By KEVIN JAKAHI Tribune-Herald sports writer ADVERTISING KEAAU — Sharayah Ah Chong scored and Lehua McGuire got the shutout, a perfect combination for Kamehameha, which seems to own the patent on 1-0 soccer victories over Honokaa. Like in the regular
By KEVIN JAKAHI
Tribune-Herald sports writer
KEAAU — Sharayah Ah Chong scored and Lehua McGuire got the shutout, a perfect combination for Kamehameha, which seems to own the patent on 1-0 soccer victories over Honokaa.
Like in the regular season, the Warriors beat the Dragons 1-0, again, in the Big Island Interscholastic Federation Division II girls tournament semifinals on Thursday at Paie’a Stadium.
Kamehameha (8-3-2) plays Hawaii Prep (12-1) at 5 p.m. Saturday at Keaau High’s stadium for the BIIF championship. Honokaa (8-6) and Makua Lani (7-7), which fell to HPA 6-0 in the other semifinal, are also going to the Division II state tournament.
With 6 minutes 33 seconds left in the first half, Kamehameha took a 1-0 lead on Ah Chong’s rebound goal, and dominated ball possession in the first 40 minutes, playing inside of Honokaa’s half about 90 percent of the time.
For most of the game, the Dragons, who had a hard time passing straight, couldn’t transition the ball from defense to offense, clearing balls but right at waiting Warriors. In fact, that’s how Ah Chong got her goal 10th goal of the season.
Honokaa cleared a ball but it went right to fullback Harper Hottendorf, who chipped a nice pass between a wall off defenders. Ah Chong anticipated the bounce before anyone, ran it down and shot but goalie Kaiu Freitas-Lau stopped the attempt.
Again, Ah Chong anticipated well. She was ready for any rebound. The senior striker pounced at the deflection and knocked it home.
“The team finally came together,” said Ah Chong, mindful that it was her last game at Paie’a Stadium. “We did a great job possessing the ball and had a great outcome. I’m proud of the girls. We lost to Honokaa in the same semis the last two years. It really feels good to go to the BIIF championship game.”
In a defensive standoff, the Warriors only outshot the Dragons 11-6, because Honokaa sophomore sweeper Elizabeth Aguirre kept running interference, blocking one shot on goal and negating a half-dozen breakaway attacks.
However, Kamehameha had seven shots on goal, including a close miss by Megan Kuali’i, who went slightly wide left from point-blank range, about 5 yards out with 10 minutes remaining in the game. Honokaa had zero shots on goal, often hitting a brickwall headed by Hottendorf and senior sweeper Rachel Robertson.
“They were more organized,” Honokaa coach Gerald Shiraki said. “They did a good job spreading the field and when we were chasing balls that got us out of our game. We started kicking long balls instead of playing a possession game. They’re well-coached.
“But I’m proud of our girls. In a way, we overachieved. We’re young. We’ve got some girls who have never played. I’m happy the way things have worked out for our team.”
For McGuire, the victory puts a bad memory to bed. The junior goalie has an elephant’s memory, distinctly remembering Honokaa’s 1-0 double-overtime victory over Kamehameha in the BIIF semis last season.
“I’m very excited to go to the BIIF championship,” she said. “I didn’t play much in my freshman year. Last season, they beat us 1-0 in double overtime. We kept working on things and kept trying. We’re growing as a team and we’re coming together. This is only the beginning. We’ll keep working.”
Both teams carry the same philosophy of possession and passing, but the Warriors executed better, occasionally showing savvy ball movement — working the ball up from the backline, running triangles down the flanks and searching for soft spots near the goal.
“We maintained possession very well and worked with each other. The communication was much better,” Kamehameha coach Sonya Ah Chong said. “I told the girls it was important to mark our man and be in the right position, and maintain possession. We worked hard at it today.
“I’m excited. It’s taken us two years to get to the finals. I’m really proud of the girls. They gave it their all today.”
HPA advances
Freshman Bri Vallente scored four goals in Waimea, leading two-time Hawaii Prep’s girls soccer team to a 6-0 win over Makua Lani Thursday in a BIIF Division II semifinal.
Vallente scored her third and fourth goals of the match in the 42nd and 44th minutes, giving her 14 for the season and staking HPA to a 5-0 advantage.
Senior Katie Case collected her 12th goal in the 50th minute, while junior Lauren Pries scored her fourth in the 39th.
Senior Hannah Unger and sophomore Morgan Monahan blanked the Lions (7-7) in goal.
Boys
Christian Liberty 3, Parker 0: On the same day his mother, Tina, underwent surgery for breast cancer on Oahu, Canefire senior Preston Cawagas scored his first high school goal in the 80th minute in Waimea.
Cawagas received the opportunity after a Parker player fouled Christian Liberty junior Keenan Freitas inside the 18-yard box. Then Cawagas capped the scoring for the Canefire (6-3-2).
“They were all excited that he got to score for his mom,” Christian Liberty coach Troy Rimel said. “It couldn’t have ended any better.”
Sophomore Nakaya Kerr scored in the 20th and 32nd minutes for the Canefire, tallying his eighth and ninth goals off assists by sophomores Caeden Cambra and Louis Moylan.
The Bulls dropped to 4-8.
Hawaii Prep 6, Keaau 0: Senior Trevor Edwards scored his sixth and seventh goals, and junior Martynas Golubovskis added his 17th in Keaau as Ka Makani reeled off its fifth straight victory.
Senior Mac Yagi scored for the sixth time in his past four games, while senior J.R. Akau and sophomore Jack Austin also found the net for HPA (8-3), which scored all six of its goals in the first half.
Senior John Pezzuto blanked the Cougars (2-9) in goal.
Stephens Media contributed to this report.
