament at War Memorial Stadium.
The Interscholastic League of Honolulu champion finished the year with a 12-0-1 record, while Mililani fell to 14-1-1.
YESTERDAY'S RESULTS State Soccer Tourney
At War Memorial Stadium
Consolation Championship
Game 15: King Kekaulike 2, Kealakehe 1
Fifth-place Game
Game 16: Baldwin 3, Kalaheo 2
Third-place Game
Game 17: Aiea 1, Pearl City 1
Championship Game
Game 18: Punahou 1, Mililani 0ALL TOURNAMENT TEAM
Forward
Liane Tom (Mililani)
Sarah Yoro (Mililani)
Kami Kapaku (Punahou)
Midfield
Koren Takeyama (Baldwin)
Pippa MacDonald (Punahou)
Kari Tanimoto (Pearl City)
Jennifer Loo (Mililani)
Defense
Mallory Iha (Mililani)
Christie Ayers (Pearl City)
Lauren Nakamura (Punahou)
Co-Goalkeepers
Diana Shiroma (Aiea)
Allison Lipsher (Punahou)
MVP
Adria Campbell (Punahou)
"It was a battle to the end," Barbosa said. "The last two nights it has taken a goal by the other team for us to wake up. We couldn't let that happen against a team like this. We might never have woken up."
The only goal of the game came when Rachael Lau tapped the ball in off a throw-in. Ashley Collins threw the ball toward the goal, there was a scuffle of players, and suddenly, the ball was in the goal at 18:45.
"Rachael didn't even play in our first game because she was back at the hotel with a high temperature," Barbosa said. "She played a little last night but played most of the game tonight."
After the goal, the game settled down to a defensive struggle. Punahou goalkeeper Allison Lipsher stopped two shots right in front of the line in the second half.
Mililani spent the last four minutes testing Lipsher and the Punahou defense, but the Buffanblu did not crack.
"The minutes were something," Barbosa said. "It seemed the final minutes took a half-hour."
When the referee ended the game, the Punahou sidelines burst into celebration.
"This team has played with a lot of heart all year," Barbosa said. "Hopefully, when I wake up tomorrow, it will dawn on me that we are the state champions."
For Mililani, it was a difficult loss.
"It was a tough battle," Mililani coach James Uson said. "Both teams played well. One break ... that's all it took. And Punahou got it.
"I was very pleased with the way my team played. They played their hearts out and that is all I ask."
Adria Campbell of Punahou was named the tournament's most valuable player.
This is Punahou's sixth state girls soccer title. The Buffanblu won titles from 1983 to 1986 and in '98.
AIEA 1, PEARL CITY 1: Aiea scored its first goal in the tournament but still ended tied for third with Pearl City (13-2-2). Na Alii had gone 298 minutes without a goal until Jodie Teyama scored 17 minutes into the first half.Kimberley Unten tied the game on a penalty kick at 42:16.
Neither team could score the rest of the way. Na Alii (13-4-1) outshot the Chargers 16-12.
BALDWIN 3, KALAHEO 2: The Bears finished the season 14-1 with a victory in the fifth-place game.Taryn Apo put Baldwin up at 6:23, but Anela Gonzales scored her first of two goals to tie the game at 1, 7:36 into the game. The game remained tied at halftime.
Gonzales' second goal at 30:36 put Kalaheo ahead 2-1. Kami Kapaku evened the game at 39:48 and Christie Trenholme put Baldwin ahead for good at 54:23.
The Bears had 30 shots to the Mustangs' seven. Alexis Leighton had 12 saves for Kalaheo (11-4-3).
KING KEKAULIKE 2, KEALAKEHE 1: Chandi Bickford scored a pair of goals to lead Na Alii (11-3-1) to the consolation championship.Bickford scored at 14:43 in the first half to give King Kekaulike a 1-0 lead and got another at 62:08 in the second half to make it 2-0. Kealakehe's only goal came when Lisa Franke scored at 77:35.
Na Alii outshot the Waveriders (12-5) 17-12.
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