KEAAU – The final whistle blew mere seconds after Laukoa Santos’ direct kick – one last and furious attempt at putting home a goal for Kealakehe – travelled harmlessly into the arms of Kamehameha goalkeeper Jameson Sato.
KEAAU – The final whistle blew mere seconds after Laukoa Santos’ direct kick – one last and furious attempt at putting home a goal for Kealakehe – travelled harmlessly into the arms of Kamehameha goalkeeper Jameson Sato.
The result was the same for both sides, yet it elicited two entirely different emotions.
While the Warriors excitedly ran to their bench, Santos buried his head in his shirt in disgust. One of his teammates laid on the turf and the rest trudged toward their sideline.
Imagine the Waveriders’ reaction if they ever lose a BIIF match?
Kealakehe held almost exclusive rights to possession Saturday but had to settle for a 0-0 draw against a Kamehameha team that was content to pack it in and thrive in survival mode at Paiea Stadium.
The Warriors (5-1-1) didn’t necessarily try to score, but they were thrilled with the point they earned.
“We frustrated them, and that was part of the goal, to get into their head a little bit,” Kamehameha coach Mario Patino said. “They are loaded with guys that can finish. We’re a team that can play with a lot of pressure, very defensive-minded. We play very tactfully and that was our goal, not to lose today.”
While Kamehameha’s unbeaten streak stands at six, the four-time defending Division I champion Waveriders (5-0-2) extended theirs in league play to 55 (51-0-4). It’s a credit to coach Urs Leuenberger’s program that he had to console his team afterward, telling them, “This is not a disaster.”
Kealakehe’s coaching staff had the unofficial tally at shots on goal at 30-2 in favor of the Waveriders, and Leuenberger figured his team held 90 percent of the possession.
Pointing to the playoffs, he said, “Eventually teams will have to beats us and want to beat us, and things will be different. It will open up and things will change.”
Kamehameha employed a similar defensive-first strategy last season, but they also had then-senior Dominik Pajimola. The Warriors would routinely pack it in and rely on their striker to make a rush and quickly change the game. He scored the only goals of both the 2015 BIIF semifinal and final.
“We don’t have anyone like Dom to take them one on one, that finisher,” Patino said. “We have to play to our strengths.
“We put a lot of pressure Jameson and he’s coming into his groove.”
The sophomore started to pick up confidence during a match against Hawaii Prep in which the Warriors were badly outshot but took advantage of Ka Makani mistakes for a 2-1 victory.
The Waveriders made no such mistakes defensively, but they missed countless opportunities on the offensive end and were held in check by Sato and the efforts of center backs Justin Kenoi and Isaiah Laeha and outside backs Israel Bowden and Jessie Lefita.
Kealakehe’s best surge came during a two-minute stint during the first half in which James Caudell had three prime chances. Off a set piece taken by Santos, Sato redirected Caudell’s shot, and later Caudell chipped Santos’ cross over the crossbar.
In the second half, Joshua Lopez found room from about 15 yards away on the right side, but his shot sailed wide.
Kealakehe goalkeeper Greyson Moore recorded one of the more uneventful shutouts if his career.
Afterward, Leuenberger shared another message for a Waveriders team that is still on top in Division I: this changes nothing.
“We’re focusing on the positives,” he said. “The ball possession was fabulous. The building of chances was really good, but sometimes it doesn’t bounce your way.
“I have to give credit to (Sato) and (Kenoi). They kept them in the game.”