Mililani scored five second-half goals in a 7-1 throttling of Kamehameha-Maui in the first round of the Outrigger Hotels & Resorts/HHSAA Girls Soccer Division I State Championships on Friday night at Kamehameha’s Kunuiakea Stadium.
Tia Furuta and Gabrielle Fukumoto scored two goals each to lead the way for the Trojans, who are still trying to recover from a loss to Campbell in the OIA semifinals late last month.
The dominant win was certainly some needed tonic. Mililani’s prize for winning is a quarterfinal game against top-seeded Punahou on Saturday night at the same field.
"We want to play against great soccer teams and we got it in our bracket," Mililani coach Ray Akiona said. "We’re going to have to play our best game just to stay even with them."
Going into the wind in the first half, the Trojans (12-1-1) were fortunate to get through for two goals in soft spots in the Warriors’ defense.
Furuta knocked in the first one in the ninth minute on a cross from the right wing by Kailana Kaeo.
The Warriors (9-4-1) got it back four minutes later when Sarah Reyes sent home a rebound after Quinn Williams’ corner kick.
Fukumoto made it 2-1 in the 25th minute after a cross from Furuta, who outran KS-Maui goalkeeper Kekaiokalani Aquino to the left corner.
"Mililani is a composed team," Warriors coach Steven Mau said. "Sure, we kept it close in the first half. But I think mentally we were so hyped, we didn’t get our jitters out until the second half. And then when the bench players came in at that time, they still didn’t have the jitters out. We have the talent, but we don’t have the killer instinct needed to win a big game like this. They know it. I’m a broken record with them on that."
Led by the field generalship of center midfielder Kayla Braunthal, the Trojans pulled away with a flurry after the break on goals by Mariko Bebb, Kaeo, Furuta, Fukumoto and Tatum Paiva.
"We can use this game as a confidence-builder," Furuta said. "We weren’t really communicating very well in the first half. At halftime, Coach told us to stay calm and play our game. We will rest up tonight and talk about our game plan."
‘Iolani 3, Kahuku 0
Kylee Kim-Bustillos scored twice and Kristen Hori added a goal as the Raiders beat the Red Raiders at Konawaena.
‘Iolani, the ILH runner-up, takes on MIL champion Baldwin on Saturday.
Pearl City 2, Waiakea 1
Freshman midfielder Brittny Ihara scored a rebound goal in the 73rd minute to push the Chargers past the Warriors and into the quarterfinals.
Pearl City (11-3-1) came back from an early deficit to tie it at 1 on Bethany Nazareno’s first-half goal.
Earlier, Cierra Toledo-Muragin scored to give Waiakea (10-2-1) a 1-0 lead in the fourth minute.
The Chargers meet OIA champ Campbell in the quarterfinals at Kamehameha.
Kaiser 2, Moanalua 1
Maya Murray-Pasion scored in the 15th minute and Noelle Mercado added another goal two minutes later as the Cougars beat Na Menehune.
Dior Motas scored in the 71st minute for Moanalua.
Kaiser moves on to face host Konawaena on Saturday.
