PEARL CITY — Any doubts about Pearl City being a legitimate contender for the O'ahu Interscholastic Association girls basketball championship were erased last night as the Chargers routed Castle, 52-21, in a second-round playoff game.

Pearl City, the OIA Red Conference Western Division champion and ranked No. 9 in The Advertiser's statewide Top 10 poll of coaches and media, improved to 12-1 in league play and will host East co-champ and No. 7-ranked Roosevelt (12-1) in Saturday's semifinals.

Castle, the East's No. 4 seed, fell to 7-7 but is still alive in the playoff's "modified double-elimination" format. The Knights travel to West No. 3 seed Kapolei (10-4) on Saturday, with the loser eliminated.

Castle coach Jeff McKeown, whose team met East co-champ and No. 4-ranked Farrington (12-1) and Roosevelt twice each during the regular season, said Pearl City is the real deal.

"If they continue to play like they did tonight, they can match up with anybody," McKeown said. "They played better than anybody we've faced this year. They took away anything and everything we tried to do."

And the Chargers wasted no time doing it, jumping out to a 6-0 lead and going up, 19-4, entering the second period. By halftime, Pearl City was ahead, 37-7.

"That's the best we've played all year," Chargers coach Mike Morton said. "The guards and big girls really worked well together."

The Knights opened playoff action with a 57-35 victory over West No. 5 seed 'Aiea on Tuesday.

"I was really nervous about this game," Morton said. "But our girls came out ready to play."

Jordan Ahakuelo scored a game-high 14 points to lead Pearl City.

CASTLE (7-7) 4 3 10 4—21

PEARL CITY (12-1) 19 18 7 8—52

CASTLE — Brandee Sasaki 1, Cailee Awa 5, Brittany Hawn 3, Sierra Iona 2, Amber Almeida 0, Leisha Li'ili'i 2, Maile Barros 0, Kaisha Dacosin 0, Brooke-Lee Kaululaau 2, Joshell Lilio 4, Brittney Lane 2. Totals 9 2-10 21.

PEARL CITY — Adrienne Jean Sylva 0, Sabrina Angle 4, Shay Alterado 2, Shanice Gabriel-Yones 3, Victoria Victor 2, Glacen Florita 5, Rachel Look 0, Shawna Angle 0, Jordan Ahakuelo 14, Tiari Walker 0, Alana Kaili 8, Keshia Manning 8, Leina Basques 2, Danielle Magana 2, Tearaina Meyer 2. Totals 20 9-12 52.

3-point goals — Castle 1 (Hawn). Pearl City 3 (Ahakuelo, Gabriel-Yones, Florita).

Reported by Mike Morton

MORE OIA RED

MOANALUA 44, MILILANI 42

Jasmine Funtanilla scored seven of her 11 points in the fourth period and A.J. Verdida finished with 10 points as visiting Nā Menehune rallied past the Trojans.

MOANALUA (8-5) 5 4 14 21—44

MILILANI (10-3) 9 12 11 10—42

MOANALUA — Britney Calucag 0, Kiley Lau 7, Joanna Nicolas 6, Jasmine Funtanilla 11, Meleane Smith 2, Jaiden Rego 3, A.J. Verdida 10, Shaunteus Ramos-Dias 3, Jasmine Young-Gusman 2. Totals 17 6-13 44.

MILILANI — Kellie Sakai 4, Tiff Lagua 0, Sam Yuki 0, Nikki Craig , Amber Ogata 20, Abby McKoy 7, Darcey Goulsby 7, Courtney Senas 0, Kawehi Pilakowski 0, Pomai Grube-Hose 4. Totals 17 3-8 42.

3-point goals — Moanalua 4 (Nicolas 2, Lau 1, Ramos-Diaz 1). Mililani 5 (Ogata 5).

Reported by Jenn Cadiz

FARRINGTON 60, MCKINLEY 47

Brydgette Tatupu-Leopoldo scored 12 points, and Angeline Argel and Kirsten Marie Liana added nine apiece as the host Governors beat the Tigers.

MCKINLEY (3-10) 12 8 10 17—47

FARRINGTON (12-1) 14 16 14 16—60

MCKINLEY — Jackie Tihano 8, Miranda Schmillen 5, Kylie Sato 17, Jourdan Mills 3, Megan Ofagalilo 0, Hanna Yoo 2, Katey Ezra 0, Gracie Faletoi 0, Lenna Morita 0, Mele Kuma 12. Totals 14 17-40 47.

FARRINGTON — Kirsten Ho'ohuli 3, Sallie Lazaro 0, Brydgette Tatupu-Leopoldo 12, Lucky Crichton 2, Angeline Argel 9, Kirsten Marie Liana 9, Aisha Gaea 2, Sofia Folaumahina 4, Isaley Iuta 0, Chelsea Wong 0, Alanna Ahching 4, Ashley Savusa 2, Chasity Scanlan-Sevao 5, Janell Nance 6, Seke Siliga 2. Totals 22 12-18 60.

3-point goals — McKinley 2 (Tihano, Schmillen). Farrington 4 (Tatupu-Leopoldo 2, Argel 1, Ho'ohuli 1).

Reported by Donna Tatupu

ROOSEVELT 52, KAPOLEI 34

Mikela Thoemmes scored 15 points, Kelcie Namba added 14, including 10 in the first half, and the host Rough Riders took a 28-18 halftime lead in beating the Hurricanes.

KAPOLEI (9-4) 9 9 6 10—34

ROOSEVELT (12-1) 13 15 15 9—52

KAPOLEI — Krystal Jacobs 0, Danniel Tapat , Kaity Wills 6, Rhilee Soriano 0, Tamar Rodrigues , Daimond Carter 8, Kawehi Hagi 4, Jo-Ann Payongayong 0, Noel Gerland , Vanessa Banogan 4, Leilani Tauani-Fifita 12. Totals 12 9-18 34.

ROOSEVELT — Breyana Dutro-Solomua 0, Kelcie Namba 14, Charisse Tanabe 1, Shana Kawakami 4, Nicole Ramirez 7, Abcde Furuta-Harada 7, Rachel Gomes 2, Mikela Thoemmes 15, Anuhea Kanealii 2. Totals 19 10-14 52.

3-point goals — Kapolei 1 (Carter). Roosevelt 4 (Namba 2, Ramirez 1, Furata-Harada 1).

Reported by Hinano Higa

ILH BOYS DIVISION I

SAINT LOUIS 46, MARYKNOLL 36

Acen Cabral scored 14 points and the visiting Crusaders outscored the Spartans 18-6 in the fourth period.

SAINT LOUIS (2-4) 7 12 9 18—46

MARYKNOLL (1-5) 10 9 11 6—36

SAINT LOUIS — Acen Cabral 14, Quinn Arakawa 3, Marcus Umu 6, Nainoa Frank 3, Drew Viena 1, Mika Wong 9, Starr Sua-Passi 4, Bryan Cieslik 4, Jaris Popacca-Falefa 2, Reeves Khoeler 0. Totals 13 18-29 46.

MARYKNOLL — Andrew Wu 0, Masashi Uematsu 6, Craig Shoji 2, Chad Sumulong 3, Trevor Ventura 7, Isaiah Dowdell 5, Jacob Mayer 6, Hirokazu Sasaki 1, A'i Cashman-Fernandez 3, Jordan Tomas 3, Nua Iuvale 0. Totals 13 6-14 36.

3-point goals — Saint Louis 2 (Cabral, Wong). Maryknoll 4 (Sumulong, Ventura, Dowdell, Tomas).

Reported by Maryknoll athletics

ILH BOYS DIVISION II

ACADEMY OF THE PACIFIC 42, WORD OF LIFE 28

David Daniels scored 15 and Micah Dunhour added 11 to lead the Dolphins past the Firebrands at Pālama Settlement gym.

AOP (7-2) 18 8 2 14—42

WORD OF LIFE (3-6) 9 7 8 4—28

ACADEMY OF THE PACIFIC — Cory Matsuo 0, Tyler Hanlin 0, Nick Gomes 0, Micah Dunhour 11, David Daniels 15, Simon Koch 7, Trent Valentine 9, Shaun Wristan 0, Brandon Nelson 0, Marshall Grueley 0, Jacob McGord 0, Sam Orcutt 0. Totals 18 4-6 42.

WORD OF LIFE — Ryan Alvarado 6, Keawa Poggi 10, Javison Caires 0, Isaac Iwamoto 2, Alex Robinson 0, Nathaniel Lim 0, Josh Ramos 0, T.J. Russell 0, Ben Siania 10, Keoki Holloway 0. Totals 12 3-11 28.

3-point goals — AOP 2 (Dunhour 2). WOLA 1 (Poggi).

Reported by Morgan Clark

LANAKILA BAPTIST 52, LUTHERAN 42

Chase Hazlewood scored 17 points and Jordan Kabato added 16, helping the Warriors beat the Lions at Salt Lake District Park gym.

LANAKILA BAPTIST (2-8) 13 15 16 8—52

LUTHERAN (0-9) 17 3 8 14—42

LANAKILA BAPTIST — Michael Miranda 4, Josh Pananganan 7, Chase Hazelwood 17, Marcus Takahashi 2, Jordan Kabato 16, Zack Ramos 0, Aaron Ono 3, Richard Abbley 3, Joseph Lawson 0, Matt Kakilala 0. Totals 24 3-4 52.

LUTHERAN— Jordan Kumasaka 12, Bronson Hagihara 1, Kyton Keliiaa 12, Shaun Takahashi 6, Brandon Kushima 5, Ethan Mee 4, Simeon David 0, Jourdan Johnson 2. Totals 15 7-15 42.

3-point goals — Lanakila Baptist 1 (Pananganan). Lutheran 5 (Kumasaka 2, Keliiaa 2, Kushima).

Reported by Mike Schwab

ILH GIRLS DIVISION II

ST. FRANCIS 49, ST. ANDREW'S 23

Nicole Yuen scored 12 points and Aja Gamble added 10 to power the visiting Saints past the Pride.

ST. FRANCIS (6-7) 12 15 16 6—49

ST. ANDREW'S (2-11) 5 7 4 7—23

ST. FRANCIS — Aja Gamble 10, Kiana Jones 6, Ashley Kupau 0, Kamaka Silva 5, Jasmine Soon 6, Breanne Suyeyoshi 0, Pitisi Tualau 4, Jessica Rossi 6, Nicole Yuen 12. Totals 21 5-6 49.

ST. ANDREW'S — Kerri Inoshita 2, Kailyn Osaki 0, Joy Winslow 0, Rebecca Kleinschmidt 9, Cheyenne Heath 0, Hayley Dixon 5, Tamika Woody 4, Diana Cabral 3. Totals 9 5-12 23.

3-point goals — St. Francis 2 (Yuen 2). St. Andrew's none.

Reported by Cheryl Grimm

HONORS

MCDONALD'S SEMIFINALISTS

Two Hawai'i players have been named semifinalists for the 2010 McDonald's All-American High School Girls Basketball Team.

Mid-Pacfic's Keaton McFadden and Waiakea's Kami Imai are among more than 2,000 selected from around the nation by the McDonald's All-American Basketball Team selection committee.

As semifinalists, McFadden, a forward/center, and Imai, a guard, will be competing to fill one of the 24 positions on the team. The final team roster will be announced Feb. 11. The game will be played March 31 in Columbus, Ohio.

Read his blog on high school sports at http://preptalk.honadvblogs.com