The Kamehameha boys soccer team is making the most of second chances.

The Warriors finished third in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu standings. In the past, the most teams the ILH sent was two. But this year, the third-place ILH team played off with the sixth-place O'ahu Interscholastic Association team for the 12th state tournament berth.

The Warriors won that game, and beat Hilo, 2-1, in the first round of the HHSAA/JN Automotive Group yesterday afternoon at the Waipi'o Peninsula Soccer Complex.

Kamehameha (7-5-1) advanced to play second-seeded Mililani (12-1-0), the O'ahu Interscholastic Association champion, today at 5 p.m. in a quarterfinal matchup.

"We weren't sure we were going to get here, because we had a lot of injuries," Kamehameha coach Andrew Ah New said. "Guys are coming around.

"Of course, we're happy for the boys because they were getting down and thinking there was no way. And they worked hard the last two weeks to get themselves into this position."

Yesterday, the Warriors struck first on a goal by senior midfielder Ryan Ho, who made a penalty kick after senior Kaniela Kaneshiro was taken down inside the 18-yard box in the 18th minute.

"The PK was Kaniela's foul," Ho said. "It really opened the game up because it opened up our offense. It put pressure on their defense. It gave us the opportunity to control the front and pass the ball around."

Ho called the state tournament "Phase Four" of the Warriors season.

"The first phase was the first round (of the ILH), the second phase was the second round, and we stepped up, and we wanted to progress through the whole thing," Ho said. "The third round was the playoff game (against Roosevelt) and now it's our fourth phase. It is a new life for us. We're a whole new team now. And we're playing so much better now than our first games."

Hilo senior midfielder Jacob Villez tied the score in the 48th minute after he deflected a 40-yard free kick by junior midfielder Chad Wissing into the goal for the Vikings (11-3-1), the second team out of the Big Island Interscholastic Federation.

"It was kind of a fluke, it went off one of our players and then went in," Hilo coach Don Memmer said. "But then they came right back and hit the bar."

Four minutes later, junior defender Kalai Hanohano put the Warriors ahead after heading in a free kick by senior midfielder Jason Richards. The ball struck the crossbar and bounced back into play, and Hanohano put it away.

The Vikings played with two midfielders and four forwards in the final 15 minutes as they tried to score the equalizer.

"We were trying, yeah," Memmer said. "Four forwards, we were gambling. So many more opportunities at the end. I was proud of them."

Other first-round games:

KAPOLEI 3, KING KEKAULIKE 2 (PKS)

Cody Kamei stopped three penalty kicks for the Hurricanes (9-2-3), the OIA runner-up, who outshot Nā Ali'i, 3-0.

Senior midfielder/defender Nate Swensen, sophomore midfielder/defender Richard Gallarde and senior utility player Blake Abes made their kicks.

Junior midfielder Kainoa Ke'a scored in the 51st minute and Swenson in the 70th for the Hurricanes in regulation. Junior midfielder/forward Logan Bantilan scored in the 37th and 53rd minutes for Nā Ali'i (7-3-3), the Maui Interscholastic League's second-place team.

Kapolei plays fourth-seeded Kealakehe (14-0-0), the Big Island Interscholastic Federation champion, today at 3 p.m.

MOANALUA 1, PEARL CITY 0

Senior midfielder Alex Colby scored for Nā Menehune, who beat their fellow OIA member.

Moanalua (9-4-3), the OIA's fifth seed, plays top-seeded Punahou (8-1-3) of the Interscholastic League of Honolulu today at 7 p.m.

'IOLANI 2, 'AIEA 1

Junior midfielder Jason Yuasa scored in the 29th minute and junior midfielder Patrick Shimoko in the 42nd minute for the Raiders (8-2-2) of the ILH.

Sophomore midfielder Ezra White scored in the 53rd minute for Nā Ali'i (5-6-4) out of the OIA.

'Iolani plays No. 3 seed Baldwin (7-1-4), the MIL champion, today at 1 p.m.