[ HIGH SCHOOL SOCCER ]
FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARBULLETIN.COM
Mililani's Patrick Egloria and Pearl City's Devin Yoshinaka chased the ball during last night's state quarterfinal, won by Mililani.
Mililani in
semifinalsThe champs advance with
another win over rival
Pearl City
When it's 0-0 late in a match, soccer teams need that one player who has the intensity to get it done.
That's why three-time defending champion Mililani went to Jay Abrigo last night in a 1-0 victory over Pearl City in front of 1,481 in the quarterfinals of the Ohana Hotels and Resorts Boys State Soccer Championships at Aloha Stadium.
Abrigo, normally a defender, moved to forward late in the second half, took a through ball from Brent Murakami, muscled through a Chargers defender and snuck a shot into the low right, short-side corner of the net.
A pumped up Abrigo, who was denied by Pearl City goalkeeper Christopher Caswell moments earlier from about the same spot, took a run toward the stands after the goal and slid about 5 yards on the FieldTurf with his arms raised in celebration.
"He's a tough kid, physically strong," Mililani co-head coach Jeff Yamamoto said. "He's a big boy (6-foot) and he's not afraid to go in there and move people around."
The Oahu Interscholastic Association champion Trojans (13-0) move on to play Kamehameha in an 8 p.m. semifinal.
Pearl City (11-3), which lost to Mililani in the teams' OIA West regular-season meeting, came out flying in the second half and nearly broke the scoreless tie.
Mililani's Darren Smith, a Star-Bulletin All-State first-team keeper a year ago, made a diving stop of Jaren Oshiro's 15-yard attempt and then slid to save a cross from Michael Domingo. The Chargers' Brandon Salvador got the rebound and sent a low shot past Smith, but fullback Braden Tada blocked it.
"It's getting kind of old (losing to Mililani)," Chargers coach Scott Keopuhiwa said about the rivalry in which Pearl City has come up one goal short on many occasions. "Our boys were pumped up and ready to go in the second half. We came in confident and ready to show people that we're not really a fifth-place (OIA) team. We had a lot of fight."
The first half was uneventful, with Mililani controlling the flow. Time was running out when Murakami worked the give-and-go with Patrick Egloria, but Murakami's last touch went wide right.
In the end, it all came to down to Abrigo's desire.
"It's my last year and I didn't want it to go to overtime," said Abrigo, who was bothered by cramps for most of the second half. "I needed to score or do whatever I could to win this. The coaches know I play hard and I got us out of a couple of tight situations in the preseason. They know I'll run as long as I have to."
Smith, a football all-star as a wide receiver, made a running grab in a crowd on Salvador's corner kick just before the whistle blew to end the game. That play came seconds after Domingo's 25-yard direct kick hit the Trojans' wall of defenders.
"Kamehameha is a very talented team --and they're talented in a lot of positions and physically strong, so we're looking forward to a real good game," Yamamoto said about tonight's semifinal.
Pearl City takes on Kealakehe in the fifth-place bracket today at 2 p.m.
Baldwin 4, Kalaheo 3: All eyes were on the Maui Interscholastic League champion and third-seeded Bears. After an incident a year ago when a referee was pushed down from behind, Baldwin (11-0) was placed on probation and had its sportsmanship level monitored this season.
"It was a physical and a very well-played match," center referee Ron Kennedy said after the Bears held off Kalaheo's comeback bid.
Baldwin coach Kaniela Palazzotto prepared his boys for the extra scrutiny they'll be under during their time on Oahu.
"We know we have a black eye, but just because of one incident, we don't want people to think that we're all bad," he said. "We want to be known as good people on and off the field. We have respect for other teams."
The Bears got two goals each from Blake Nunes and Kimo Ballesteros to edge the Mustangs and move on to today's 6 p.m. semifinal against Iolani. Ballesteros' header off Alejandro Garcia-Rosell's cross broke a 3-all tie in the 51st minute.
"We looked a little vulnerable, giving up three goals, but the first game is always the hardest to get by. We pushed through," Palazzotto said.
Max Anton scored twice for Kalaheo (9-5-2) and Andrew Wary added a single goal.
"It was a good game for us," Mustangs coach Leo Titcomb said. "I don't think Baldwin expected us to answer them goal for goal. We were getting beat to the ball for a while, but we did a good job countering."
Kalaheo plays a fifth-place bracket game today at 4 p.m. against Oahu Interscholastic Association East rival Kaiser.
FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARBULLETIN.COM
Kaiser's Michael Kawajiri and Iolani's Chris Faulkner fought for the ball during last night's state semifinal at Aloha Stadium.
Iolani 1, Kaiser 0, 2OT: The Raiders' Dyrk Teramae and Chris Faulkner hung around the Kaiser net through most of the match without the desired result.
Until the end.
In the 98th minute, Teramae broke to the middle from the right wing and tapped Faulkner's low lead pass into the far left corner for a 1-0 double-overtime victory.
"It was an excellent pass," Teramae said. "He split three defenders. If I didn't put that away, then I didn't really deserve to be out there. It was right there for me."
The Raiders (11-0-4), who controlled the tempo of the game, avoided the agony of having to go to penalty kicks. That's how the game would have been decided if it had gone another two-plus minutes.
"It was a terrific game," Iolani coach Ric Miller said. "When I found out we were playing Kaiser, I knew it was going to be a tough game. Our defense really kept us in it, and I have no fingernails left.
"It should be a great match against Baldwin. They're more of an offensive team and we are more defense-oriented."
Cougars goalkeeper Scott Kamakana made a sprawling save of a Micah Miyaki shot early in the second half. Later, he halted a flurry of shots, including Faulkner's 23-yard direct kick, with help from his fullbacks.
Jacob Curtis had the best chance for Kaiser (12-3-1) in the second half. He beat an Iolani defender on the right wing, but his kick from 18 yards out went wide left.
"We played the best we could. It just didn't happen," Curtis said. "We had a lot of injuries to guys cramping, but so did Iolani. We lost, but we still have games left. We'll come out and have some more fun tomorrow."
Kamehameha 2, Kealakehe 1, 2OT: The Warriors got their semifinal date tonight against Mililani as Logan Sauer scored five minutes into the second overtime to eliminate the Big Island Interscholastic Federation champion and fourth-seeded Waveriders from title contention.
Kealakehe goalkeeper Dante Leuenberger overplayed a high, bounding cross by Makana Prothero and Sauer kicked it into an open net to avoid the impending penalty kicks.
The Waveriders (13-3) took a 1-0 lead in the 30th minute when CJ Cintas knocked a penalty kick past Kamehameha goalkeeper Nick Freitas.
After an evenly played first half, the Warriors (12-2-3) took control of field position in the final 40 minutes and tied it 1-all in the 46th minute when Isaiah Guth's 18-yarder hit the left post and Michael DeCaires headed it home.
Kamehameha's Joshua Guth had a chance to end it in the 65th minute from in front of the net, but hit the right post.
Late in regulation, Kealakehe also nearly ended it when Tyler Arford's shot beat Freitas, but fullback Brad Nakamura headed it away before it reached the net.
Early in overtime, Leuenberger robbed DeCaires on a shot off a cross from Dustin Engle.
Kauai 1, Castle 0: The Kauai Interscholastic Federation champion Red Raiders outshot the Knights 8-4 and won it on Justin Toulon's goal in the 49th minute.
Kauai (6-4) plays in the consolation final tomorrow at 2 p.m. against the winner of today's Waiakea (14-3) vs. Hilo (10-7) game at noon.
Castle exits the tournament and finishes its season at 9-5-1 after four straight losses.
HHSAA boys soccer
At Aloha StadiumSeeds: 1. Mililani (13-0-0). 2. Iolani (11-0-4). 3. Baldwin (11-0-0). 4. Kealakehe (13-3-0).
Yesterday
Kauai 1, Castle 0
Baldwin 4, Kalaheo 3
Kamehameha 2, Kealakehe 1, 2OT
Iolani 1, Kaiser 0, 2OT
Mililani 1, Pearl City 0Today
Waiakea vs. Hilo, noon
Kealakehe vs. Pearl City, 2 p.m.
Kalaheo vs. Kaiser, 4 p.m.
Baldwin vs. Iolani, 6 p.m.
Mililani vs. Kamehameha, 8 p.m.Tomorrow
Consolation final: Kauai vs. Waiakea-Hilo winner, 2 p.m.
Fifth place: Kealakehe-Pearl City winner vs. Kalaheo-Kaiser winner, 4 p.m.
Third place: Baldwin-Iolani loser vs. Mililani-Kamehameha loser, 6 p.m.
Championship: Baldwin-Iolani winner vs. Mililani-Kamehameha winner, 8 p.m.
BACK TO TOP |
Owls turn some charity
into tournament win
Josh Mitchell scored eight of his 18 points in the fourth quarter as the Owls came from behind to beat Damien 47-44 and advance to the finals of the Interscholastic League of Honolulu third-place tournament.
MPI outscored the Monarchs 17-9 in the final frame to pull out a thrilling victory.
With Damien down one with 10 seconds left, Antonio Cerezo drove into the lane and was called for a charge. After a Monarch player was whistled for a technical foul, Kellen Hastie sank two free throws with two seconds left to ice the game for Mid-Pacific.
At Damien H.S. gym
MID-PACIFIC--Burton Woodhull 0, Josh Mitchell 18, Chris Perry 11, Ryan Chun 0, JD Lum 0, Kellen Hastie 11, Chris Freshour 7, Bryson Beirne 0.
Mid-Pacific (8-8) 14 9 7 17 -- 47 Damien (7-8) 13 11 11 9 -- 44
DAMIEN--Antonio Carezo 3, Micah Kikuta 2, Justin Casil 2, Kawika Lopez 3, Ranson DeCosta 10, Fehi Sevelo 14, Tevita Williams 4, Keoni Steinhoff 6, Brandon Kahale 0.
3-point goals--Mid-Pacific 3 (Mitchell, Perry, Freshour), Damien 1 (Carezo).Kamehameha 54, Saint Louis 36: Ikaika Hardie scored 12 points and Waika Spencer added 11 as the Warriors overcame a shaky first quarter to roll over the Crusaders and into the ILH third-place tournament final.
Jacob Barit led the Crusaders with 11 points and Kerstan Ho added 10 as Saint Louis, who was the runner-up in last year's state tournament, finished the disappointing season at 4-11.
At Kekukaupio gym
SAINT LOUIS--B.J. Batts 3, Bo Ronduen 1, Kulia Aiona 0, Ryan Brilhante 3, Elliot Purcell 0, Kerstan Ho 10, Kelii Zablan 0, Stephen Lei 2, Cameron Bayne 6, Jacob Barit 11, Brandon Va'a 0.
St. Louis (4-11) 8 11 7 10 -- 36 Kamehameha (8-6) 8 19 13 14 -- 54
KAMEHAMEHA--Ikaika Hardie 12, Keo Pacarro 5, Rykin Enos 5, Jacob Ho 0, Quincy Crowell 3, Mike Nii 3, Jacob Bode 0, Waika Spencer 11, Kapono Kuikahi 0, Ernie Vidinha 3, Ikaika Shelton 0, Gabriel Spencer 6, Kawika Hepa 6.
3-point goals--St. Louis 1 (Batts), Kamehameha 2 (Pacarro, Crowell).
