HAWAII-IOLANI ESCAPES GREATER PHILADELPHIA 8-7 OT TO ADVANCE TO NATIONAL STATE CHALLENGE TITLE GAME

CORONADO, Calif. – Tom Hartwell scored with 49 seconds left in the first three-minute overtime period for the deciding difference as Hawaii-Iolani knocked off Greater Philadelphia 8-7 OT to advance to the title game in the boys' 18-and-under division at the 2010 National State Challenge.

The game was nip-tuck throughout as neither team could build a margin larger than two goals.

Iolani jumped on top in the first period as Chris Nichols connected on a shot at the 5:43 mark for a quick 1-0 lead. Nichols struck again at the 3:34 mark of the second period to make it 2-0, but Carl Krause sliced the deficit in half with a laser from the wing with 2:01 showing on the clock to make it 2-1.

The teams traded goals to the halftime horn as Nichols completed a hat-trick at the 1:44 mark before Chase Hamilton made it 3-2 with 40 seconds remaining in the half.

Both team's No. 10 cap-wearers factored in the opening minutes of the third period as David LIm made it 4-2 at 4:48 and Krause returned the lead to one at 4-3 with 2:58 on the clock.

The lead expanded to two goals as Nichols notched his fourth goal of the contest at 2:14, but Greater Philly rallied to erase the advantage with back-to-back markers from the hands of Tim Greer (1:40) and Jason Lamoreaux (00:29) to make it 5-5 entering the fourth period.

Greater Philly took its only lead of the day 49 seconds into the fourth period as Harry Glendinning whipped a shot into the cage at 5:11. However, Nichols added his fifth strike at 3:24 to tie the game.

Iolani temporarily regained the lead as Hartwell bombed a shot from point-blank range at 1:40, but Lamoreaux tipped in a pass from Mathew del Rio with 39 seconds on the clock to knot the game at 7-7 and bring on overtime.

Playing two three-minute OT periods, neither team could solve the other's defense until Hartwell cocked and fired home the eventual game-winner with 49 seconds left in the first extra frame for the 8-7 final.

Iolani will meet Navy-AC at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 25 in the title game with a $1,000 prize check at stake, while Greater Philadelphia will meet Greater San Diego at 1:00 p.m. in the third place game.