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CANEFIRE SNAPS THREE-MATCH WINLESS STREAK WITH 4-3 WIN
BY MATT GERHART | STEPHENS MEDIA
WAINAKU — Christian Liberty’s three-goal spurt in the second half gave it room to breathe and a chance to clear the bench. Or so the Canefire figured.
After Hawaii Prep cut into the deficit with two goals, coach Troy Rimel suddenly rushed his starters back on the field.
Nothing came easy for the Canefire, but after holding on for a 4-3 victory in a Big Island Interscholastic Federation Division II boys soccer match, Rimel proclaimed his team “back on track.”
Nakaya Kerr, Seqouya Kerr, Zach Wolf and Louis Moylan scored for Christian Liberty (3-1-2).
“I’m OK now,” Rimel said after exhaling. “We’re heading in the direction we want to go.”
The match was played at Amauulu Field because rain has ravaged the Canefire’s new grass in Keaau.
Junior Hiroki Kawakami made things interesting with a goal in the 78th minute as Ka Makani (3-3) drew within 4-3. Then HPA’s Kepa Police got off a good shot from the middle of the penalty box in the final minute, but Christian Liberty goalkeeper Taylor Benevente was in good position to make the save.
“We had flashes of how we can play,” HPA coach Keawe Liu said. “Christian Liberty plays really good soccer. This was an important wake-up call to get our guys focused on one game at a time.”
Moylan notched two assists, and Christian Liberty began to substitute liberally after Moylan scored to his give his team a 4-1 lead. However, senior Cole Moniz answered for HPA with 10 minutes left.
“I was trying get a lot of guys in,” Rimel said. “Maybe I subbed too many at one time.”
Coming off a loss to undefeated Honokaa, the Canefire ended a modest three-match winless streak.
HPA senior Trevor Edwards tied the match at 1 early in the second half, but Seqouya Kerr was unmarked on the right flank when he dribbled in and scored to put Christian Liberty up for good.
“A couple of defensive lapses where we fell away from our man and just started to play the man and not the pass,” Liu said. “A couple of goals were easy throughballs that we just gave to them.”
Hawaii Prep dropped its third straight match, but much like Christian Liberty, it’s in no danger of missing out on the eight-team Division II playoffs.
With that in mind, both coaches said that while their teams were still trying to refocus after the Christmas layoff, their primary goal is to peak during the postseason.
“We have the potential, but there’s some good teams out there — HPA, Kona, Makua Lani — so we’re just going to have win in the playoffs, and that’s what we’re building for,” Rimel said.
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