Bears, Spartans advance to state soccer semifinals

Maui Interscholastic League champions Baldwin High School and Seabury Hall both advanced to the semifinals of the Motiv8 Foundation/HHSAA state tournaments in Division I and II, respectively, on Thursday.

All three MIL teams played in the early 1 p.m. quarterfinals at Waipio Peninsula Soccer Stadium. MIL D-I runner-up King Kekaulike lost a close 2-1 match to No. 2 seed Mililani.

Baldwin (12-0-1) advanced to the state final four for the first time since 2018 — when the Bears were crowned co-champions with Hawaii Prep — with a 2-1 victory over Kalani.

After the Falcons — who knocked the Bears out at this stage last year — got a goal from Koa Close in the 35th minute to take a 1-0 lead, No. 4 seed Baldwin got the equalizer from Jorden Carbonell in the 52nd minute. Guiness Ruiz Rockett then provided the game winner in the 78th minute.

The Bears will take on defending

champion Iolani, the No. 1 seed, in the 7 p.m. semifinal tonight. The game is set to be televised on Spectrum XCAST.

In another D-I quarterfinal Thursday, Mililani got goals from Ethan Funatanilla (36th minute) and Kai Martin (46th) to beat Na Alii (10-3-1).

Bubba Emmanuel scored in the 47th minute for King Kekaulike, which will play a fifth-place

semifinal against Waiakea today.

In Division II play, the fourth-seeded Spartans (9-0-0) earned a spot in the state semifinals for the fourth straight season by beating No. 5 seed Castle 1-0.

Seabury’s Isaac Ferayorni scored in the 70th minute for the game’s lone goal. The Spartans will play two-time defending champion Kamehameha Hawaii in the semifinals today at 3 p.m.