The Punahou girls soccer team recorded a sweet repeat made all the better by beating a bitter ILH rival on Saturday.
Xehlia Salanoa scored in the first half and Sachie Ilae had a goal in the second as No. 1 seed Punahou beat Kamehameha 2-1 in the final of the Motiv8 Foundation/HHSAA Girls Division I State Championships at Waipio Peninsula Soccer Complex’s main stadium.
“This was a game that signified our heart,” Punahou coach Shelley Izuno said. “It was tough, it was ugly for us, but they just knew they had to get it done by any means.”
The Buffanblu claimed a state-high 13th overall championship, with the Warriors second with 11.
It was the third consecutive state title matchup between the teams. Punahou lost on PKs in Kamehameha’s 2022 championship season.
“This class, they’re special,” Izuno said of her team, which has 11 seniors — nine who start. “We went through it together when they were sophomores. That was a huge heartbreak for them. It was a huge growing moment for them. They’ve come so far since then. They still remember that. It’s what drives them so hard.”
Salanoa put the Buffanblu up 1-0 at 15:45 off a flick by Ilae.
“Me and Sachie, we’re always finding each other,” Salanoa said. “I just saw her cross the ball and there was an opening right in the middle and I had to try and get my foot on it and I got it past the keeper.”
Ilae said: “I was taking a chance. I’m glad she was there.”
Ilae capitalized at 43:34 when Warriors goalkeeper Kailla Miller bobbled a shot by Salanoa.
“I was just at the right place at the right time. Glad that it went in,” Ilae said.
Kamehameha cut its deficit to 2-1 on Marley Espiau’s header off a free kick from Sarah Naumu, who was 45 yards from goal. Espiau tracked the ball on a hop and just beat Buffanblu goalkeeper Xeyana Salanoa to the ball.
“We told them at halftime, we’re sending in amazing balls right in front of their goal, we need someone on the end of it,” Kamehameha coach Missy Moore said.
Punahou (12-1-0) outscored its opponents 63-3 this season.
Kamehameha (11-3-0) was making its fifth consecutive state title game appearance. The Warriors won crowns in 2019, 2020 and 2022. There was no soccer season in 2021 because of COVID-19.
The Warriors had two shots go off the post in the first half.
Ayva-Ray Malepeai fired a shot off Buffanblu goalkeeper Trisha Nitta in the third and the ball bounced off the right post. Nitta then dove and covered up the ball.
In the 25th, Kamehameha’s Kaya Leslie sent a shot from 30 yards off the crossbar.
“I thought we came out and played a heck of a game, I’m not going to lie,” Moore said. “We possessed the ball very well, we moved the ball well, we had a good plan. We just let some unfortunate goals go in. We couldn’t put away our opportunities early on.”
Punahou’s Ilae had a shot from 18 yards off the right side go off the crossbar in the 17th.
The Warriors finished with 12 shots on goal, while the Buffanblu had six.
Punahou won two of three games against Kamehameha during the ILH season, with the Buffanblu holding an 8-1 advantage in aggregate scoring.
—
Third Place
Mililani 1, Campbell 0
Goal-Scorers—Mil: Taegen Deocares.
Fifth Place
Kamehameha-Maui 2, Baldwin 1
Goal-Scorers—KSM: Jael Kapuaala, Krychalei Loui. Bald: Kena Tihada.
