The Big Island has found a cozy second home on Oahu.
The BIIF advanced two teams to the semifinals of the HHSAA boys soccer tournament on Thursday at the Waipio Peninsula Soccer Complex on Oahu, as top-ranked Hawaii Preparatory Academy breezed through a familiar foe in Makua Lani 5-1, and Kamehameha-Hawaii upset No. 3 Waimea 2-1 in overtime.
Austin Schneider and Kento Komatsu gave Hawaii Prep an early advantage against the Lions. The goals came less than a minute apart, just before the second half at the 36 minute mark.
Schneider — who is bound to play his college soccer for San Jose State — gave Ka Makani a third goal early in the second half. Austin’s brother, Jake Schneider, added the fourth goal in the 56th minute. Bip Padmos scored the final HPA goal with 11 minutes to play.
Michael Christensen scored the lone goal for Makua Lani, putting the ball in the back of the net in the final 10 minutes.
“HPA is on another level and we talked as a team and decided to go for it,” said Makua Lani head coach Alex Dong. “We would have liked to keep the score line a little closer but we also didn’t want to sit back and pack the box.
“As for the season, I am proud of the boys,” Dong added. “They have worked hard and now we are going to try to win on Friday and Saturday so we can end well.”
For Kamehameha, a goal by Jonathan DeMotta four minutes into the first overtime period, advanced the Warriors to the next round.
Kamehameha trailed early in the game after Waimea’s Tayedyn Francisco put the ball in the back of the net in the 23rd minute. The Warriors did not tie the game until midway through the second half off a goal by David Erskine, setting up the OT period.
The win advances Kamehameha to the semifinal round today, where they will play No. 2 Saint Louis at 3 p.m. Saint Louis advanced with a 5-0 shutout against Farrington on Thursday.
Hawaii Prep, the defending DII state champion, will take on No. 4 Kailua at 1 p.m. for a chance to play in Saturday’s championship game. Kailua defeated Seabury 5-3 in the quarterfinals.
With one more win each, Hawaii Prep and Kamehameha could set up a rematch of last year’s state championship game, with Ka Makani capturing their first title in program history with a 3-1 victory. Hawaii Prep defeated Kamehameha last week for the BIIF title.
Makua Lani will play in a fifth place semifinal game today against Seabury at 3 p.m.
DIVISION I
Kealakehe’s struggles at the state tournament continued on Thursday after the No. 4 seed Waveriders were bumped into the consolation bracket by an unseeded, but very solid Punahou squad 3-1.
The loss marked the fourth consecutive time Kealakehe lost in its opening game of the tournament.
Punahou took the early advantage when Noah Williams put the team up by one within the first eight minutes.
The Waveriders tied the match in the 29th minute off a goal by Kolby Martin, but it took the Buffanblu only one minute to regain the lead off a tally by Duncan Mckenna. Mckenna added an insurance goal late in the second half.
“Their midfield pretty much dominated our midfield and we had a hard time connecting on passes. They were much better in transition,” said Kealakehe head coach Alden Sawada. “We did our best and played with heart and I could not have asked for anything more.”
The Waveriders will play in a fifth place semifinal game today at 3 p.m. against Pearl City. Pearl City lost to No. 1 seed Kapolei 2-1 on Thursday.
“Our goal is to play in two more games — win one on Friday and play on Saturday,” Sawada said. “What happened today is about more than soccer. It is a life experience. It is about facing adversary, dealing, overcoming and moving on.”
