HS: Winter state, region rankings, Feb. 22

HS: Winter state, region rankings, Feb. 22
by Sheldon Shealer
February 22, 2016

When Pearl City (Pearl City, Hawaii) and Baldwin (Wailuku, Hawaii) met in the Hawaii Division I girls soccer final Saturday night, it reinforced a shift in the balance of soccer power in the state.

For the first time since 2002, the finalists did not include at least one team from the ILH -- the state's powerhouse league featuring the likes of Iolani, Punahou and Kamehameha-Kapalama. For the second straight year, the ILH failed to claim a state title.

Pearl City, which entered the week ranked No. 4 in the SIMA FAB 50 Hawaii state rankings, cruised to a title-match victory over Baldwin, 3-0. The victory vaults the team to No. 1 in the state and West region rankings this week.

ILH teams won every large-school state title between 2003 and 2014, a run that was ended last year when Pearl City's league rival Mililani (Mililani, Hawaii) edged Iolani in overtime. In the 35 years that Hawaii has held girls soccer state tournaments, ILH teams have won 23 state titles and finished second 14 times, a number that includes 10 times ILH teams met in the final.

With Pearl City's victory, it appears the OIA -- which includes third-place finisher Mililani -- is moving to the head of the class for girls soccer in Hawaii. Iolani, which placed fourth, was the top ILH team in the tournament. Although Baldwin was a distant second to Pearl City after upsetting Kamehameha in the quarterfinals, Baldwin -- from the MIL -- started 10 underclassmen in the final and figures to be a factor again next year.

See the entire WINTER high school region and state rankings:

WINTER REGION RANKINGS: BOYS (Feb. 22) | GIRLS (Feb. 22)

WINTER STATE RANKINGS: BOYS (Feb. 22) | GIRLS (Feb. 22)

Related Topics: SIMA FAB 50 / Event
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