KEAAU — It won’t go down as a golden goal, but it was a good as platinum for Hilo.
Evyn-Bree Helekahi-Kaiwi converted Hilo’s fifth consecutive penalty kick, and the Vikings beat Waiakea 1-0 in a shootout for their second consecutive BIIF girls soccer Division I title Friday night at Paiea Stadium.
“I hated that it had to end in a shootout because both teams played great,” Hilo coach Skee Saplan said. “We just seem to play tougher when it gets tight.”
Waiakea’s Bryonie Cameron was the only player on either squad to miss her penalty kick, sending her shot wide, as the Warriors suffered their third consecutive heart-breaking loss in the final. In 2014, it lost in a shootout against Konawaena, and it fell 2-1 to Hilo last season.
As a consolation, the Warriors (6-4-2) will host a HHSAA tournament first-round match on Monday. The Vikings (10-1-1) advance to Thursday’s quarterfinals on Oahu.
Goalkeepers Saydee Bacdad of Hilo and Kaira Chang of Waiakea didn’t have a chance to stop accurate shooters in the PK, but both were sterling during the first 100 scoreless minutes
Bacdad, a sophomore, had a hand in her seventh shutout, and she spearheads a Vikings defense that allowed only six goals in 12 BIIF matches.
Hollie Saplan, Jordyn Pacheco, Kalamanamana Harman and Alyeemomi Amaral made penalty kicks for Hilo. Maiya Serrao, Caneel Corpuz, Kaylee Valentino-Fergerstrom and Ki Serrao converted for Waiakea.
The Vikings started to put on more pressure in the second overtime.
Chang just got to Helekahi-Kaiwi’s high-arching shot from 35 yards away, and the second of two Hollie Saplan corner kicks was redirected over the crossbar.
Minutes later, Chang came out to grab a ball before Miya Clarke could pounce on it.
Hilo had a second-half goal disallowed.
