During the preseason, the coaches of the traditional top four in BIIF Division I girls soccer – Hilo, Kealakehe, Konawaena and Waiakea – each talked about the upcoming season as a rebuilding one for their respective teams.
Something had to give, and so far it’s the Vikings who haven’t given an inch.
Coach Skee Saplan doesn’t just appear to be building for the future, he also appears to be crafting something special. There was further evidence Tuesday as Hilo edged Waiakea 2-1 in a clash of unbeatens at the Warriors’ field, locking down the outright regular season title and an automatic berth in the HHSAA tournament.
It’s worth pointing out that Hilo’s two standouts against their rival, Miya Clarke and goalkeeper Saydee Bacdad, are both freshman. Then again, the majority of the Vikings’ contributors are freshmen, most of whom have played together under Saplan in the past.
“Our whole team just really jelled on and off the field,” Saplan said. “It’s been a great season, introducing everybody to each other.”
Hilo started just one senior and eight ninth-graders, and that doesn’t include Clarke, who scored both of her team’s goals.
“It’s pretty hard,” Clarke said. “but I know we got it. I believe in my team.”
Hilo (8-0-0) will host either Kealakehe or Keaau on Feb. 3 at Hilo Bayfront in the BIIF Division I semifinals. Despite suffering their first loss, the Warriors (6-1-1) locked up the No. 2 seed when Konawaena lost to Hawaii Prep 3-1 on Tuesday, setting up a tasty Wildcats-Warriors matchup in the other semifinal Feb. 3.
“It was a good experience and we knew it was going to be a great game with both sides playing their best,” Waiakea Jason Nakayama said. “We came up on the short end of the stick, but I’m proud of the girls.”
Hilo’s win Tuesday was a microcosm of its entire season. The resilient Vikings got back to states for the first time since 2014 by doing most of their hard work on the road. They also earned one-goal victories at Kamehameha, Hawaii Prep and Konawaena.
“It’s fun on the road,” Clarke said. “We get to play music on the bus and have fun and get to know each other.”
She scored the go-ahead goal in the 71st minute, collecting a throughball from freshman Jordyn Pacheco and scoring on a breakaway, then she came to her bench gasping for air.
Hilo came out intent on combining passes in the first half, but when that plan was thwarted it starting playing more direct and looked to make long connections with Clarke and Pacheco.
That plan worked as well. Clarke ran down a throughball from freshman Haley Miyasato in the first half for a goal, and she almost scored again on a similar rush in the second half, hitting the crossbar.
“We didn’t play today the way we’ve been playing the whole season,” Saplan said. “We were just surviving. Waiakea kind of dominated the possession on us. The girls are flexible enough to be able to change and attack in different ways, and we got lucky.”
Minutes after Clarke almost gave her team a 2-0 lead, the Warriors finally got a ball past Bacdad when Ki Serrao tapped home a rebound after Bacdad leaped to get her hand on a shot by Kaylee Valentino-Fergerstrom.
Bacdad made 11 saves. Some were ordinary, others were good – she got her hands up in time to deflect a shot in front by Starcia-Lee DePonte – and one was spectacular. Bacdad soared to her right and seemingly hung midair for a bit to corral a blast by Waiakea’s Emmalani Reynolds.
“Unbelievable,” Nakayama said.
Waiakea freshman Nayah Robertson stopped eight shots, but it was Hilo’s freshman goalkeeper who was cradling the ball when the final whistle blew, having just stopped a point-blank shot by Valentino-Fergerstrom.
“She works so hard, and she’s a great athlete,” Saplan said Bacdad.
Kealakehe can earn the final Division I playoff berth with a win against either Honokaa on Wednesday or Pahoa on Saturday.
Hawaii Prep 3, Konawaena 1
Senior Marlie Mandaguit, one of the stars of Ka Makani’s state championship repeat run last season, ensured HPA will be back to defend its title.
Mandaquit recorded a hat trick as Ka Makani (6-1-1) claimed the regular-season Division II title and an automatic state berth.
“She was a force on the pitch most of the day,” coach Steve Perry said.
Seeking its seventh consecutive BIIF title, Hawaii Prep will host Honokaa on Feb. 4.
Mandaquit tallied two goals in the first half, and she gave HPA a 3-0 lead minutes before Nalani Wall scored for the Wildcats (6-3-0).
“I thought we did a good job putting pressure on their back line. Our forwards (Kaui Taylor, Emma, Taylor, Sofia Aguilar) worked hard throughout and pressed things,” Perry said. “Rowan Kotner did a good job settling things in the middle of the field and our back four were on top of their game. (Erin Evans, Julia Perry, Jordan Grainger, Teah Van Bergen).”
The Dragons (1-5-1) clinched the final playoff spot when Pahoa lost to Kamehameha.
Kamehameha 11, Pahoa 0
Kekai Wong-Yuen and Kahala Huddleston each scored twice, and the Warriors got scores from six other players to win at home.
Layn Taylor Glenn, Bryana Ebbers, Cassidy Kelii, Cyrene Andaya, Maria Fratinardo and Nanea Delostrico also scored for Kamehameha (5-3-1), which hosts Makua Lani on Feb. 4 in a BIIF Division II semifinal.
Andaya and Mahina Kenoi each had a hand in the shutout of the Daggers (0-8-0).
Boys
Hawaii Prep 5, Konawaena 1
Zen Simone and Ghar Pautz each scored twice in Waimea as Ka Makani increased their lead in Division II.
Jake Schneider also scored for HPA (9-1-1), which leads Honokaa by four points.
Kupa’a Fernandez found the back of the net for the Wildcats (6-4-1), who remained in third place in Division I, one point ahead of Waiakea. The battle to avoid the fourth seed in the playoffs will likely be decided Feb. 5 when the Wildcats finish the regular season at Waiakea.
Hilo 5, Waiakea 0
Kalei Tolentino-Perry and Nicholas Carter each tallied two goals as the visiting Vikings locked up home-field advantage in the Division I semifinals.
River Brown finished with a goal for Hilo (9-2-0) and Ka’aina Lewis was credited with the shutout of the Warriors (6-4-0).
Kamehameha 8, Pahoa 0
Liam Kenio ended the Warriors’ three-match scoreless drought in a big way, scoring four times at Paiea Stadium in Keaau.
Tyler Waltjen added two goals and Riley Siemann and Pono Brown had one apiece for Kamehameha (6-2-2).
Jameson Sato and Dorian Salazar shared in the shutout of the Daggers (0-9-1).