Baldwin boys regain MIL D-I soccer lead

By Fred Guzman

Last year, the chase for the overall title went down to the last day of the regular season, with Baldwin watching from the sidelines and clinching the crown after King Kekaulike and Seabury Hall battled to a tie.

From all indications, similar 11th-hour drama could be in store as the MIL boy’s soccer campaign hits the home stretch. Four teams are still in contention for the Division-I championship with each still having four matches left on their respective schedules.

Meantime, three teams are contending for the girls’ D-I standings.

The Baldwin boys moved back into the D-I lead on Saturday with a 4-0 romp past Seabury. Nathan Fernandez led the Bears with two goals, with Dean Phillips and Xavier Leon also finding the back of the net.

The victory improved Baldwin’s league mark to 5-1-2 for 17 points, one more than Lahainaluna. Those two teams square off in a critical 7 p.m. game Tuesday at War Memorial Stadium.

King Kekaulike is just two points back and Maui High remains mathematically alive. Kekaulike challenges Kamehameha on Tuesday.

Jessica Long had three goals and two assists as the Baldwin girls battered D-II Seabury 7-0 on Saturday. Although tied for second with Kekaulike at 30 points, Baldwin is 10-0 and has played two fewer games that Na Alii and Kamehameha, which has 33 points. Kekaulike faces Kamehameha on Tuesday.

Kekaulike beat Hana 7-0 and Maui High beat Molokai by the same score in Saturday’s other matches.

GIRLS HOOPS: There were no surprises in the MIL girls’ basketball tournaments as both Lahainaluna and Molokai registered lopsided victories in Friday night’s championship games at the Kamehameha-Maui gym.

Senior center Kalei Adolpho had 21 points, grabbed 14 rebounds and had numerous blocks while Marissa Sterner added 13 points as Molokai overcame a slow start and eased to a 50-19 win over Seabury Hall, giving the Lady Farmers their fourth straight MIL Division-II title.

Molokai, which won the 2009 state championship and finished second last year, will be the MIL’s lone representative in the D-II state field.

Two MIL teams will compete in the Division-I tournament, with Lahainaluna seeking to defend its state title after again rolling through an unbeaten league campaign.

The Lady Lunas extended their MIL winning streak to 59 games by routing King Kekaulike 59-26 as reigning state player of the year Maiki Viela scored 21 of her 25 points by halftime and had eight assists. Ana Luese added 14 points for the Lunas.

The Lunas, ranked fourth in the state, improved their MIL season record to 13-0.

Kekaulike’s Taylor Fernandez accounted for 21 points, all but five of her team’s total output.