WAIMEA — Less than a minute into their match, Hawaii Preparatory Academy pounced on a Hilo miscue, went the other way and scored.
With the early advantage, Saturday looked like it was shaping up as another day at the office for Ka Makani.
It turned out to be anything but that.
Behind a pair of goals and a tenacious effort from Riley Patterson, Hilo bounced back from the early mistake, shocking Hawaii Prep 4-2 and handing Ka Makani their first league loss since 2016.
“We haven’t been able to do this in my four years. I’m so stoked,” said Patterson, a senior. “I’m so proud of this team.”
There’s no argument: beating Hawaii Prep at any point in the season is an accomplishment. After all, since 2016 Ka Makani have more state titles (3) than league losses (1).
The last time Hilo beat Hawaii Prep was way back on Dec. 17, 2011 — a 3-2 triumph by the Viks in Waimea.
“I just told them the game plan and the team executed it perfectly,” Hilo head coach George Ichimaru said. “It’s the first time all 11 bought in and you could see it out there.”
Ka Makani downed the Vikings 5-1 the first time around on Hilo’s home turf. But for this matchup, Hawaii Prep played without the services of the reigning Division I player of the year, Jake Schneider. They also played the majority of the game without Toby Balaam, a difference maker and first-team all-BIIF pick a year ago. Balaam injured his arm in the first half, which resulted in a long stoppage as he was taken off in an ambulance.
That being said, Hawaii Prep head coach James Berry was making no excuses after the loss.
“They feel the sting, but we want them to feel that,” Berry said. “We don’t want to say it was lucky — they beat us, fair and square. They did what they needed to beat us.”
Hilo’s win adds some intrigue to the end of the season. Hawaii Prep (10-1-0) Waiakea (8-1-1), Hilo (8-2-0) and Kealakehe (7-2-1) will mix it up to end the year and jostle for playoff position.
“The D-I battle is still wide open,” Ichimaru said. “We still have some second rounds left with Keaau, Hilo and Waiakea. It’s spooky this time of year playing multiple games a week. Keeping everyone healthy is our goal.”
Ka Makani did have a comeback on their resume from the preseason, when the team came back from a 3-0 halftime deficit to beat Kapolei 5-3. But coming into the game, high-pressure situations were scarce.
Before the loss to Hilo, Hawaii Prep had outscored its league opponents 69-6 this season, only letting up a pair of goals on one occasion. The squad’s closest game was a 2-0 triumph over Kealakehe on the road.
“There’s not a change in the game plan needed, just the execution of the game plan,” Berry said. “We are a very forward-thinking team, but we need to be more patient and find better spacing.”
Hawaii Prep struck first with a strike from David Welch Keliihoomalu just 30 seconds into the game. Patterson said there was no panic in the Vikings despite the early hole.
“When we went down early, we knew it was just one mistake,” he said. “We knew we were still in it. It was still early in the game.”
There was a theme to Hilo’s offense: Patterson was at the middle of most of it.
“He brings leadership and that attacking mentality,” Ichimaru said of Patterson, who has 30 goals this season. “He wears the armband for a reason. Today he put this team on this back.”
On Hilo’s first goal, Patterson flew down the field and delivered a strike on net. It bounced off the Hawaii Prep goalkeeper, but Keanu Kalua was there to clean up the rebound for the tying goal.
Hawaii Prep ramped up their pressure after the Hilo tally, most it of being generated by the speed of Balaam. The senior raced down the sideline and into the box, getting tripped up, forcing a penalty kick. Hilo goalkeeper Jase Ambrojo was game for the task, turning away the try and gobbling the rebound up.
Ka Makani’s pressure would eventually pay off, forcing consecutive corner kicks, the second of which was converted into a goal on a Conor Hunt header.
But the celebration was short lived for Ka Makani. Just minutes later, Balaam took an awkward spill in the box, leading to a long stoppage as an ambulance came on the field.
It wasn’t long after the extended break that Hilo found the tying goal when Patterson scampered behind the defense and tucked the ball in the bottom corner.
Before the half, Josh Rosario found some room and launched an arching shot that found the back of the net, giving Hilo a 3-2 advantage and major momentum.
“Going into the second half, we knew they were going to come out firing,” Patterson said. “We just had to play our game and leave it all out there.”
Patterson kept up his persistent pressure to open the second half. He saw a hard-angle try sail just wide early, but continued to stay focused.
“I got that close chance and knew I had that next one,” Patterson said.
He was right.
Patterson beat the Hawaii Prep defenders to the left corner of the box, and ripped a shot past the keeper to make it 4-2, a score that would stand until the final buzzer.
