BY JOE FERRARO | WEST HAWAII TODAY ADVERTISING KEAAU — Its defense rarely allows point-blank shots, and its midfielders deftly move the ball around the field, leading to a myriad of scoring chances. Because of that combination, Robert Connors said,
BY JOE FERRARO | WEST HAWAII TODAY
KEAAU — Its defense rarely allows point-blank shots, and its midfielders deftly move the ball around the field, leading to a myriad of scoring chances.
Because of that combination, Robert Connors said, the Honokaa boys soccer team never worries about wins and losses. For if the Dragons accomplish those goals, Connors figures, the wins will follow.
That’s exactly what happened Saturday at Keaau High, with Honokaa beating Christian Liberty 2-0 for its third consecutive Big Island Interscholastic Federation Division II title.
The Dragons capped a perfect 16-0 season and earned a first-round bye in the Hawaii High School Athletic Association Division II state tournament, which begins Wednesday and runs through Feb. 18 at Oahu’s Waipio Peninsula Soccer Complex. There, Honokaa will attempt to defend its Division II state title.
The Canefire (9-4-3) will also participate in the state tournament.
“Our strongest point is our defense, and our offense is super creative,” Connors said. “It’s fun playing with this team because the (scoring) opportunities keep coming and coming.”
Honokaa outshot Christian Liberty 24-4, operating in front of the Canefire goal for much of the first half and scoring its two goals.
“We started OK, but most of the first half we were backed into our area,” Christian Liberty coach Troy Rimel said of his team. “They were just coming after us, and we couldn’t get (the ball) out.”
The Dragons wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, as Connors headed in a Nino Quijano corner kick from just inside the 18-yard box for his 12th goal in the first minute.
Then in the 12th minute, junior forward Clayton Robinson flicked a pass to himself before scoring from 15 yards out.
Connors, Chayce Moniz and Justin Warren helped create several other opportunities as Honokaa unleashed a handful of other close-range shots that went just wide of the goalposts, prompting Dragons coach Maurice Miranda to say that his team “should have had seven goals in the first half we had so many chances.”
But in the end, Miranda couldn’t really complain too much considering the Dragons again played their brand of soccer, which again led to a victory.
That brand of soccer included yet another stout performance from defenders Tony Connors, Alden Aguirre and Josh Tobias. Honokaa’s defensive starters, a group that also includes goalkeeper Maikai Coelho, have allowed just one goal in 14 matches this season. Honokaa won its other two matches by forfeit.
The back line showed its strength in the first half against the Canefire, when Coelho slipped and fell while trying the corral a long pass. Dangerous Christian Liberty forward Nakaya Kerr got to the ball behind Coelho, but Aguirre tracked him down and bumped him just enough, altering a Kerr shot that went wide left.
“I have never had a team that has been so strong defensively,” Miranda said.
Rimel also credited Honokaa’s defense, but he also praised goalkeeper Taylor Benavente, who made 11 saves.
Rimel also came away pleased with his team’s play in the second half, saying his midfield held its own against the Dragons.
“That’s what we wanted,” Rimel said. “We’re happy with the outcome.”
c Makua Lani 2, Hawaii Prep 1: His team trailed 1-0, and it had less than 10 minutes remaining to keep its state tournament hopes alive.
Lions coach Jared Komo needed a spark, and James Whalen obliged.
Whalen moved from goalkeeper to the midfield, where the sophomore helped create offensive pressure that led to two Elijah Lingenfelder goals in the final four minutes and gave Makua Lani an improbable come-from-behind victory in the BIIF Division II tournament’s third-place game.
“It’s just amazing character from the kids and everyone,” Komo said.
The win gave the Lions (8-7-1) the BIIF’s final berth in the state tournament.
“This was the most intense game of my career,” said senior Brandt Mabuni, who also played on Lions state tournament teams in 2009 and 2010. “(When we were behind), we made sure we wouldn’t give up and that we wouldn’t stop believing.”
Whalen gave Makua Lani’s victory plenty of style points on the game-winning goal, delivering a bicycle-kick pass from the middle of the 18-yard box to a charging Lingenfelder, who buried his 22nd goal of the season with 20 seconds remaining.
“We needed more offensive pressure, more energy, and (Whalen) did a great job,” Komo said.
Three minutes earlier, Lingenfelder ran onto a lob from junior midfielder Keawe Alapai, beating Ka Makani goalkeeper John Pezzuto to the ball and heading it in to tie the match.
Jevin Ching scored his second goal of the season in the 61st minute off a rebound for HPA, which ended its season 9-7.
jferraro@westhawaiitoday.com
