HONOLULU — Hawaii Preparatory Academy became the first outer-island soccer program in the 44-year history of the HHSAA state tournament to claim a Division I championship.
However, they didn’t do it alone. In a strange, weather induced, twist of fate, so did Maui champion, Baldwin.
Mother Nature is apparently a fan of history, so much so that she wanted it twice as much on Saturday night at the Waipio Peninsula Soccer Complex on Oahu, causing a delay that would eventually lead to D-I co-champions.
“The only other option was to play at 7 a.m. the next day because both teams had flights they could not afford to miss, especially Baldwin,” said Hawaii Prep coach Richard Braithwaite. “Baldwin was sleeping on a gym floor with no sleeping bags or anything. Our boys were in hotel beds and at most would have lost three to four hours of sleep.”
After Hawaii Prep and Baldwin battled through 80-plus minutes of regulation and stoppage time, the game entered the first period of extra time knotted at 0-0. Just minutes in, lightning struck.
But this was no metaphorical lighting strike caused by the quick-scoring ability of Ka Makani’s Jake Schneider or the Bears’ Angelo Deloso-Flocco. No, it was actual, nature induced, lightning.
The game entered a weather delay and with the lightning showing no signs of relenting, it was eventually decided that both teams would share the Division I title.
“We feel sick about it, but it would not have been fair for Baldwin to have to sleep in those conditions and then play the most important 15 minutes of soccer of their season,” Braithwaite said. “All we can do now is embrace the situation. Both teams played like champions”
The weather was a problem for both the D-I and D-II state soccer tournaments all week long. Hawaii Prep’s quarterfinal game was moved from Waipio to Waipahu after heavy rains.
Hawaii Prep (14-0-1) still managed to complete its perfect season — they were the only undefeated boys soccer team in the state — while also becoming the first team to claim a D-I title after winning the Division II championship the previous year.
“This means everything to us,” Braithwaite said. “I came here seven years ago and we didn’t even make the state tournament. It took us a few years to compete in Division II and then we felt we were ready for Division I. A lot of people doubted us, but we believed. It is a huge accomplishment.”
Baldwin (10-1-2) won its first state championship after becoming the first MIL team to reach the title game since 1994. This was also the first time two outer-island teams have faced off in the D-I title game.
With the new banner, Braithwaite, who is moving with his family in Malawi, Africa to teach English, departs Hawaii Prep after winning three straight state titles. It is a good way to make an exit.
“It is just kind of hitting me right now that this is the last game I will coach for at least a couple of years,” Braithwaite said. “This is something that I love so much, and this is a great way to go out, but what I am going to miss the most is the boys in this program.”