Kahuku's hopes to break through against the Interscholastic League of Honolulu will have to wait another year.

'Iolani junior Bianca Bystrom Pino scored off a rebound with 22 seconds left to give the 'Iolani Raiders a thrilling 8-7 win over the second-seeded Kahuku Red Raiders last night in the semifinals of the Local Motion/HHSAA Girls Water Polo State Tournament at the Veterans Memorial Aquatic Complex at Central Oahu Regional Park.

The game was tied four times before Bystrom Pino scored on a rebound after Skye Kusao's shot bounced off the crossbar. The ball ricocheted in front of the goal to Bystrom Pino, who beat Kahuku goalkeeper Penn Anderson on the putback to give the Raiders the win.

“;I guess right place at the right time, but we do practice finishing all the time,”; Bystrom Pino said. “;It's a good feeling for all of us.”;

Bystrom Pino, Nicolette Silva and Kusao all scored twice to push 'Iolani into the final for the second time since the formation of the state tournament.

'Iolani won the only other time it reached the final, beating Kahuku in 2007.

“;We were very fortunate to win,”; 'Iolani coach Ian Kusao said. “;I thought Kahuku played a really good game, real hard-fought game.”;

Early on, it looked like the Raiders (7-4) were going to run away with the game. Silva assisted on 'Iolani's first goal and scored with a two-man advantage with just over a minute remaining in the first quarter to give the Raiders a 3-0 lead.

Two goals by junior Keola Kahaulelio on 5-meter shots capped a 3-0 Kahuku run in the second quarter to tie the game at 3-all at halftime.

The Red Raiders (13-2) took their first lead on a 6-on-5 advantage as Marissa Del Ray scored in the first 2 minutes of the third quarter. Kelsey Ohira and Silva scored consecutively to give 'Iolani back the lead, but Brooke Roy scored the second of her four goals on a wicked backhanded shot to tie the game at 5 with 16 seconds left in the period.

'Iolani got the ball back for the final possession of the quarter and after drawing a kick out, got a goal from Skye Kusao with 1 second left to take a 6-5 lead.

“;One of their best players got kicked out and one of our best players got kicked out, but yeah, that shot kind of change the game a little bit,”; Ian Kusao said.

Skye Kusao's second goal put 'Iolani up two, but Roy scored on another 5-meter shot and then tied the game with 1:21 left, putting in a shot off an assist from Tahnei Roy, who had four steals in the game.

“;Usually when we're down like that the girls give up already, but I continually reminded them we were still in the game and they did a good job,”; Kahuku coach Makana Whitford said. “;A lot of people had to step up and they did.”;

'Iolani called a timeout after Brooke Roy's goal to set up a play. Kusao got a good look at the left corner of the goal, but Anderson came up with one of her 10 saves.

Kahuku came back down the pool, but couldn't get a shot off, setting up 'Iolani's final play that won the game.

The Raiders get one last shot to beat Punahou, the two-time defending state champ, which beat 'Iolani 14-1 in the ILH championship.

“;This is for the (championship) so we'll come out and play with the same intensity,”; Bystrom Pino said.

NO. 1 PUNAHOU 16, NO. 4 LAHAINALUNA 1

Shayna Price scored a game-high five goals and Ashley-Anne Feria added four as the Buffanblu (10-0) moved within one win of wrapping up a third straight state championship.

Megan Steele added two goals and five other Buffanblu got into the scoring column. Jenifer Santos had the lone goal for the Lunas (11-1), who will play in today's third-place game against Kahuku at 1:45.

Sophomore Courtney Miller had nine saves for Punahou, which scored four times in the first quarter and five more in the second to take a 9-0 halftime lead.

Santos' goal with 3:22 left ended the Buffanblu's shutout bid. Senior utility Malia Schimmelfennig scored the final goal of the game at the 1:31 mark in the fourth quarter.

Lahainaluna goalkeeper Gina-Bella Mataafa finished with three saves.