Baldwin completes perfect MIL season
Bears fend off Lunas, claim first league title since 2013
KIHEI — Shawn Donohue wasn’t worried.
The Baldwin High School water polo coach had seen his team’s lead shrink to three goals entering the fourth quarter, but the Bears recovered to record a 10-5 victory over Lahainaluna at Kihei Aquatic Center on Saturday morning.
The victory in the Maui Interscholastic League tournament final gave the Bears (12-0), who had trailed 2-1 early in the second quarter, their first league title since 2013.
“We don’t come out and win the game right away,” Donohue said. “We’re strong through four quarters, we wear them down. We’re just one of those teams that kind of just wears you down slowly. We just keep working and working and try to finish at the end.”
Rebecca Buenrostro-Gallimore and Jacsen Donohue each scored three times for Baldwin.
“Words can’t really explain,” Buenrostro-Gallimore said. “I’m honestly overwhelmed, and it hasn’t really hit yet. But it’s an awesome feeling.”
The Bears, already assured of seventh consecutive appearance in the state tournament, led 7-2 after a power-play goal by Kayla Takakura with 3 minutes, 24 seconds left in the third quarter.
The Lunas (9-3) closed within 7-4 after Lara Claydon and Julia Bianco scored goals 52 seconds apart late in the third quarter.
Donohue fired a shot into the upper right-hand corner of the net with 4:23 to play, however, and Buenrostro-Gallimore scored 18 seconds later on a breakaway after a steal.
Lahainaluna had won the last three league titles, and is going to the state tournament for a fifth year in a row.
“It’s a great Luna program, and we’ve been working towards this,” Shawn Donohue said. “Our seniors were very growth mindset and goal-oriented. They had a goal. They were going to make this happen.”
Katie Yoshioka scored two goals for the Bears, and Olivia Takaura and Kayla Takakura each had one.
Bianco scored twice, and Alicia Wintermeyer and Nikki Zamani had Lahainaluna’s other goals.
“It’s a great rivalry, it’s fun to be a part of,” said Lunas coach Bradley Mason. “We started off strong and slowly started making a few mistakes. We came out really strong, but had a little bit of trouble as the game progressed.
“We played with heart. We always do. We played until the end and that’s what I love about our team.”
* Robert Collias is at rcollias@mauinews.com