The 'Iolani boys soccer team used a balanced attack to return to the championship game for the second year in a row.

'Iolani defeated Kapolei, 3-1, in the JN Automotive Group/HHSAA Boys Division I Soccer State Championships last night at Waipi'o Peninsula Soccer Stadium.

Top-seeded 'Iolani (13-0-1), the Interscholastic League of Hono-lulu champion, will play O'ahu Interscholastic Association champion Mililani tonight for the championship at 7.

"It feels good," 'Iolani senior captain Brock Granger said. "Every year we're dying to win it but we mess up or make a mistake.

"This year I think we trained harder and demanded more of ourselves so when we get to the final game we don't screw up."

Kapolei's defensive strategy before the game was to force 'Iolani to find other players besides Granger and forward Nick Goo to score. It backfired. While Granger did score, the Raiders also received goals from senior midfielder Keith Lum and junior midfielder Souichi Wood.

"They are a really good team: fast, quick, they handle the ball well and support each other," Kapolei coach Bryce Kaneshiro said. "It was almost like they were playing with 12 guys. This is one of the best 'Iolani teams I've seen."

Granger scored on a 25-yard free kick that went untouched around the wall of defenders and into the right side of the goal in the 12th minute.

Lum scored in the 51st minute off a low, driven corner kick by senior midfielder Paul Sakamoto from the right corner that skirted past two Hurricanes defenders to Lum who was waiting just behind the left side of the 18-yard box. Lum controlled the ball and shot into the right side of the goal.

Wood scored the third goal in the 63rd minute after collecting the clear off a cross from the right side by Granger and shooting through a crowded 18-yard box.

Two minutes later Kapolei senior forward Micah Uehara scored after the ball bounced around inside the 6-yard box and Uehara kneed it in amidst a group of 'Iolani players.

"I knew Kapolei wasn't going to be an easy team because they were the No. 2 team in the OIA," Raiders coach Chris Lee said. "I thought we played alright. The field was a little slick from the rain so our passes were running. The scoring is coming from different players. That's the balance we have. Other players are stepping up."

MILILANI 2, PUNAHOU 1

It was a matter of reading more than reacting for Mililani junior goalkeeper Preston Miyashiro, who stopped three shots in penalty kicks to lift the Trojans into the championship game.

The Trojans defeated Punahou, 2-1, in the JN Automotive Group/HHSAA Boys Division I State Soccer Championships last night at the Waipi'o Peninsula Soccer Complex.

"I just looked at the player and they were easy to read," Miyashiro said. "Those players are creative so it kind of tipped me off. I was reading them throughout the game."

In penalty kicks, the Trojans outshot the Buffanblu, 2-0. Making their kicks for Mililani were seniors Cory Nakagawa and Philip Sakaba. Miyashiro stopped Punahou's second through fourth kickers after its first kicker went high.

"He's very, very quick and he reads kickers very well," Mililani coach Jeff Yamamoto said.

Buffanblu goalkeeper Charles Yamamoto made two saves.

Mililani scored late in the first half and Punahou tied it with 10 minutes to go, setting up extra time. After the teams didn't score in the two 10-minute overtime periods, they went into penalty kicks to determine the winner.

"The first half I thought we played up and up, but our legs gave out on us," said Yamamoto, who had several players exit due to cramps. "We were dropping players left and right. This result was all heart."

Mililani senior defender Westin Alcover scored with 30 seconds left in the first half, outjumping everyone to head in a floating corner kick by Nakagawa.

The Buffanblu tried to return the favor on a corner kick by senior midfielder Lucas Lam to junior defender Jonathan Cloutier, but Cloutier's header missed wide right in the 64th minute.

Two minutes later a miscommunication by the Trojans defense led to a diving shot by senior forward Alessi Sia but his shot missed right.

Lam tied it with 10 minutes left after a cross from the right side traveled across the 18-yard box to Lam who put it away past a Mililani defender who was trying to protect the goal.