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Baldwin clinches MIL regular-season crown

Baker, Donohue each score three goals as Bears top Lunas 9-4

Baldwin High School’s Jessica Baker looks to pass during the Bears’ 9-4 win over the Lunas on Thursday afternoon at Sakamoto Pool. The Maui News / DAKOTA GROSSMAN photos

WAILUKU — Jessica Baker and Jacsen Donohue each scored three goals to lead the Baldwin High School girls water polo team to a 9-4 win over Lahainaluna on Thursday afternoon at Sakamoto Pool.

The win clinched the Maui Interscholastic League regular-season title for the Bears (9-0).

Baker and Donohue each scored in the first quarter, as did the Lunas’ Hailey Bogar.

Baldwin added to its lead with two goals to kick off the second quarter. The players on both sides battled for the remaining minutes until, with one second left on the clock, Donohue slammed the ball into the back of the net to give the Bears a 5-1 halftime lead.

After Kristi Kimura scored a goal for Baldwin to open the third quarter, Lahainaluna closed to within two when Dakota Delos Reyes scored three consecutive goals. But the Lunas seemed to lose momentum after junior Ryli Cherry fouled out.

The Bears’ Naomi Takakura sends the ball past the Lunas’ Dakota Delos Reyes on Thursday.

The Bears extended their lead to 7-4 after Baker made a key pass to Audrey Reiss, who tapped the ball into the net. Baker and Donohue each added one more goal to finish the game.

“I like communicating with the team a lot,” Baker said. “When we’re all connected we perform a lot better. I can’t play alone, I need everyone to be with me and for me to play with them. It was a great game.”

Heading into the MIL tournament and state championship, Baker said that the Bears need to fine-tune their shots and communicate more in the pool.

“As long as we’re all connected, warm up good. We’ve been practicing really hard, trying to be really smart and positive and having a lot of confidence,” she added.

The Bears finish regular-season play Saturday against King Kekaulike before playing in an MIL tournament semifinal the following Friday.

Hailey Bogar of Lahainaluna looks to pass during Thursday’s game.

“We have a long break and we’ve got to stay focused on what we want to do,” Baldwin coach Shawn Donohue said. “But definitely after that game, that was definitely a confidence booster.”

The Lunas (5-4) had won four straight before falling to the two-time defending MIL champions.

“They are a good team, a very physical team but we know it’s always a battle whenever it’s Lahainaluna-Baldwin,” Lahainaluna coach Bradley Mason said. “It’s a very physical battle, so we knew that going in and it’s always tough until the very end. That’s what water polo is.”

* Dakota Grossman is at dgrossman@mauinews.com.

Baldwin 2 3 1 3–9

Lahainaluna 1 0 3 0–4

SEABURY HALL 12, KAMEHAMEHA MAUI 7

Seabury Hall 2 6 3 1–12

KS Maui 2 3 0 2–7

Goal scorers–Seabury Hall: Bella Otterson 9, Madi Eiting 2, Aryana Johnson. Kamehameha Maui: Logan Spencer 3, Malina Mossman 2, Labryana Hookano, Naela Nitta.

KING KEKAULIKE 6, MAUI HIGH 0

King Kekaulike 3 1 1 1–6

Maui High 0 0 0 0–0

Goal scorers–King Kekaulike: Kalena Vaivai 3, Montana DiSegna, Kate Hehemann, Kuaola Emmsley.

MIL Standings

W L Pct. GB

x-Baldwin 9 0 1.000 —

King Kekaulike 7 2 .778 2

Lahainaluna 5 4 556 4

Maui High 4 5 .444 5

Seabury Hall 2 7 .222 7

Kamehameha Maui 0 9 .000 9

x-clinched regular-season championship

Thursday’s Results

Seabury Hall 12, Kamehameha Maui 7

Baldwin 9, Lahainaluna 4

King Kekaulike 6, Maui High 0

Saturday’s Matches

At Lahaina Aquatic Center

Kamehameha Maui vs. Lahainaluna, 8:30 a.m.

Seabury Hall vs. Maui High, 9:45 a.m.

King Kekaulike vs. Baldwin, 11 a.m.

End of regular season

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