Klink helps give Kalani more special moments

The Kalani boys soccer team has mastered enough moments in the past two state tournaments that it is starting to look like it is writing the script.

"No way," Kalani striker Kazuto Moribe said with a laugh. "We are trying so hard to get it in, but at the end I guess we just make it. Whoever comes we just take them, go all out the whole time."

The Falcons reached the Division I final of the Outrigger Hotels and Resorts/HHSAA Boys State Soccer championships at Waipio Peninsula Soccer Park on Friday night with a gritty 2-1 win over Kamehameha-Maui. The Falcons play Punahou in the final tonight at 7 in a rematch of their semifinal win over the Buffanblu last year.

Kalani made it to the final last year on a last-second goal by Leo Klink to beat Punahou, but lost to Mililani 3-0 in the final. The Falcons get Punahou this time around for the title match.

"Punahou is the No. 1 ILH team and that is always a big deal," Kalani coach Mike Ching said. "It’s been a crazy tournament. Hopefully we can bring it home."

After being stopped by Kamehameha-Maui keeper Devonte Llanes repeatedly, Klink scored the game-winner in the 70th minute.

"I was very happy when it went in because I was frustrated I couldn’t put any in earlier," Klink said. "As usual I always put one in late for some reason."

Klink earned his score. He and Warriors defender Kainalu Kealoha matched stride-for-stride. Kealoha tried to veer Klink away from the goal, but the OIA’s leading scorer was not going to be denied. Klink finally beat Llanes right to left. The Falcons kept the defensive pressure on the rest of the way.

"Elation just went off on the bench," Ching said. "We kept knocking at it and we thought we could get it, but it was that one goal that finally went in. I mean Leo, what can you say? The provider of moments."

Llanes, who was in goal for only his sixth game this year, owned the Star-Advertiser’s reigning player of the year before that, stopping him twice on point-blank shots.

Kamehameha-Maui coach Kimo Correa said he thought Klink fouled one of his players before his run, but couldn’t deny the striker’s brilliance.

"They kept on playing and (Klink) kept on trucking and he made a great shot," Correa said. "You can’t blame our keeper or our defense on that, it was a great shot. I’m proud of these boys."

Kalani scored the first goal of the match in the 23rd minute when Moribe finally got through Kamehameha-Maui’s stacked back line and worked the ball into the corner against three defenders. He tried to turn the corner against the trio and drew a foul just outside the box.

Moribe took the free kick, and instead of unleashing a bender that had little chance, as has been his MO the past two years, he tapped a little roller backwards to Steve Teshima. Teshima drilled a low steamer directly at the goal, and it pinballed off a few defenders and a few teammates and past the keeper for the score.

The Warriors responded four minutes later when they, too, got a rare opportunity in the corner.

Rather than go straight forward, as the Warriors did against ‘Iolani the previous day, the Warriors patiently worked the ball to the middle, where Colton Cabanas got an open look from the top of the box and smacked a high spinner that Kalani keeper Michael Stafford got his fingertips on but nothing else.

Klink got a golden opportunity late in the first half, but was denied by Llanes on a 1-on-1 when he tried to squeeze it through the space between the keeper’s legs. Llanes denied Klink the same way early in the second half, the third of four times the Falcons had Llanes dead to rights but came up empty. He stopped Moribe on the fourth chance and Moribe had to leave the game briefly with an injury.

"The other keeper is very good," Klink said. "He kept his composure and won that mental game at first, but I just had to finish one off."

But the question remains, is Klink deliberately waiting until the end of games to score these goals?

"Maybe, you never know," Klink said. "Ask me again if we win states."

Consolation

Iolani def. Mililani, 2-1

Goal scorers–Iolani: Chris Bueno (16th); Guy Ahlo (73rd). Mililani: Zachary Carvalho (78th).

Pearl City def. Kapolei, 2-0

Goal scorers–Pearl City: Bradley Rios (51st); Paul Enriquez (77th).