Kamehameha rolls to title
By Leila Wai
Advertiser Staff Writer
PUKALANI, Maui — The team-first mentality that carried the Kamehameha girls soccer team all season led to its fourth state title last night.
Kamehameha defeated Mililani, 3-1, in the championship game of the Meadow Gold Dairies/HHSAA Girls Soccer State Championships at Kamehameha-Maui's Kana'iaupuni Stadium.
"It's like, one of the best feelings," Kamehameha senior forward/midfielder Caycie Gusman said. "Doing it as a team feels even better. Three different people scored and different people had assists."
Freshman midfielder Meleana Shim scored a goal and added an assist and junior defender Kylee Ann Ah Choy and junior forward Jennifer Eugenio added goals for the Warriors, who won their first title since back-to-back championships in 1995 and 1996.
"A decade older and a decade wiser," Kamehameha coach Michele Nagamine joked after the game. "We played everybody in every game this tournament. It was a total team effort."
Shim scored in the 12th minute on a 30-yard free kick from the left side of the field, sending the ball into the upper portion of the right side of the goal.
"I practice that almost every day at practice," Shim said. "It goes to the same place every time."
Her assist came on Ah Choy's goal in the 19th minute on a corner kick from the right side. Shim's left-footed corner kick curled into the 6-yard box and found Ah Choy's head in a crowd of players.
"I never scored all season," Ah Choy said. "The last game the ball came to me and I headed it over the goal. I was hoping she would send it to me again."
Eugenio scored in the 33rd minute after a collision between Gusman, a Trojans defender and Mililani goalkeeper Joleen Realin, who entered the game for an injured Traci Kusaka. With Realin out of the play, Eugenio chased down the ball that slipped out of the pile and was trickling toward the goal.
Mililani junior defender Jasmine Pratt scored in the closing moments of the game on a corner kick by junior midfielder Natalie Wong.
"Their intensity was a level we weren't used to," Mililani coach Ray Akiona said. "Every one of their players played well."
ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
GK—Amber Nakachi, Kaiser. D—Nicole Lee Akiu, Kamehameha; Kylee Ann Ah Choy, Kamehameha; Jasmine Pratt, Mililani. MF—Stephanie Yoro, Mililani; Natalie Wong, Mililani; Tricia Miura, Pearl City; Markee Nobriga, Kamehameha. F—Caycie Gusman, Kamehameha; Skye Shimabukuro, Kauai; Maris van der Lee, Baldwin. Most Outstanding Player—Meleana Shim, Kamehameha.
THIRD PLACE
PEARL CITY 2, BALDWIN 0
Pearl City sophomore forward/midfielder Tricia Miura scored goals in each half to lead the Chargers to a third-place finish.
Miura scored her first goal in the 37th minute, then sealed the win in the 75th minute on a combination play with senior forward Lauren Maeshiro, who passed the ball to Miura down the left side of the penalty box.
The Chargers outshot the Bears 14 to 9.
FIFTH PLACE
KAISER 2, KONAWAENA 0
Amanda Suiso and Michelle Takahashi scored first-half goals to lead the Cougars past the Wildcats.
Kaiser goalkeeper Amber Nakachi had seven saves.
CONSOLATION
KS-HAWAI'I 1, KALANI 0
Tara Hottendorf scored at 48 minutes, 44 seconds for Kamehameha-Hawai'i in the consolation final.
The Warriors outshot the Falcons, 14-5.
Reach Leila Wai at lwai@honoluluadvertiser.com.