Brock Granger scored two goals — including the go-ahead penalty kick in the 61st minute — yesterday to help 'Iolani defeat Kamehameha, 2-1, and move one step closer to the Interscholastic League of Honolulu boys soccer title.

The win at Kamehameha's scenic Kunuiakea Stadium improved the Raiders' record to 8-0-1 in the ILH, giving them 25 championship points with three games remaining. Second-place Punahou (6-1-3, 21 points) and third-place Kamehameha (6-3-1, 19 points) each have only two games left, so 'Iolani can clinch the ILH crown with a victory over Damien (0-9) on Saturday.

"It feels good," said Granger, a midfielder who said he will sign a national letter of intent to play for the University of Nevada-Las Vegas on Feb. 4. "When we play Kamehameha, it's always a battle, it feels like we're going to war."

Yesterday's game was a rematch of the 2008 state championship final won by Kamehameha, 2-1. 'Iolani won this year's first-round regular-season meeting, 2-1, and the teams tied, 1-1, in last year's regular-season finale after the Warriors scored in the final 30 seconds.

Yesterday's game fell right into that pattern of intensity.

The Raiders took a quick 1-0 lead in the fifth minute after Nick Goo's header from the right side ricocheted off the crossbar to Granger, who headed the ball in near the back post.

"I thought Nick's shot went in (at first)," said Granger, who leads the league with eight goals. "But it bounced off and I came in for the finish."

Kamehameha tied it in almost similar fashion in the 36th minute, when Jason Richards' direct kick bounced off the crossbar and was headed in by Ryan Ho.

The teams went back and forth for the next 25 game minutes, until Goo penetrated the penalty box and had his shirt pulled by a Kamehameha defender.

Granger's penalty kick found the upper middle section of the net, just to the right of lunging Warriors keeper Koa Cano.

"We needed that goal, because Kamehameha was on the attack in the second half," Granger said. "We couldn't seem to find a way to keep the ball."

'Iolani out-shot the Warriors 5-3 in the first half, but the openings appeared to shrink after intermission.

"We had to think that (Granger's penalty kick) was our goal," Raiders coach Chris Lee said. "Most times you're not going to get that kind of opportunity against a team like that."

Kamehameha coach Andrew Ah New said a slow start cost his team.

"It took a while for us to catch up; they basically dominated the first half," Ah New said. "We probably weren't marking as well in the first half, we were leaving guys open. But that goal (by Ho) helped bring us back."

Saint Louis 2, Mid-Pacific 1: Aaron Goo scored two goals to help the Crusaders (4-5) defeat the Owls (3-6). Jared Domingo scored for MPI.

Punahou 9, Damien 0: Matthew Walker and Sean Hungerford each scored two goals and Kevin John, Nicholas Sexton, Matthew Schull, Alex Lam and Brandon Kobayashi each added one goal for the Buffanblu.

ILH GIRLS

Punahou 6, Saint Francis 0: Ally Holtz scored two goals and Lauren Stollar, Lauren Wong, Jayann Gabrio and Aisha Price each added one goal for the Buffanblu, who are now in first place at 8-0-3 (27 championship points). The Troubadours fell to 0-9-1.

Kamehameha 7, Sacred Hearts 0: Amber Fuller and Meleana Shim each scored two goals and Whitney Minamishin, Carly Neal and Leila Machado each added one goal for the second-place Warriors (8-0-2, 26 points). The Lancers fell to 2-8-1.