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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, January 30, 2009

Waialua, Kailua in White soccer final

By Leila Wai
Advertiser Staff Writer

The Waialua boys soccer team has become a true family affair.

Dad John Rosa is the head coach. Mom Loriann Avilla-Rosa is the assistant coach. Younger son Kamalei scored and older son Kainoa, the team's captain, recorded an assist in Waialua's 2-0 win over McKinley in an O'ahu Interscholastic Association White Division semifinal game last night at Kailua High School.

Waialua (11-0-0) plays Kailua (10-1-0) for the championship tomorrow at 4 p.m. at Roosevelt High School.

"All of us have been doing soccer our whole lives," Kamalei said. "My mom and dad have been coaching us since we were 5."

All four semifinalists — Waialua, McKinley, Radford and Kailua — already qualified for the HHSAA Division II state tournament, which runs Feb. 11 to 14 at the Waipi'o Peninsula Soccer Complex.

"I'm mom to all the boys," said Avilla-Rosa, who said she takes the role of disciplinarian on the team. "We eat and sleep soccer."

Waialua struck first on a McKinley own goal created by a shot by sophomore Kamalei Rosa. Rosa's strike from just outside the 18-yard box was knocked into the air by Tigers goalkeeper Hoku Tobin and bounced into the 6-yard box, where it hit a McKinley player and went into the goal in the 17th minute.

"It's always hard, but it happens in soccer," McKinley coach John Mai said. "We just had to suck it up and move on, and we did."

A shot by Waialua senior forward Arthur "AJ" Hernandez hit the crossbar in the 48th minute.

Kamalei Rosa did put the ball into the goal in the 57th minute on a cross from senior Kainoa Rosa. Kamalei settled it near the penalty kick spot, touched it to the right and finished on a shot under McKinley's Tobin.

"We always do that. We always have that connection," Kamalei said. "We know where each other is going. ... I was moving to the open space and he saw me and sent me the perfect ball."

Waialua is the only undefeated team in the White. McKinley dropped to 5-4-3.

"Waialua is the best team in (the White)," Mai said. "We felt we contended in the first half, but they have some skilled guys. They showed why they are undefeated."

McKinley will play Radford today at 5:15 p.m. at Kailua in the third-place game.

KAILUA 3, RADFORD 1

Junior defender Mark Maeda scored first on a 35-yard blast on the run in the 18th minute to boost the Surfriders.

Kailua senior forward Matthew Nakata scored on an assist from sophomore midfielder Jesus Gallardo Jr., who chipped a ball into the 18-yard box for Nakata in the 44th minute.

The Rams closed to 2-1 on a goal by freshman midfielder Alex Sams off a corner kick by junior midfielder Austin Adams. Adams' kick from the right side bounced to the left side of the 18-yard box to Sams, who lofted a shot to the upper right corner in the 51st minute.

But Kailua went up by two again on a goal by sophomore midfielder Chad Kurahara on a cross from junior midfielder Patrick Wolfe. Nakata, who was running to the front, left post, let the ball run between his legs, giving Kurahara an unobstructed shot at goal in the 58th minute.

RED CONSOLATION

ROOSEVELT 1, LEILEHUA 0

The Rough Riders won the penalty-kicks phase, 3-1, after neither team could score through regulation and two overtime periods at Kaiser.

Roosevelt will play Kalaheo for fifth place tomorrow at Kaiser at 12:30 p.m.

KALAHEO 1, 'AIEA 0

The Mustangs won the penalty-kicks phase, 3-0, after neither team could score through regulation and two overtime periods at Kaiser.

Reach Leila Wai at lwai@honoluluadvertiser.com.