Punahou girls soccer coach Matt Martinson was smart enough to dodge the Gatorade shower last night, a lesson learned after his first championship last year.

"I'm quicker this year," he proclaimed after the attempt.

The Buffanblu claimed the state title with a 2-1 win over Mililani, including a 4-3 advantage on penalty kicks, in the Hawai'i High School Athletic Association/JN Automotive Group Girls Division I State Soccer Championships at the Waipi'o Peninsula Soccer Stadium in front of 2,232 fans.

"You just hope you keep your composure, and (goalkeeper) Anu (Kahele-Manners) came up great with those saves," said Martinson, who avoided a drenching by seniors Karli Look and Jaclyn Khil. "Both of those shots were going in."

The top-seeded Buffanblu, the Interscholastic League of Honolulu champions, won their 10th state title.

"It's really exciting. We worked really hard throughout the season and I think we deserved it," Look said. "We had our doubts, but we definitely pulled through."

Punahou (13-1-1) junior midfielder Kendra Trifonovitch, sophomore midfielder Lauren Stollar, sophomore midfielder Michaela Tsuha and junior forward Allyson Holtz made their kicks and Kahele-Manners made two saves during the penalty-kicks phase. Punahou did not need to take its final kick.

"Right now, I'm just happy we won," Kahele-Manners said. "I kind of read their body and their hips before they kick the ball. I just jump where I think it's going and usually it's the right way."

Senior forward Mari Miyashiro, senior defender Chelsea Miyake and junior midfielder Cori Komiyama made their kicks for the Trojans (17-1-0), the No. 2 seed and O'ahu Interscholastic Association champions.

"I don't regret anything. I think the girls played hard, our substitutions came on really well, they played their hearts out," Mililani coach Ray Akiona said. "Any team that plays against Punahou is just lucky to stay with them."

The score was 1-1 after 80 minutes of regulation, with Miyake scoring for the Trojans and Look getting the credit for the Buffanblu goal. Neither team scored in the two 10-minute overtimes.

The Buffanblu struck first in regulation on a deflection off a defender on a corner kick by Look three minutes into the second half.

"I just tried to play it in and hit my players," said Look, who was battling the flu. "I was lucky enough for it to ricochet off of someone and go in. I tried to just kick it as hard as I could to get it in there and reach one of my players."

Miyake tied it in the 62nd minute on the last of three consecutive shots inside the 18-yard box. The play started on a corner kick by sophomore midfielder Lauren Uehara that was initially cleared out. Mililani regained possession, with senior forward Mari Miyashiro cracking a shot from the top of the 18-yard box that was blocked by Kahele-Manners and bounced to Trojan freshman forward T.J. Reyno, who also took a shot that was stopped. Miyake then put away the rebound.

"We thought we had a chance, coming down the home stretch," Akiona said. "With T.J. on the breakaway, but it wasn't meant to be."

In the first overtime, Reyno broke free for a one-on-one with the goalkeeper, but Kahele-Manners stopped her shot.

It was a happy ending to a stressful beginning for the Buffanblu, who had to completely revamp their defensive lineup.

"The way we came into our season we were unsure of who was going to be our defenders," said Martinson, who wanted to give credit to assistants Chelsea Deptula, Paul Hamamoto, Ross Shimabuku and Clem Young. "We asked for volunteers, and we found a solid group back there (in trio Kylie Chun, Khil and Sarah Hayashi, and subs Kristen Wong and Codi Funakoshi) and a goalkeeper who has come up huge all season long."

THIRD PLACE

Kalani 2, Baldwin 1: Kalani senior forward Randee Yamada and junior midfielder Tambrie Awai each scored in the first half as the Falcons (15-3-1) of the O'ahu Interscholastic Association captured third place.

Yamada scored in the 19th minute on a header and Awai scored on a penalty kick in the 27th minute.

Sophomore midfielder Amber-Lei Madriaga scored a minute into the second half for Baldwin (14-2-1), the Maui Interscholastic League champion and No. 3 seed of the tournament.

ALSO

Fifth place: Moanalua 4, Pearl City 2. Moan — Tiana Fujimoto (2:00, 11:00, 38:00), Krystle Winkyaw (42:00). PC — Alyssa Nagai (40:00), Angelica Carrillo (77:00).

Consolation final: 'Iolani 3, King Kekaulike 0. 'Iol — Malia Brennen (7:00), Kelly Kaneta (12:00), Kaina Pascua (58:00).