Campbell, Moanalua advance to OIA D1 semis, secure state berths

Greg Yamamoto | SL

Campbell and Moanalua will face off in the OIA Division I semifinals after each posting 1-0 wins in a playoff doubleheader at Moanlaua High School.

The Sabers outshot the Cougars 13 to 6, but only managed a single goal for the effort, scoring in the 22nd minute when Kaelyn Jaentsch scored off an assist by Ava Rose Whitmer.

"I dribbled down the line, did a little move past of their defenders and did a little chip to Kaelyn because I found her open," explained Whitmer.

"I knew she (Whitmer) was going to come for me," added Jaentsch. "I just needed to get my head on it."

Despite the lead, Campbell kept pressing offensively, looking for an insurance goal, and that press nearly got cashed in the 72nd minute on a shot by Whitmer that ricocheted off the post back into the field of play before being cleared by a Cougars' defender.

"We wanted it, everytime we want goals, basically we want to stay in our attacking half to try and get goals," said Jaentsch.

In the nightcap, Na Menehune was the beneficiary of an own goal in the 8th minute of the first overtime against the Chargers, who were playing in their second extra time match in as many days.

After a scoreless forty minutes of regulation, play in the first seven minutes of the overtime were frantic to say the least, but that pace ultimately came to an abrupt halt in the 88th minute when a through ball hit by Krisyln Uyeda glanced off a Chargers' defender and redirected, trickling toward the far post, eventually making contact with it before caroming off a player and across the line for a match-ending own goal.

Uyeda had an opportunity to put the home team ahead in the 59th minute on a breakaway one-on-one with the keeper, but the shot was deflected and when over the goal.

Pearl City had its own chance to end it in the dying moments of regulation, as Taylor Thomas shot from about 25 yards out glanced off the keeper's glove and nearly deflected back into goal before being cradled just inches from the line.

Wins tonight secured both the Sabers and Na Menehune state berths. The winner of tomorrow's fifth place match between Kaiser and Pearl City at Waipahu will also secure a berth.