Warriors Advance to Quarterfinals with 2-0 Win

Kamehameha Maui’s Micah Alo (4), shown here going up for a header in a match against Baldwin earlier this year, scored the Warriors’ second goal in their 2-0 win over Mililani on Wednesday. File photo by Rodney S. Yap.

By Rodney S. Yap

The Kamehameha Schools Maui boys soccer team advanced to today’s quarterfinals of the 2014 Outrigger Hotels & Resorts Division I State Championship Soccer Tournament.

The Warriors scored two goals in the first seven minutes of the match en route to a 2-0 victory over Mililani in Wednesday’s opening-round of the boys 12-team tournament at the Waipio Peninsula Soccer Complex.

Senior midfielder Kailoa Akoi recorded Kamehameha Maui’s first goal three minutes into the match and four minutes later junior forward Micah Alo added an insurance goal.

“I got a really nice assist from Colton (Cabanas), he just hit it over the top of the sweeper, kind of like a volley,” said Alo of his goal from about 25 yards out.

“We got a really quick start to the game and it started with Kailoa.  He took a touch and the keeper came out almost to the 18-yard box and Kailoa just shot one from atop, about 40-yards out. That goal got us started.”

Alo said Mililani’s keeper came out of goal again when Cabanas alertly lofted an assist over his head.

“We just picked on that because he did the same thing on my shot, he came out too much.”

Kamehameha Maui senior midfielder Kailoa Akoi scored the Warriors first goal Wednesday against Mililani in the third minute of the match. File photo by Rodney S. Yap.

KS-Maui (10-0-3) opens quarterfinal action today in the stadium against fourth-seeded Kealakehe, beginning at 1 p.m.

Baldwin, the Maui Interscholastic League champion and tournament’s second-seeded team, play at 3 p.m. against Kapolei, who advanced by blanking Hilo on Wednesday 3-0.

In other quarterfinal action today, No. 3 Kaiser faces Punahou at 5 p.m. and top-seeded Iolani takes on Kalani in the nightcap at 7 p.m.

Seabury Hall is seeded third in the boys Division II state tournament, and will open with a quarterfinal match today against Mid-Pacific. The winner of that meeting will play second-seeded Hawaii Prep or Leilehua on Friday, Feb. 13.

Kapaa is the Division II top-seeded team and defending champion, while Roosevelt is seeded fourth.

“We are really excited about the win and the chance to get to play in the stadium, because some of our players have never played in the stadium, so we’re excited about that.”

“I know for sure that if we are going to advance in this state tournament that we have to have better possession. . . But we are one step closer to our goal.”

The Warriors defeated Kealakehe 2-1 in last year’s third-place match at state.

KS-Maui has nine seniors on its 27-player roster, including Micah’s older brother, Chandler, who signed a letter of intent last week to attend Notre Dame de Namur University in Belmont, Calif., to play soccer.