Just like the HHSAA Division II girls soccer tournament a week ago, the DII boys state championship game will be an all-BIIF affair when Hawaii Preparatory Academy squares off with Kamehameha-Hawaii. ADVERTISING Just like the HHSAA Division II girls soccer
Just like the HHSAA Division II girls soccer tournament a week ago, the DII boys state championship game will be an all-BIIF affair when Hawaii Preparatory Academy squares off with Kamehameha-Hawaii.
The Warriors defeated Honokaa 3-0 in the HHSAA semifinals, while Ka Makani defeated Pac-5 of the ILH 2-1 in double overtime at the Waipio Peninsula Soccer Complex on Friday in Oahu.
Hawaii Prep is finishing off a stellar year in which the team claimed the BIIF title. However, Ka Makani has one blemish on their record, which came in the form of a 2-1 loss to Kamehameha earlier in the season. The Warriors have won the last three meetings against Ka Makani.
In the previous meeting between the two schools, the Warriors “parked the bus,” sitting everyone back on defense, and only advancing up the field on counterattacks. Ka Makani outshot Kamehameha in that game 34-3.
“They have played like that every time we have faced them and they have experience on us,” Hawaii Prep coach Richard Braithwaite said. “We will need to remain patient and not commit too many players forward. The last time we sent eight, nine, 10 people into the attack and one counter can ruin the whole game.”
The Big Island was denied a rematch of these two teams in the BIIF championships when the Warriors were beat by Honokaa 2-0 in the BIIF semifinals. The Dragons also defeated Kamehameha 4-0 during the regular season.
However, Kamehameha got revenge on Honokaa by picking up a win when it mattered most.
“The goal was to get Honokaa off-balance and take away their attacking threats,” Kamehameha coach Mario Patino said. “Our boys executed the game plan from the opening whistle.”
The Warriors took a 1-0 lead in the first half when Liam Kenoi took a pass from Thane-Maiko Brown and slid the ball past Honokaa keeper Isaac Aguilar.
The Dragons came out trying to play a more aggressive game in the second half, but the Warriors continued to push and took a two goal lead when Dorian Salazar scored his first goal off the season. Salazar broke free down the right side of the 18, took a pass from Brown, and with time to spare, set up his shot and put the ball past a diving keeper and inside the far post.
Kenoi put the game out of reach midway through the second half with his second goal of the game. The ball was sent into the box by Brown, with a slight deflection off the head of a Honokaa defender. Playing aggressively, Aguilar came out of the net to try and make a play, but Kenoi used his body to block the keeper and then put the ball into an open net.
“Liam was able to put in two nice goals on pretty much the same play,” Patino said. “Thane-Maiko plays a significant roll in every game we play. He is our assists leader.”
Jameson Sato worked the net for the Warriors. He made several tough plays in the shutout, including denying Honokaa’s Kyle Ohta at point-blank range early in the second half on a shot that would have tied the score and possible changed the direction of the game.
This is the second year in a row that Kamehameha has defeated Honokaa in the state semifinals.
In the other semifinal game, Hawaii Prep and Pac-5 battled to a 1-1 tie through 80 minutes of regulation and the first 10 minute overtime period.
Early in the second OT, Pac-5 set up for a corner kick, but Ka Makani cleared the ball and went on a quick counterattack.
Justin Perry took the ball into the box and lost his defender, who fell down just outside the 6. Wolfpack keeper Kenny Rah worked his way to the near post, but Rah wasn’t quick enough to stop a hard shot from Perry and the ball went off the keeper’s hands and into the net for the golden goal, ending the game.
“Justin put his weight room work to good use,” Braithwaite said. “That was a man goal. He went in strong and knocked the guy out of the way. We were screaming on the sideline.”
Ka Makani took a first half lead against the Wolfpack in the 20th minute when Austin Schneider’s header redirected a long throw-in into the far corner of the net. The score was originally called off, but after conferring with the sideline, the goal was allowed.
Pac-5 tied the game in the second half off a penalty kick. Zac Trevorrow put the ball into the upper left corner.
“I was proud with how hard the guys fought,” Braithwaite said. “We played well defensively and had a lot of chances. Pac-5 is a solid team from top to bottom.”
The championship game between Kamehameha and Hawaii Prep is set for 5 p.m. today.
Division I
Kealakehe bounced back from a heartbreaking overtime loss in the HHSAA quarterfinals with a 4-1 win against Baldwin of the MIL in the consolation bracket.
The Waveriders got contributions from four different goal scorers, with Matthew Castro, Laukoa Santos, Joshua Lopez and Jon Takahashi all finding the back of the net.
“The boys showed great character by rebounding from a tough loss,” Kealakehe head coach Urs Leuenberger said. “They left it all on the field, moved the ball around and scored at will.”
Kealakehe will play Kaiser for 5th place at 3 p.m. today.
Hilo — the BIIF runner-up — had its season ended with a 2-0 loss to Mid-Pacific in consolation play.
