It wasn’t another state championship — not even close.
It wasn’t another state championship — not even close.
For the Hawaii Prep girls soccer team, Thursday’s match against Kamehameha was a bittersweet ending to a shortened season that wasn’t even supposed to happen at all.
Ka Makani defeated the Warriors 4-1 in Waimea to finish their high school winter sports season. The official BIIF and HHSAA season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, forcing HPA to miss a chance at an eighth straight Division II state title.
The soccer games played the past few weeks at HPA and Kamehameha will not count in the record books, but they will count for the seniors who missed their chance to compete one last time at the high school level — and the HPA seniors took advantage of the final match.
HPA senior Bella Police opened up scoring in her last game with Ka Makani at the 18-minute mark with a right foot 20-yard shot into the far upper panel. Fellow HPA senior Morgan Davis followed, converting a corner kick from senior Malia Brost at the 27-minute mark to put Ka Makani up 2-0.
Cristyn Parong converted a Nanea Wong Yuen corner kick to score for the Warriors in the 65th minute. HPA seniors Alianna West and Kahala Erskine followed to score for Ka Makani and end the game at 4-1.
“I was so happy to see both teams finish up their shortened winter seasons with beautiful weather and some exciting soccer. HPA finished with a 4-1 record over the last four weeks. The seven seniors were definitely fired up to play well… and they did,” HPA coach Steve Perry said. “Bittersweet day indeed, but we all appreciate the effort and leadership over the past four years.
“Our back four has really come on and allowed our attack to start earlier on the pitch — Lizzie Evans, Ruby Helmuth, Jordan Perry, and Lulia Perez. Thank you to Kimo Weaver and the entire Kamehameha athletic department for being a great partner in this unique four-week season. Much appreciated.”
In the boys soccer match that followed, Hawaii Prep defeated Kamehameha 6-0.
