FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARBULLETIN.COM Sarah Yoro of Mililani broke away from Hilo's Chelsey Cabatu in pursuit of the ball yesterday.

Trojans send
Vikings home

Mililani didn't need a first-half wake-up call yesterday. The Trojans executed on both sides of the ball to easily move into the semifinals of the HHSAA/Meadow Gold Dairies Girls Soccer State Championship.

Mililani beat fourth-seeded Hilo 3-0 in a quarterfinal game at the Waipio Peninsula Soccer Park.

Playing a first-round game benefited the Trojans (12-1-2), who shook off early jitters in a win Wednesday.

"(Wednesday) after the win, we didn't feel as strong as we wanted to be," senior captain Sarah Yoro said. "But today we just started getting pumped up from the get-go. We wanted to get a goal in the first 5 minutes and come out with intensity like we owned the game."

The Trojans did just that.

Mililani controlled the game from the start, scoring three quick goals and effectively containing the Vikings' Katrina Chong, who led the Big Island Interscholastic Federation in scoring with 20 goals.

Mililani's Jasmine Pratt drew the defensive assignment against Chong and limited her opportunities. The Vikings (15-3) spent much of the first half on defense and rarely cleared the ball past midfield.

"Jasmine always comes through for us," Mililani coach Ray Akiona said. "The key was that Jasmine is also gifted athletically, so they matched up pretty good. And that was our hope -- that we could just contain her. Katrina is outstanding."

Yoro put the Trojans on the board in the first 5 minutes. The forward lofted a kick over Joelle Teasley's outstretched hands into the left corner of the goal.

Natalie Wong's 25-yard long ball found the left corner of the goal in the 19th minute, and Jamie Ann Ching's shot found the back of the net 8 minutes later.

It was a comfortable lead, but Akiona cautioned his team about relaxing at the half. The warning was necessary, as Hilo played a much-improved second half. Vikings coach Paul Bello said it took some time for his team to adjust to playing on a narrower field.

"They're a good team. I don't think they're that much better than us," Bello said. "We had our chances and we weren't able to finish. ... We played a much better second half. If we had played somewhat that way in the first half, it may have been closer."