Warriors, Buffanblu remain even in ILH race after tie

Punahou's Kelsey Shintaku tries to manuever past Kamehameha's Maya Hagiwara. Michael Lasquero | SL

KAPALAMA HEIGHTS — Different site, different score, same result.

For the second time this season, Punahou and Kamehameha played to a draw in Interscholastic League of Honolulu girls soccer action Tuesday.

The Buffanblu and Warriors, ranked first and second respectively atop the ScoringLive/Hawaiian Electric Power Rankings, went toe-to-toe in a 1-1 tie in the penultimate league game for both teams on a picturesque late afternoon at Kunuiakea Stadium.

A crowd of about 200 spectators saw both teams go to 7-0-2 in ILH play. They ended the day where they started it: deadlocked for first place with 23 points apiece.

Both teams had already locked up the league's two berth in next month's state tournament. While a win Tuesday would not have clinched the ILH title for either team, it surely would have provided a leg up for the victor heading into Friday's regular-season finale.

Kamehameha coach Missy Moore saw her team claw its way back from a one-goal deficit after Allison Little put Punahou ahead with her breakaway goal in the 21st minute.

"We haven't been down all season and so this was a good test for us to show our grit and see what we're made out of," Moore said. "It wasn't our best game, but we kept fighting and that was good. I mean, I'm proud of them. Obviously I would like the win, but you know, I mean, to be down and come back in a pretty big game? I'm proud of them."

The Buffanblu registered six of their eight shots on goal before halftime. The Warriors had four shots on goal in each half, but seemed to turn the tide of momentum after the break.

Moore said part of that equated to her players getting accustomed to Punahou's physical style of play.

"I think the first half we were a little caught off guard, just a little bit I would say the first half, but I would say the second half definitely, you know, came out expecting the hits, so I think we were definitely a little bit more prepared in the second half," Moore explained.

Reach Kalani Takase at [email protected].