KAPOLEI — Kailua prayed for its late coach before the game, wore armbands with Wil Kimura's picture during the game, and called out his name in its huddle after the game.

Honoring the man who "started our team," Kailua routed Nānākuli, 5-0, at Kapolei High School last night for its second straight O'ahu Interscholastic Association White Conference championship.

"Coach Wil may be gone, but he's still with us in everything," Kailua sweeper Sierra Kadooka said of her team's co-head coach, who died from a heart attack in December at the age of 62. "He's not gone."

Ashley Kanoho, who described the defense as the core of the team, scored twice to lead the Surfriders.

"We know it's our job; if we let a goal down, it brings the whole team down," Kadooka said.

Kailua (12-0-0) and Nānākuli (10-2-1) have qualified for the Division II state tournament, which starts Wednesday at the Waipi'o Peninsula Soccer Complex. Also in from the OIA are third-place Radford (6-4-3) and fourth-place Kaimukī (1-7-5). State pairings will be announced tomorrow.

Danielle Galveso scored in the fifth minute, shooting in traffic from the top left of the 18-yard box.

Kanoho scored the first of her two goals in the 17th minute, shooting from the top right of the box and pointing upward as a tribute to Kimura. The armbands the Surfriders wore also bore in inscription, "In loving memory of Coach Wil."

"That was for him, he started our team," said Kanoho, who scored again in 30th minute after converting a penalty shot.

The Surfriders made it 4-0 in the 62nd minute when Rhiana Beauregard took the ball down the middle to the top of the box and passed left to Jessica Alameida, who shot past a defender. Tiffany Nakata headed in a corner kick by Kadooka to make it 5-0 in the 68th minute.

"I thought we played a really, really good game," Kanoho said. "We really jelled as a team out there. From that first goal, it really set us up."

The Surfriders' defense gave up just one goal in league play, and their defensive presence gave few looks to the Golden Hawks, who were without leading scorer Chardynae Morgan due to a knee injury.

"We got to be more aggressive , we wasn't as aggressive as Kailua was tonight," Nānākuli coach Richard Wentling said. "We have to take it to the other team like they do to us."

NOTES

Defending state champion Pac-Five (4-6-2) is back in states after winning the Interscholastic League of Honolulu DII title. Kapa'a, last year's state runner-up, is also in after winning the Kaua'i Interscholastic Federation. ... Hawai'i Prep (12-0-1) will play Honoka'a (10-4-0) today for the BIIF DII title. Both teams have secured state berths, along with Kamehameha-Hawai'i (10-3-0) and Makua Lani (5-9-0). Hilo (11-0-2) plays Waiākea (8-3-2) for tonight's BIIF DI title. Both have qualified for states... Baldwin (13-0-1) and King Kekaulike (10-1-3) are the Maui Interscholastic League's DI state qualifiers. Seabury Hall (2-10-0) needs at least a tie in its weekend series against Moloka'i (0-12-0) to clinch a DII berth. ... Defending DI state champion Punahou (10-1-1) and 'Iolani (9-1-2) will represent the ILH.