The Punahou girls soccer team couldn’t get much going offensively during the flow of play Friday against Mililani, but the Buffanblu definitely made up for it on their long-distance free kicks.
Ellie Gusman and Nicole Beauchemin scored on free kicks, and Jordyn Eldredge Sagapolutele also found the back of the net in the second half as Punahou beat Mililani 3-0 in the Division I semifinals of the NIU Health Urgent Care/HHSAA Girls Soccer Championships at Radford.
Punahou (10-1-1) will play the No. 1 seed Kamehameha in today’s championship at 7 p.m. at Radford.
Punahou, an 11-time state champion, last won the title in 2011.
“I’ll be honest, it doesn’t feel good yet,” Punahou coach Shelley Izuno said. “I still got one more game, and that’s the game we wanted.”
Gusman put Punahou up 1-0 at 46:08 on her blast from 25 yards. Her bending shot landed in the top left corner of the net past the outstretched arms of Mililani goalkeeper Taylor VanAntwerp.
“That was in a spot where it wasn’t one of the set plays we could have done, so we decided to try something new,” said Gusman, a junior. “Originally, I thought Carly Cormack was going to take it, but she told me to take it. I just wanted to make sure I stay over the ball and put it on frame.”
Beauchemin’s goal from 30 yards was at 61:10. The ball was placed on the left side and she struck the ball right down the middle of the goal.
“I knew I could reach. It was just a matter of how accurate I could get it,” said Beauchemin, a junior. “I just took a deep breath before I kicked it and I put all my focus into the kick and it worked.”
Mililani coach Darren Smith said: “They were brilliant shots — in a sense unstoppable. The placement on them was right out of the reach of our keeper even though she got a jump on each one.”
Punahou, the ILH runner-up, went up 3-0 on Sagapolutele’s goal at 74:59. All three of Punahou’s shots on goal in the second half found the back of the net.
Punahou finished with five shots on goal, while Mililani, the No. 2 seed, had two as both teams were well organized in back.
“They compacted very well,” Smith said. “They knew that we attack spaces, so they sat back with quite a few players. We were having a tough time in transition and they congested the midfield.”
Mililani (14-1), the OIA champion, had outscored its first 13 opponents 94-1, with another victory coming by forfeit.
The Trojans’ Kiana Muratsuka was removed from the field by ambulance with a neck injury in the 75th minute.
Kamehameha advances past Waiakea
The Kamehameha girls soccer team will face Punahou tonight with the Warriors having the opportunity to match their ILH rival for most state titles.
Keely Kahana, Leila Kahoano and Charis Marie Ramos scored goals as Kamehameha beat Waiakea 3-1 in the Division I semifinals of the NIU Health Urgent Care/HHSAA Girls Soccer Championships on Friday at Radford.
“It was one of those games you know you have to win, so there was a lot of pressure,” said Kamehameha coach Missy Moore. “I was hoping we could have had a better performance tonight, I’m not going to lie, but they kept playing and just found a way to finish their opportunities.”
Kamehameha (10-1-0) will play Punahou in today’s championship at 7 p.m. at Radford.
Kamehameha, the two-time defending champion, has won 10 state titles, while Punahou has claimed 11.
“In the end, it’s going to be about grit and our team, that’s what we’re best in,” said Kahoano, a junior. “We’re going to come out firing tomorrow night. I just know that.”
Kamehameha, the ILH champion and No. 1 seed, went up 1-0 just 37 seconds in on a goal by Kahana off a cross from Kamryn Kaleiohi-Haia.
“I just slotted it right in and it was a beautiful ball from my teammate,” said Kahana, a junior.
Waiakea, the No. 4 seed, tied it at 11:56 when Kaitlin Beatty fought off two defenders and tapped the ball in.
“It was a little error on our part,” Moore said.
Kamehameha took a 2-1 advantage at 26:09 on a header by Kahoano off an assist from Kainani Jacang.
“It was just a set play and it was just a matter of timing it again and I got it in and it felt really great because we needed to get that edge to keep going,” Kahoano said.
Kamehameha had six shots on goal and Waiakea (5-3) had only one in the first half. For the match, Kamehameha had 11 and Waiakea, the BIIF champion, had two.
Kamehameha nearly scored in the 43rd minute when Nikki Mau had a breakaway, but her shot from the left side went just wide right.
Mau also fired a shot off the crossbar in the 66th.
Ramos made it 3-1 with a goal in the 67th.
Kamehameha and Punahou split their games during the ILH regular season. The Warriors won 2-1 on Jan. 31 and the Buffanblu triumphed 4-3 for the ILH title Feb. 10.
“I hope it’s going to be a great game and we’re just going to try our best,” Moore said.
Division II
Kauai 1, Kamehameha-Hawaii 0
Coral Turner scored early — in the 14th minute — and the Red Raiders turned away the Warriors to advance to the D-II title match against Pac-Five.
The Red Raiders will try to win their first state soccer title.
Pac-Five 1, Kapaa 0
Leila Leano scored in the 45th minute and the goal stood up as the Wolfpack defeated the Warriors and will play in their first title match since 2010.
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HHSAA STATE TOURNAMENT
Varsity Girls Division I
Semifinals
Kamehameha 3, Waiakea 1
Goal scorers—KS: Keely Kahana (1:00),
Leila Kahoano (27:00), Charis Marie Ramos (57:00). Waiakea: Kaitlin Beatty (12:00).
Punahou 3, Mililani 0
Goal scorers—Pun: Ellie Gusman (47:00), Nicole Beauchemin (61:00), Jordyn Eldredge Sagapolutele (75:00).
Consolation
Kamehameha-Maui 4, Campbell 1
Goal scorers—KSM: Jael Kapuaala (21:00), Kamalei Kealoha (52:00), Hokuala English (54:00), Ka’ena Kehano (75:00). Camp: Cheyenne Mattos (3:00).
King Kekaulike 4, Hilo1
Goal scorers—KK: Madelyn Dougherty (11:00), Kaehukai Kaaihue (35:00), Kaelynn Andrade (36:00), Zoe Rehrer (72:00). Hilo: Kryslynn Nabarro (6:00).
Varsity Girls Division II
Semifinals
Kauai 1, KS-Hawaii 0
Goal scorers—Kauai: Coral Turner (14:00).
Pac-Five 1, Kapaa 0
Goal scorers—Pac-5: Leila Leano (45:00).
Consolation
Mid-Pacific 4, Kalaheo 0
Goal scorers—MPI: Kate Nakamura (13:00), Kalena Ramos (45:00, 78:00), Mackenzie Nitta (73:00).
Leilehua 4, Waimea 3
Goal scorers—Lei: Lily Miguel (64:00, 70:00), Iris Miguel (66:00, 68:00). Waimea: Jasmine Semblante (3:00, 37:00), Keani Cabral (63:00).
