Waiakea coach Jason Nakayama spent the latter stages of Monday’s second half imploring his girls soccer team to “keep playing, keep playing, keep playing.”
He can rest assured they did, and though the Warriors are done playing this season, it’s a decent bet they’ll be back and Nakayama will be cheering them on in the big stage again.
The HHSAA Division I tournament is annually a brutal road to hoe for BIIF teams on Oahu, and that didn’t change even as the scene shifted to Ken Yamase Memorial Stadium for the first time. It was up and up for a half, then Castle tightened its grip, scored two-second half goals and advanced to the state quarterfinals with a 2-0 victory.
“I’m happy with the result,” Nakayama said. “This season was really special. We struggled at the beginning, but during the second half of season, we started picking up momentum and worked together. We can build off this.”
BIIF runner-up Waiakea (6-5-2) will lose three valuable seniors in Kaylee Valentino-Fergerstrom, Talia Corpuz and goalkeeper Kaira Chang, but next season an energetic crop of freshmen will have another year of experience and prolific goal scorer Ki Serrao will be primed for a big senior season.
“I hope the experience they got this year with all of our struggles and coming together at the end will make them stronger,” Nakayama said.
Konawaena’s 2-0 home victory against Kaiser in the quarterfinals in 2015 remains the BIIF’s sole triumph in the winner’s bracket at the Division I tournament, though league champion Hilo (10-1-1) will try to crack the code Thursday when it plays ILH runner-up Iolani (10-0-3) in the quarterfinals at Central Oahu Regional Park. The Red Raiders beat OIA No. 4 Moanalua 3-0 on Monday in the first round.
The Vikings were on hand Monday to support Waiakea, and the only difference Nakayama noted between the other top BIIF teams such as Hilo and Castle (11-2-1), the OIA No. 3, was the Knights’ physicality.
The Warriors might want to spend part of the offseason perfecting corner kicks. Waiakea had six such opportunities in the first half, but Castle put the clamps on after that, taking the first 11 shots of the second half.
Juniors Tehani Smith and Jimie Napoleon-Kanaha scored goals six minutes apart midway through the second half for the Knights, who will face No. 2 seed Punahou on Thursday. Castle is trying to improve on a seventh-place finish at states from a year ago.
Waiakea didn’t put a shot on frame in the second half.
“I think the teams were evenly matched, but when you get to the state level you’re playing against the best,” Nakayama said.
Boys
Honokaa 1, Kohala 0
Sophomore Chris Hernandez scored in the first half, off an assist from Kelson Pedro, and the Dragons sneaked into the BIIF Division II semifinals.
Isaac Aguilar kept a clean sheet for fourth-seeded Honokaa (2-9-2), which will face Hawaii Prep at 3 p.m. Wednesday in a semifinal in Waimea.
“It was an exciting game,” Honokaa coach Maurice Miranda said. “Kohala came to play.”
Makua Lani 8, Ka‘u 0
Loa Ng scored a hat trick and DJ Madigan and Michael Christensen each scored two goals as the Lions (7-5-1) advanced to the BIIF D-II semifinals, where they will visit No. 2 Kamehameha on Wednesday.
Stevan Perrino also had a goal and Emmett Alcos and Dominic Perrino combined on the shut out.
“We were looking to play fast-paced and open up the field,” Makua Lani coach Alex Dong said. “Loa led the line very well, and we are looking forward to what could be a great run in the playoffs.”
