Stephens Media’s Kevin Jakahi contributed to this report.
HONOKAA BLANKS MAKUA LANI
WHT STAFF REPORTS
Maurice Miranda tweaked his boys soccer team’s schedule, lining up some of the Big Island’s heavyweights at the end of the regular season to make his Honokaa squad more battle-tested for matches that mattered the most: playoff games.
The tough late-season stretch, Miranda said, had the Dragons fully prepared to put forth a strong effort Thursday in the Big Island Interscholastic Federation Division II semifinals.
Justin Warren scored two of his three goals in the first six minutes, and Dylan Shiraki had three assists as Honokaa defeated Makua Lani 7-0 to advance to Saturday’s BIIF Division II final.
In a two-week stretch before the match, the Dragons (15-0) defeated perennial BIIF Division I heavyweights Kealakehe and Hilo, and Division II contenders Hawaii Prep and Makua Lani. Honokaa shut out all four teams.
“We wanted to set up to schedule our season with quality opponents, and it got us ready,” Miranda said. “It set us up for this.”
The defending Hawaii High School Athletic Association Division II state champion Dragons (15-0) will now shoot for their third consecutive BIIF title when they take on Christian Liberty (9-3-3) in Saturday’s 5 p.m. championship match at Keaau High. Both teams have clinched berths in this year’s HHSAA Division II state tournament, which takes place Feb. 15-18 at Oahu’s Waipio Peninsula Soccer Complex.
Before the BIIF Division II final, the Lions (7-7) will face Hawaii Prep (9-6) at 3 p.m. for the league’s third and final berth in the state tournament.
The Dragons got within a victory of a BIIF three-peat on the strength of a machine-like possession game Miranda said was at its best against Makua Lani.
“We were moving the ball extremely well,” Miranda said of the Dragons, who outshot the Lions 26-2. “I was trying to keep track of the times we connected more than six passes, and I lost count. … It happened regularly.”
On top of that, the Dragons also scored three goals off Shiraki throw-ins. The first of the three throw-ins led to Warren’s second goal in the sixth minute. Senior Chayce Moniz headed in the third one in the 41st minute, scoring his 11th goal of the season for a 4-0 Honokaa lead.
Sophomore Joel Hassey-Shoemaker added two assists, setting up Warren’s first and third goals. Warren, a sophomore, completed his hat trick in the 46th minute with his 11th goal of the season.
Senior Lloyd Edwards tacked on his fourth and fifth goals of the season, and junior forward Clayton Robinson scored his fifth goal.
Senior goalkeeper Maikai Coelho blanked the Lions in goal.
Now Honokaa will play a Christian Liberty team it defeated 4-0 in the regular-season meeting between the teams.
The teams also met in the 2010 BIIF Division II final — a 2-1 Dragons victory.
“It was always a spirited match every time we played them,” Miranda said.
c Christian Liberty 2, Hawaii Prep 1: Sophomore Nakaya Kerr scored his 14th goal in the sixth minute, and freshman Sequoya Kerr’s penalty kick in 73rd minute gave the Canefire a much-needed insurance goal.
Ka Makani senior Mac Yagi tallied his eighth goal in the final minute.
Stephens Media’s Kevin Jakahi contributed to this report.