KAILUA-KONA — The past seven years of BIIF Division II girls soccer were encapsulated in a matter of minutes Saturday night at Waverider Stadium.
On one end, Kamehameha’s Kekai Wong Yuen hustled to force a corner kick, and Bryana Ebbers’ ball found the foot of Cassidy Kelii on the right side, whose shot caromed off the crossbar.
That ringing sound, as it turned out, was Hawaii Prep’s victory bell.
“We didn’t like that,” HPA senior Kaui Taylor said. “That was too close for comfort.”
Sure enough, just moments later Taylor darted down the left side for a goal, and there Ka Makani went again staying a step ahead of the competition .
Though in this instance, HPA was a just half-step ahead. It fought off an early charge and then held off a ferocious rally for a 2-1 victory and a seventh consecutive BIIF title, dealing a determined Kamehameha squad its fifth runner-up finish in a row.
“They wanted it and they talked about it,” said HPA’s Jordan Grainger, who kept the match from going to overtime with a game-saving play. “But we wanted it more and it showed.
“We knew they were going to come out hard. It’s these types of challenges that amp up our team. When we are hit with a hard opponent we play much better.”
Kamehameha (6-4-1) twice came tantalizingly close to tying the game late in the match after JC Kerr gave the Warriors a charge with a goal in the 68th minute.
Kerr had a chance to tie the match after HPA was called for a hand ball in the penalty box, but the senior fired her penalty kick over the crossbar.
The referee signaled the match was over, but as HPA (9-1-1) celebrated, more time was added the clock.
Wong Yuen shot a ball that got past goalkeeper Taimane Kamaka, but Grainger was there on the goal line to kick it out of harm’s way.
“It all happened so fast,” Grainger said. “After I kicked it out, when I was running up the field I almost cried because I couldn’t believe it happened.”
The teams very well could meet again at the HHSAA Division II state tournament, which will be held Feb. 17-20 at Oahu’s Waipio Peninsula Soccer Complex. Ka Makani earned a seeded berth as they seek their third straight state title.
“We still have a lot to play for,” Kamehameha coach Gene Okamura said. “We were right there with them. Our goal is to get to the final.”
From the outset Saturday, it was clear the Warriors were going to provide their nemesis with a stiffer test than they had in the past four league finals.
With Wong Yuen making rushes down the left flank, Kamehameha carried the play early, but the match changed on a dime when Teah Van Bergan slipped a pass to Taylor for a counterattacking goal in the 16th minute.
“We were taken aback for the first 15 minutes,” Taylor said. “They set the pace of the game, but we matched them.”
What followed, HPA coach Steve Perry said, was some of Ka Makani’ best soccer of the season as it clogged the middle and kept Kamehameha from sending balls through to Wong Yuen and Ebbers.
In the 34th minute, Emi Higgins kept a ball alive, leading to Sofia Aguilar’s goal and a 2-0 HPA lead.
“I told our team we could see them again at states,” Perry said. “It was a good test to get ready.
“We got a little rattled at the end, and they were throwing the kitchen sink.”
Meanwhile, who on the Big Island is having a better week than Taylor?
On Wednesday, she signed a national latter of intent at Baylor, her “dream school,” and three days later she became the latest in a long line of HPA players to claim their fourth BIIF title.
“It’s going better than I ever could have imagined,” Taylor said.
It could get even better for Ka Makani and the Warriors.
Third place
Katrina Whalen’s goal in the second half lifted Makua Lani to a 1-0 victory against Honokaa, giving the Lions (5-5-1) their first berth at the state tournament since 2013.
With less than 11 minutes remaining, Whalen connected from beyond the penalty box.
Goal scoring has been an issue all season for the Dragons (2-8-1), who miss states for the first time since the Division I tournament’s inception in 207.