When Makua Lani’s boys soccer team got down last season, coach Alex Dong said they often stayed down.
So he was eager to see if his team had learned how to bounce back in its Big Island Interscholastic Federation opener. The Lions proved they could do just that — again and again and again and again Tuesday — in a high-scoring contest against Hawaii Prep that ended in a 5-5 tie after Ka Makani’s Ghar Pautz scored with five minutes remaining.
“A totally insane game,” HPA coach Rich Braithwaite said of a contest that was tied 4-4 at halftime.
Aidan Alcos netted a hat rick for the Lions and DJ Madigan added two goals. Madigan gave Makua Lani’s its first lead with a goal in the second half.
Hawaii Prep’s Austin Schneider opened the scoring during a wide-open first 40 minutes, and the team’s traded goals during a first half that was tied four times.
“We showed fighting spirit and that we’re a lot tighter than last season,” Dong said. “We wanted to set a tone for our season.”
Ka Makani, the defending BIIF Division II champion, avoided a loss largely because its new forward tandem clicked. Schneider scored two goals with two assists and Justin Perry had two goals and an assist.
“They are playing really well together,” Braithwaite said. “We just have to shore up the back. We’ll figure it out.”
Schneider set up Pautz’s equalizer, which came on a header from 5 yards out.
Perry could have collected a hat trick and if not for a diving second-half save by Makua Lani goalkeeper Jonah Marks that kept the match 5-5.
“He came up big,” Dong said.
HPA girls beat Makua Lani 9-0
Defending Division II state champion HPA got contributions from six different goal scorers on the way to a 9-0 victory over Makua Lani.
Teah Van Bergen, Marlie Mandaguit and Haley Dow each had a pair of goals for Ka Makani. Gabbie Ewing, Teia Knoll and Kaui Taylor also scored. Taimane Kamaka recorded the shutout in net.