Campbell squeezes by Moanalua, 2-1, to win first D1 crown


Lauryn Cabudol scored one of two goals for Campbell which lifted them over Moanalua Saturday night. Greg Yamamoto | SL

KANEOHE - Lauryn Cabudol's header from about three yards off of Aliani Lorenzo's corner kick with five minutes left gave Campbell a 2-1 win against Moanalua for it first Oahu Interscholastic Association Division I girls' soccer championship Saturday night at Castle stadium.

It was Campbell's first title since 2007, when it won the White (now Division II) championship in the inaugural season of Division II. When Campbell made the semifinals earlier this past week, it marked the farthest advancement by the school in Division I and the pre-Division II era.

"The feeling is so great, so blessed," Campbell first-year coach Ryan Leong said. "It's such a good staff, good girls. We trained so hard to get here. We want to give our hats to Moanalua. It's such a great program."

The Sabers (11-2-1) will draw a first-round bye for the Outrigger Hotels & Resorts Division I tournament set to start Feb. 13. They will host a quarterfinal against a first-round winner on Feb. 14.

It was a milestone win for the Sabers, who had losing seasons from 1992 to 2006. After two seasons in the old OIA White, compiling a 23-6-4 record in that span, the Sabers suffered through two more losing season after moving up to the Red. From 2011, they have had winning seasons. Last year, they were the West's top seed in the tournament, but were eliminated after two rounds.

"We made sure we talked about the mistakes (from last year) at the beginning of the season," Leong said. "We stayed focus. We told the girls grades were important. Injuries are going to come, so we had to eat healthy, stay focused, stretch good."

The Sabers and Na Menehune (10-3-1) entered the 12-team tournament as third seeds from their respective divisions. If it was any consolation to either team, Pearl City took it all last year as the West's fifth seed.

"It means a lot to us because we had a lot of people doubting us," Chargulaf said. "We were underdogs coming into this. We worked really hard to get here, so it means a lot to us."

Moreover, the Sabers played all of their games this season away from Campbell, which is having its field renovated. The team practiced at Keoneula Park and brought a portable goal.

"It was challenging," Leong said. "We just worked with what we had."

The game was tied at 1 after the teams exchanged goals quickly in the 41st and 42nd minutes after a scoreless first half.

With about five minutes left in regulation and the match tied at 1, Lorenzo's corner kick from the left curved toward the goal. Cabudol, who was in the middle of the six-yard box, went around her defender to take the one-hopper from Lorenzo then dipped her 5-foot tall frame down and headed the ball in for the go-ahead goal.

"I knew the Moanalua defender couldn't get it, so I ran around her and it was perfect for my height, so I hit it," Cabudol said. "I saw it curve, so I knew she had a bad angle, so as soon as it bounced, I hit it."

It was Campbell's only corner kick attempt of the half.

After a scoreless first half, the Sabers struck on Ashlynn Chargulaf's kick from 40 yards in the 41st minute. The ball was tipped by Moanalua goalie Maddie Price, but stayed under the cross bar and into the net.

"You can't teach that," Moanalua coach Nikki Dela Pena said. "That's all athleticism on No. 18 (Chargulaf's jersey number)."

"She's always had a leg," Leong said. "We told her to at least try to put it in. We saw the Moanalua was stacking the box - too much players in there - so we told Ashlynn to fire away because she has a leg."

Chargulaf was surprised her shot got past Moanalua goalie Maddie Price.

"I had no idea," she said. "I just booted it toward the goal and it went in."

But Moanalua stormed back quickly, scoring on its ensuring possession when Hoku Afong broke down the left side and drilled her kick from about seven yards from the left side to tie game at 1 in the 42nd minute.

"I don't  know what happened," Chargulaf said of Moanalua's quick response. "I guess we kind of let up because we're up 1-0."

The Sabers had 21 shots on goal to six by Na Menehune.



Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at [email protected].