'Aiea rallies with two second-half goals to beat Kapolei

Aiea players celebrate after defeating Kapolei to reach the Division I title game. Sylvia Lee | SL

WAIPAHU - 'Aiea rallied from a 1-0 halftime deficit to beat Kapolei, 2-1, Friday night in a semifinal of the Outrigger Hotels & Resorts Division I state girls' soccer tournament the Waipio Peninsula Soccer Complex.

Na Alii (13-4), the longest shot among the six O'ahu Interscholastic Association representatives as the league's sixth seed, will play seven-time champion Kamehameha-Kapalama (13-1-1), the Interscholastic League of Honolulu's second seed, for the Division I, for the title at 7 p.m. Saturday at the main stadium. This is 'Aiea's first ever title game appearance; Kamehameha has been to the final 10 times, winning its last title two years ago, 1-0, against ILH rival 'Iolani.

"It feels phenomenal," 'Aiea's Leah Pajimula said. "I can't imagine this. Here we are going to the finals tomorrow."

Kapolei (13-2-1), the OIA's third seed, will play Western Division rival Mililani (13-5), the West's fifth seed, for third place at 3 p.m. at the main stadium.

Na Alii, who trailed 1-0 at 12:50 on Paige Mahuka's head from about two yards when the goalie move the opposite direction for an open-net shot.

'Aiea trailed for nearly 60 minutes before tying the match at 1 on Raisa Strom-Okimoto's direct kick from about 30 yard, squeezing the ball just over the out-stretched arms of keeper Arielle Stoyanow, who practically saved the Hurricanes the night before in the upset of top-seeded and defending state champion 'Iolani.

"We didn't want to give free trips around the box," Kapolei coach Brian Beck said. "Unfortunately, they capitalized."

Three minutes later, Pajimula booted a deflection off the defenders on a corner kick by Keani Napu'unoa. The six-yard shot put Na Alii ahead, 2-1.

"it was like we were still playing last night (against 'Iolani)," Beck said. "Our style of play was like we did last night. I think ultimately what happened to us was we got into a mode. We couldn't get out of that mode."

Strom-Okimoto had taken three direct kicks before she made her shot. The previous shots sailed on the usually reliable kicker.

"I just didn't remember the ones I (missed)," Strom-Okimoto said.

'Aiea coach Benji Villaflor said his team started a little flat.

"Second half, I told them what was going on," Villaflor said. "Basically, we're losing; this is the last half of the season. Even though get to play tomorrow, what good is third place."

Pajimula's shot was similar to Strom-Okimoto's in that it forced Stoyanow to leap high,

"That's how Raisa scored, so that's what I wanted to do," Pajimula said.

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at [email protected].