The Punahou girls soccer team ran it back to 12 days ago with a dominant victory over Kamehameha on Wednesday.

Xehlia Salanoa was appropriately the X-Factor with goals early and late in the first half as Punahou beat Kamehameha 4-0 in the ILH girls championship playoff at Waipio Peninsula Soccer Complex.

Sachie Ilae added a penalty kick and second-half goal for the Buffanblu in a game played on brown grass with the white lines barely visible.

“We were really prepared coming into this game knowing that it was for ILH and we hadn’t been able to get the ILH championship in the past two years,” Ilae said.

On Jan. 12, Punahou beat host Kamehameha by an identical 4-0 score. The Buffanblu followed with a 1-0 victory over ‘Iolani on Jan. 16 and a 1-0 loss to Kamehameha on Saturday.

“We had a rough week last week,” Punahou coach Shelley Izuno said. “We were flat against ‘Iolani, flat against (the Warriors). It was a good wake-up call and honestly we needed the loss.”

The result Saturday assured the Buffanblu and Warriors would represent the ILH at the Motiv8 Foundation/HHSAA Girls Division I State Championships, which begins on Monday. Punahou will receive a first-round bye, while Kamehameha will play in the opening round of the 12-team tournament.

“A setback for sure, but the girls are going to come back fighting stronger than ever,” Kamehameha coach Missy Moore said.

The Buffanblu and Warriors beat each other in the past two state tournament finals. Kamehameha won in 2022 and Punahou prevailed last season.

“This group of seniors has experienced losing in the state final and experienced winning in the state final. They understand what it takes,” Izuno said. “They spent some time with the rest of the team that doesn’t know what it takes.”

Kamehameha’s victory over ‘Iolani in a makeup game Monday forged a tie with Punahou atop the standings (8-1; 24 points) and set up the playoff. The Warriors/Raiders contest was postponed Jan. 8 due to inclement weather.

“We had two tough games prior to this game, three games in five games. We were realistic of what could happen, but we were optimistic of what could happen,” Moore said. “I’m just going to give it out to my team. They’re fighters. They’re never going to quit.”

Salanoa said she had a stuffy nose and cough for a while and went to the doctor two days ago. She was prescribed medication and has been feeling better ever since.

“We got the real Xehlia back,” Izuno said.

Salanoa scored on a counter attack in the third minute off an assist from Emily Daehler.

“Emily played a beautiful through ball to me and I knew I just had to put it in the back of the net,” said Salanoa, whose younger sister Xeyana played in goal for Punahou in the second half. “I trusted my abilities and one-touched it with my left foot.”

The Buffanblu made it 2-0 in the 33rd on Ilae’s penalty kick. Punahou was awarded the penalty after Carly Cormack was shoved down from behind as the Warriors tried to clear a corner kick by Ally Yoshimura.

“We were able to practice that, so going into it I was just calm,” Ilae said of the penalty kick.

Punahou made it 3-0 in the 38th on another goal by Salanoa, who fought past a Kamehameha defender on a high-bouncing ball from Maya Yoshimura and knocked it into the goal from just off the goal line.

“I was just pushing my way in and it went in the goal,” Salanoa said.

The Buffanblu scored in the 55th on Ilae’s goal off a rebound of Nicole Beauchemin’s free kick.

“I was just grateful that Nicole was able to kick it on frame and I was just able to finish it,” Ilae said.