Kahuku's Nathen Fuluvaka celebrates after scoring off a corner kick by Mikel Sodini to give the Red Raiders the lead in the 29th minute against Baldwin. CJ Caraang | SL

Purchase image 1 of 1

Fri, Feb 20, 2015 @ Kapolei

---

Kahuku

1

Baldwin

0

Final	1st	2nd	OT	2OT	PK	Tot
Kahuku (11-5-0)	1	0	-	-	-	1
Baldwin (1-1-0)	0	0	-	-	-	0

N. Fuluvaka

KAPOLEI — Nathen Fuluvaka's main role on the Kahuku boys' soccer team is as a defender, but the sophomore went on the offensive in a 1-0 win over Baldwin in a first-round game of the Outrigger Resorts/Hawaii High School Athletic Association Division I State Championships at Kapolei High School Friday night.

Fuluvaka scored off a corner kick by Mikel Sodini in the 29th minute for the game's lone goal. The Red Raiders (10-5), who finished sixth in the Oahu Interscholastic Association, were making their first state-tournament appearance since it qualified for the Division II tourney in 2012. They will play second-seeded Mililani in a 4 p.m. quarterfinal Saturday at Kapolei.

"All season Nathen has been really a key player for us," Kahuku coach Robert Ah Puck said. "He practices really hard and we always tell all our players to make sure you finish your shot and he was lucky enough that that ball came back to him and he was able to put it in."

Sodini drew the scoring opportunity when he fired off a shot on goal that was deflected by Baldwin goalkeeper Benjamin Wutrich, but over the end line for a Kahuku corner. He sent the corner kick to the far post to an awaiting Fuluvaka, who got a head on it, but it bounced off a defender and back to Fuluvaka, who put it away in the bottom, right corner of the goal with his left foot.

"I saw Gabriel (Pinheiro-Alves) and then Nathen back post and they're usually our best scorers, so I was just trying to chip it to them and it worked out, so I'm really happy about that," Sodini said. "For a defender, Nathan is really good in the air and scoring goals. He's really good. Same with Gabriel."

Fuluvaka, a fullback, said Ah Puck's words resonated with him.

"At practice we have a little game where we cross it in and the first one who puts it in sits out — it's kind of like a World Cup — so I like those corners because whenever we have those corners I always think it's a scoring opportunity, so tonight when (Sodini) crossed it in, I had a good feeling about it and I just connected the ball, and like coach said we had to finish," Fuluvaka said. "I just stayed there and I waited, because I saw the ball just drop right in front of me and I knew I had to finish, so I just stuck my foot out there and I just shot it in."

Kahuku's Braxton Medeiros made nine saves in goal, including a few of the spectacular nature.

The Red Raiders were whistled for a handball in the box in the 52nd minute, which gave the Bears a penalty kick attempt, but Medeiros made a diving save to his left to deny Derek Hight's try.

"He was amazing," Sodini said of Medeiros. "He did it all last year as well, so I'm proud of him."

Later in the second half, Medeiros made another diving — this time to his right — and got just enough of a Micah Ching shot attempt to push it outside the left post.

"All season he's been always making plays and coming up big," Ah Puck said. "I know he's small in size, but that kid has a great, big heart and he's always pulled through for us in very important games."

Wutrich recorded seven saves for the Bears (8-3-1), who finished second in the Maui Interscholastic League this season after reaching the state semifinal round last year. They will play Hilo in a 2 p.m. consolation game Saturday at Kapolei.