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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Saturday, February 9, 2008

Kamehameha, 'Iolani in DI title game

Photo galleryPhoto gallery: HHSAA State Boys Soccer Division I

By Leila Wai
Advertiser Staff Writer

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Nickolas Brown of Kamehameha controls the ball to get past Cody Felipe of Kamehameha-Maui.

JONATHAN BELLO | Special to The Advertiser

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Two of the Kamehameha boys soccer team's biggest goals this season came from senior midfielder Zane Dydasco.

His free kick as time expired sent last night's state semifinal game into extra play, and Kamehameha won in penalty kicks.

Kamehameha outshot second-seeded Kamehameha-Maui 5-3 for the 2-1 win in the semifinals of the JN Automotive Group/ HHSAA Boys State Division I Soccer Championships at the Waipi'o Peninsula Soccer Stadium.

Kamehameha plays 'Iolani at 8 p.m. today for the championship.

"I'm graying," Kamehameha (11-2-2) coach Andrew Ah New said, pointing to his head. "It's all from soccer."

The teams settled for penalty kicks after 80 minutes of regulation play and two 10-minute overtime periods.

"A win is a win," Dydasco said. "I'll take it any way. We play tomorrow and I'm looking forward to it."

Dydasco, whose penalty kick in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu finale qualified the team for the state tournament, scored on a free kick just outside the 18-yard box with seconds left to tie the game and send it into overtime.

"I couldn't think about anything," Dydasco said of the moments before his kick. "I could hear the ref's watch beeping (signaling the game's end was near).

"We had lots of chances we should have put away, but we got lucky. It was a good game."

Ah New said Dydasco is "so strong, he has a tendency to kick it over. I'm glad he just placed it. He placed it in the most difficult spot, no goalie could get that."

He said the team was held scoreless in only one game in the preseason and regular season.

"We believed we would score," Ah New said. "That was our problem in the first half. We went too fast, we were trying too hard."

Kamehameha senior midfielder Kimo Komomua, junior defender Kainoa Kahui, Dydasco, junior forward Gareth Gomez and sophomore midfielder Ryan Ho made their kicks, and goalkeeper Micah Swain made one save.

Kamehameha-Maui senior midfielder Cody Felipe, senior midfielder/defender JJ Ledesma and freshman midfielder Ryan Felipe made their kicks. Kamehameha-Maui didn't take their final kick.

"We thought we had a better chance, because we were getting better as time went on," Ah New said of going into overtime.

Playing in its first semifinal, Kamehameha-Maui (15-1-2) found separation from its counterpart — Maui fans strung up pink balloons to represent the Valley Isle — with a goal by junior forward Kekoa Mountcastle in the 47th minute.

"It felt pretty exhilarating, but nerve-wracking," said Kamehameha senior defender Kapena Kalehuawehe-Gomes, who is from Maui. "I felt we had the momentum and we possessed the ball. I think we had the upper hand."

Mountcastle scored after chasing down a perfectly placed ball that sailed over a Kamehameha defender's head, dribbling into the 18-yard box and shooting a low ball under the goalkeeper.

"It was there for the taking; it was within arms reach," Felipe said. "The game is unpredictable sometimes."

KAMEHAMEHA 2, KAMEHAMEHA-MAUI 1 (2OT/PK)

Goals-KS: Zane Dydasco, 79th minute. KSM: Ryan Kekoa Mountcastle 46th minute.

PK—KS: Kimo Komomua, Kainoa Kahui, Zane Dydasco, Gareth Gomez, Ryan Ho. KSM: Cody Felipe, JJ Ledesma, Ryan Felipe.

'IOLANI 3, MILILANI 2

'Iolani senior forward Blaine Gonsalves scored three goals last night, none bigger than his header in sudden victory overtime at the 87:46 mark to lift the Raiders over the Trojans.

"It feels good," Gonsalves said. "It's the best feeling in the world to score a hat trick in states to get the team to the finals."

'Iolani (11-1-2), the Interscholastic League of Honolulu champion and No. 1 seed, has been in the state finals four of the past five years, missing last year.

Gonsalves scored his first goal in the seventh minute off a volley from just inside the 18-yard box after a Mililani defender cleared a Brock Granger corner kick to Gonsalves.

Mililani senior Michael Anduha tied it in the 69th minute off a throw-in by senior forward Colin Lund that reached the back post. The Trojans' first shot was blocked but bounced to Anduha who was waiting at the left back post.

A minute later, Gonsalves gave the Raiders back the lead when he ripped a left-footed, 20-yard shot to the right-side netting.

Anduha again tied the game as the recipient of a pass into the 18-yard box, shooting a ball that slowly bounced into the left side of the goal with less than six minutes remaining in regulation.

"Whenever you play Mililani, you expect them to play hard, have a high work rate, be well coached and they aren't going to give up," 'Iolani coach Chris Lee said. "I told the players to be prepared to fight the whole game."

Gonsalves ended the game after heading in a cross by Nicholas Goo from the right side.

"It was a beautiful cross by Nick," Gonsalves said. "It was good it didn't go longer. We have a game tomorrow and we have to focus on Kamehameha."

Kamehameha and 'Iolani tied both games they played this season, 0-0 and 1-1.

'Iolani had a chance to win in sudden victory when senior midfielder Kevin Fung's 23-yard free kick just beyond the 18-yard box arch went past the Mililani goalkeeper but senior Alan Albertazzi was guarding the right post and blocked the ball with his body five minutes into the first overtime.

'IOLANI 3, MILILANI 2 (OT)

Goals—'Iol: Blaine Gonsalves, 6th minute; Gonsalves, 69th minute; Gonsalves, 87th minute. Mili: Michael Anduha, 68th minute; Anduha, 78th minute.

NOTE

Division I and Division II third-place games will be played on the outside fields instead of the stadium. The Division I game will be at 4 p.m. and the Division II game between Kamehameha-Hawai'i and Honoka'a will be at 2 p.m, both on Field 5.

CONSOLATION GAMES

KAISER 1, 'AIEA 0

Kaiser defeated 'Aiea 4-3 in penalty kicks to advance to the fifth place game.

KEALAKEHE 5, ROOSEVELT 2

Micah Miranda scored two goals (10th and 53rd minutes) and Raydan Bala (30th), Lane Lorenzo (61st) and Brandon Sawada (74th) each scored one for the Waveriders.

Alex Fowler scored in the 28th and 62nd minutes for the Rough Riders.

Reach Leila Wai at lwai@honoluluadvertiser.com.