The turning point, Hilo coach George Ichimaru said, was easy to pinpoint.
The turning point, Hilo coach George Ichimaru said, was easy to pinpoint.
During halftime of a scoreless boys soccer match Saturday between Kealakehe and the Vikings, the skies at Hilo Bayfront opened up and it rained sideways for at least 10 minutes.
Up until that point, most Hilo faithful would have been happy with a draw against the Vikings’ longtime tormentor. But a few Waveriders slip-ups here, and two Jack Mann goals there, and Hilo was off and running to a 2-1 victory – which won’t affect the BIIF Division I playoff pecking order, but it should it do wonders for the Vikings’ confidence.
“Shocking,” Ichimaru said. “The game went really well.”
Needless to say, this was the third-year coach’s first win against the Waveriders (9-2-1), but the prevailing question afterward on the Vikings’ sideline was: When is the last time this happened?
Best-guess answer: It’s been awhile.
Sometime during the long tenure of former coach Don Memmer, who retired in 2012, and not since before the Vikings’ last BIIF title in 2011. At the very least, Hilo (7-3) has lost five Division I finals, including the past four, since it last beat five-time defending champion Kealakehe.
“It doesn’t matter and I don’t even know, because it was never mental,” Ichimaru said. “We just just had to play good soccer.”
Especially when the conditions took a turn for the worse.
“The second-half rain was a huge factor,” Ichimaru said. “It helped us, and it forced Kealakehe to make little silly mistakes and miss touches on the ball.”
Case in point was Hilo’s first goal. Kealakehe’s goalkeeper initially secured Kalei Tolentino-Perry’s shot, but the ball squirted loose, and Mann capitalized.
“The rain was probably good for one goal,” Kealakehe coach Alden Sawada said.
Tolentino-Perry also had a hand in Hilo’s second goal. His corner kick found the foot of Rylen Kaniaupio, who redirected it for Mann to collect his second goal.
Yuki Lavoie scored for Kealakehe.
Sawada didn’t blame the weather for the loss as much as he did his team’s drop in play after it carried more possession than Hilo in the first half.
“I think it was a matter of attitude,” Sawada said. “We didn’t have as much intensity.”
Winless in its last two regular-season matches – including a draw Tuesday against Hawaii Prep – Kealakehe will host either Konawaena or Keaau in a Feb. 1 semifinal.
The Vikings clinched the No. 2 seed and will host Waiakea in the other semifinal. If the seeds hold, Hilo and Kealakehe will meet again Feb. 3 at Kamehameha with a title on the line.
“This victory will help us build momentum and confidence that they can beat them and that they deserve to go where they want to be,” Ichimaru said.
Kamehameha 1, Honokaa 0
Jonathan DeMotta scored in the 60th minute and goalkeeper Jameson Sato made the goal stand up with a shutout on the Dragons’ field as the Warriors (5-5) wrapped up the second seed and bye into the BIIF Division II semifinals.
Waiakea 3, Makua Lani 0
Gehrig Octavio netted two goals and Sam Frazier-Jenkins bagged the other for the host Warriors (8-3-1).
Ryden Quitoriano recorded the shut out against the Lions (5-5-1).
Pahoa 2, Christian Liberty
The Daggers won at home to improve t0 2-8.
Girls
Waiakea 1, Makua Lani 0
Kaylee Valentino-Fergerstrom’s goal helped the Warriors (5-3-2, 17 points) secure the second seed and home-field advantage against Konawaena (4-3-3, 15 points) on Wednesday in the BIIF Division I semifinals.
Nanea Moke-Rabang had an assist and Kaira Chang collected the shutout against the Lions (3-7), who head to Hawaii Prep on Tuesday in a Division II semifinal
Honokaa 2, Keaau 1
Pulelehua Lindsey and Ana Hosek scored goals as the host Dragons denied the Cougars a chance to lock down the No. 4 seed in Division I.
Keaau and Kealakehe, each 1-9, will meet in a play-in match at 3 p.m. Monday at the Cougars’ field. The winner advances to face top-seeded Hilo in a semifinal at 3 p.m. Wednesday.
Honokaa (4-6) will be in Keaau on Tuesday to face top-seeded Kamehameha in a Division II semifinal.