Hawaii Preparatory Academy finally got the Warrior off its back. ADVERTISING Hawaii Preparatory Academy finally got the Warrior off its back. Ka Makani downed BIIF rival Kamehameha 3-1 in the HHSAA Division II championship game at the Waipio Peninsula Soccer
Hawaii Preparatory Academy finally got the Warrior off its back.
Ka Makani downed BIIF rival Kamehameha 3-1 in the HHSAA Division II championship game at the Waipio Peninsula Soccer Complex on Oahu Saturday evening for their first state title in school history.
Hawaii Prep had lost their three previous meetings with the Warriors dating back to last season. Kamehameha also was the only blemish on Ka Makani’s 16-1-1 record this season.
Senior captain Justin Perry, who has been a pillar of Ka Makani’s championship construction project over the last four years, knew just how important it was to face and beat Kamehameha in the title game.
“To be the best team in the state we had to avenge our loss,” Perry said. “We have been building this team and it finally came together. This win means the world and it is indescribable how I feel.”
Hawaii Prep coach Richard Braithwaite felt the excitement in his players as the clock ticked down, allowing Ka Makani to bring the championship banner home to Waimea.
“What an incredible feeling. I was feeding off the boys’ energy and I am so proud of them,” Braithwaite said. “There is nothing better right now than being around this team in this atmosphere.”
With the win, Hawaii Prep became the first Division II team to sweep both the girls and boys’ title in the same year. The girls won their third consecutive state crown last week, also beating Kamehameha.
“This is great for the program,” Braithwaite said. “Steve (Perry) has been running an amazing program on the girls side for years and I have been watching how they do it. I have asked him so many questions since we got here, from preparation, to what I should say to the boys. The girls have a lot of experience with this and a lot of them made the trip over to support us.”
The title game started out like pretty much every other meeting between Hawaii Prep and Kamehameha, as the Warriors played their stonewall defense by parking most of the team in front of the goal and looking only to counterattack.
Ka Makani took shot after shot, coming close to scoring several times early in the game before finally breaking through with two goals late in the first half.
The first goal came in the 35th minute. Justin Perry beat a double team down the right side of the box, drawing Warriors keeper Jameson Sato just outside the 6. He then sent a pass to Zen Simone, who used his knees to poke the ball into the back of the net.
Less than two minutes later, Perry set up another scoring play, this time from just outside the 18 with a pass to Jake Schneider. In one fluid motion, Schneider took the pass and sent a bullet past the keeper for a two goal lead.
Perry was a difference maker in the game for Ka Makani. He was involved in nearly every scoring opportunity.
“Justin really stepped up his game for the tournament,” Braithwaite said. “He had a couple of beautiful crosses that resulted in scores and probably could have had two or three more assists. He continues to improve as a player and I could tell by his body language that he really wanted this.”
Kamehameha tried to turn up the intensity after the scores, but drew two yellow cards on one play in the 39th minute.
Hawaii Prep nearly added a third goal in first half stoppage time when Sihkea Jim sent a cross to Simone, who’s header from just outside the 6 missed wide at the far post.
Through the first half of play the stats told the story. Ka Makani controlled 65 percent of the possession time and outshot the Warriors 7-1.
Down by two, Kamehameha was no longer able to sit back and was forced to create some offense, which opened up the field in front of the net.
In the 56th minute, Hawaii Prep took advantage of its new found space. Running down the right side of the 6, Jim contorted himself into a strange position and tapped the ball behind his body with his right foot. The ball rolled slowly past the Kamehameha keeper, who was caught off-guard by the shot.
The Warriors caught a break just minutes later when Ka Makani keeper Trent Wise made the mistake of trying to grab the ball with his hands outside the box. The penalty gave Kamehameha a free kick from the left side of the 18 and Liam Kenoi put the ball over Wise’s head for the score.
Hawaii Prep rebounded from the miscue and went back to work attacking the Kamehameha goal until the whistle blew.
Division I
Fifth place: Kealakehe 1, Kaiser 1
The Waveriders earned a share of fifth place with a tie against the Cougars on Saturday.
Kolby Martin scored the lone goal for the ‘Riders in the 16th minute.
It’s Kealakehe’s highest finish at the state tournament since 2013, when the team took fourth.
