Kamehameha's Noah Rosenberg and Punahou's Alec Dinsmore battle in midair for a ball. Sean Nakamura | SL

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Punahou's Antonio Espinoza heads the ball against Kamehameha. Sean Nakamura | SL

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Kamehameha's Keola Norton makes a shot attempt at the goal as Punahou defender Tyler Mar tries to block. Sean Nakamura | SL

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Kamehameha's Keola Norton attempts to make a bicycle kick shot at Punahou's goal. Sean Nakamura | SL

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Kamehameha goalkeeper blocks a goal shot attempt by Punahou. Sean Nakamura | SL

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Punahou teammates celebrate after ending the game with a tie against Kamehameha to advance on to the HHSAA Division I boys soccer state championship tournament. Sean Nakamura | SL

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Sat, Feb 1, 2014 @ Punahou

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Kamehameha

2

Punahou

2

Final	1st	2nd	OT	2OT	PK	Tot
Kamehameha (6-4-5)	0	0	-	-	-	2
Punahou (11-5-3)	0	0	-	-	-	2

A. Espinoza (2)   W. Alamillo    T. Fitzsimmons

MAKIKI — In this case, a tie was a win for the Punahou boys soccer team.

Antonio Espinoza scored two goals to help the Buffanblu to a 2-2 tie against Kamehameha in the regular-season finale for both teams Saturday morning at Alexander Field. With the tie, Punahou improved to 6-3-3 and secured the Interscholastic League of Honolulu's second — and final — Division I state-tournament berth.

The Buffanblu entered the day leading the Warriors by one point in the league standings. Kamehameha needed a win to overtake Punahou and extend its season.

"The mentality was to just get what we needed when we came out here," said Espinoza, a senior forward. "We knew we needed a tie or a win and we came out with that, so I'm happy."

Despite the situation, Punahou coach David Trifonovitch said he cautioned his players about letting off the proverbial pedal.

"We talked it before the game, that we did not want to come in with the mentality of trying to go for a tie," Trifonovitch said. "I've been in involved in too many times where you do that and it can go against you, so we wanted to come out and play aggressive, we wanted to get to goal."

Espinoza opened the scoring in the 10th minute when he received a pass from teammate Alec Dinsmore, who was on the right flank, and booted a right-footed shot to the left side of the goal.

"I saw the ball come across and I just hit it and it went in and I guess that's just the way it goes sometimes," Espinoza said.

Kamehameha evened the score in the 35th minute, when it capitalized on a Punahou foul and yellow card against defender Tyler Mar. That gave the Warriors a free kick from about 22 yards out, which TJ Fitzsimmons kicked through a wall of defenders and into the lower left corner of the goal.

The teams were tied at 1-apiece at the intermission and the score held until the 55th minute when Dinsmore was fouled by a Kamehameha player in the 18-yard box, resulting in a penalty kick for Punahou. Espinoza took the PK, which found the lower left corner of the goal and put his team up, 2-1.

However, the Warriors returned the favor just seven minutes later when the scenario was reversed. A Buffanblu foul in the 18-yard box gave Kamehameha a penalty kick, which Weli Alamillo converted to again tie it.

"They played a great game and I give them all the props," Espinoza said of the Warriors. "They made this our best game of the season. We fought hard, they fought just as hard back. It could have gone either way."

Kamehameha picked up its offensive pressure the rest of the way and had several scoring chances, but was unable to capitalize. The Warriors end the season with a 5-3-4 record.

"I'm proud of the boys, they really have come a long way — not just as a team, but as people," Warriors' coach Jorge Barbosa said. "I'm sad for them because I'd like to think that we deserve to be in the state tournament, but we're not and that's just what life is about."

It was Espinoza's 14th and 15th goals of the season, which leads all ILH players.

"Antonio being a senior, he's really stepped up," Trifonovitch said. "He's shown leadership, he's shown determination and he's put the ball in the net when we've needed to. He's been very, very valuable and he's been a wonderful leader and just has that knack for putting the ball in the net."

It was the second meeting between the teams this season. They played to a 1-1 tie back on Jan. 8.

The Buffanblu, who reached the state championship final last season before losing to Kalani in penalty kicks, join ILH champion Iolani as the ILH's two representative in the state tournament.

"Last year losing in the final and everything really inspired us to work hard and get back there," Espinoza said. "We knew coming in that we would have to do whatever we had to do to get back there."

The Outrigger Hotels & Resorts Division I Boys Soccer State Championships will be held Feb. 12-15 at the Waipio Peninsula Soccer Complex.