At this point, it’s becoming sheer muscle memory for Preston Branco and the Honokaa boys soccer team.
Branco scored two goals on Thursday as the Dragons came back to force overtime, and they beat Kailua 3-2 in a shootout on a banner first day for the Big Island Interscholastic Federation at the HHSAA Division II tournament at Oahu’s Waipio Peninsula Soccer Complex.
“We’re getting good at these shootouts,” coach Maurice Miranda said. “We’ve had a lot of good practice.”
For the second consecutive season, Honokaa (9-6-1) was playing in a state quarterfinal after winning the BIIF third-place game in PKs. And for the second year in a row, the Dragons find themselves in the semifinals along with two other BIIF teams.
League champion Kamehameha beat Seabury Hall 2-1 behind goals by Chance Aguiar-Chartrand and Dominik Pajimola to set up a Dragons-Warriors semifinal at 1 p.m. Friday.
BIIF runner-up Ka Makani used a Justin Perry goal to beat Kapaa 1-0 in their quarterfinal.
Honokaa won in do-or-die fashion for the third time since a 6-0 loss to HPA in the BIIF semifinals.
“I think we got tired of getting slapped around,” Miranda said. “I can’t say enough about these kids.”
He also couldn’t say enough about the first-half performance of Naia Graham, who staked the third-seeded Surfriders (8-5), the Oahu Interscholastic Association champion, to a 2-0 halftime lead with a pair of goals.
“He’s big, strong and fast,” Miranda said. “The real deal.”
However, the same perhaps could be said of Branco, who scored in the 47th and 65th minute to rally the Dragons. Kauki Feliciano and Keaweiwi Pilayo drew assists.
“Being up 2-0 is the worst lead in soccer,” Miranda said. “I’ve been on the other end. We just knew we needed to get that first goal, and Preston did.”
As he has in the past, Branco took over goalkeeping duties in the shootout. He didn’t need to make a save, watching one miss the frame, but he did convert Honokaa’s first PK in a shootout it won 5-4.
Kyle Ohta, Sean Simmerman, Feliciano and Ethan Mcardle made their PKs.
Seeking a spot in the Division II title game for the fifth time in six years, Honokaa takes on a team in Kamehameha (12-4) that looks entirely different than the one the Dragons beat 3-0 on Dec. 20.
The second-seeded Warriors’ victory against Maui Interscholastic League champion Seabury Hall (4-7) was their ninth in a row.
Pajimola’s goal was the senior striker’s 20th of the season. Mackenzie Wilson scored for Seabury in the second half.
“They are playing good defense and Dominik is playing really well at forward,” Miranda said. “We know each other well.”
Perry ended a modest three-game scoring drought for HPA (10-4-1) when he tallied his 22nd goal of the season in the 28th minute against fourth-seeded Kapaa, the Kauai Interscholastic Federation champion.
Trent Wise shut out the Warriors (8-3-2). Ka Makani, which faces top-seeded Mid-Pacific (8-2-2) of the Interscholastic League of Honolulu at 3 p.m. Friday in the semifinals.
The Owls took out HPA last season in the semifinals en route to the title.