KEAAU – Considering all the scoring chances they’d accumulated during their past three halves – all of which they came up scoreless in– the Kamehameha Warriors weren’t going to fret about a one-goal halftime deficit.
Jonathan DeMotta figured it was just a matter of time until goals would come Wednesday night – and when they did they came in droves.
DeMotta put home two more goals on his senior night at Paiea Stadium, and the Warriors surged past Makua Lani 4-1 to head to the BIIF Division II soccer playoffs on a high note.
“We just kept whacking at the goal,” DeMotta said. “My mindset was thinking of the ball in the back of the net.”
The Warriors (9-5-1) missed myriad opportunities Tuesday in a 0-0 draw at Honokaa, and DeMotta spent much of the first half against the Lions (9-5) threatening with prime chances only to send the ball high near the football crossbar that stands just behind the goal frame.
“I was too hyped, I was too crazy,” he said.
DeMotta was staring at a fourth consecutive match without a goal – a long drought by his standards – but he calmly approached his penalty kick in the 42nd minute and tied the game, burying a ball in the bottom left corner of the net.
“That’s my thing,” said DeMotta, who added his team-high 20th goal in the final minute, capping a half that Kamehameha owned.
The Warriors were missing four players, including their prolific scoring captain, earlier in the season when Makua Lani took it to Kamehameha on its field in a 3-1 victory that the Lions used to set a tone their year.
“Playing on turf is always interesting,” Lions coach Alex Dong said. “Kamehameha came out with a lot of intensity and pride today.”
The loss wasn’t all that damaging to Makua Lani, which fell into second place but can claim the outright regular season title and the automatic state berth that goes with it by beating Kohala at home Jan. 24.
The goal for both of these teams is to be back at Paiea on Jan. 30 in the BIIF final. Each will host semifinals Jan. 28.
“Right now, this is a great thing for us,” Kamehameha coach Kevin Waltjen said. “Mentally showing that you can come back from a deficit and push forward.
“And you need that. You’re not always going to score first.”
Kaipono Benson gave Makua Lani the lead in the first half, patiently waiting for Ka’ale Fernandez’s corner kick to get to him on the back post, where he deposited the ball the net.
The Warriors owned the majority of the scoring chances after that.
“When we were at home, they couldn’t handle (our) high press,” Dong said. “We were pushing them really hard early in the game.
“(Today) they pushed us really hard, pressing super high up the field and our center backs looked like they had to hit long balls, and it looked like they were eating that up.”
Ethan Shimabukuro set up DeMotta’s penalty kick after getting dragged down on a run through the penalty box, and he made a similar jaunt down the left flank later to give Kamehameha a 3-1 lead after collecting a through ball from Logan Waltjen.
Buddy Betts scored the go-ahead goal near the midway point of the second half, heading in a long free kick from DeMotta.
Kamanakai Paikuli drew an assist on DeMotta’s final goal.
“I feel like (everyone) stepped up big-time, not just the seniors,” DeMotta said. “There was a a lot of improvement. They all played super hard and with their hearts.”
Konawaena 7, Ka’u 0: The Wildcats won in Pahala to take sole possession of fourth place in Division II.
Konawaena (4-9, 12 points) is three points ahead of Kohala (3-8) in the race for the final playoff spot, though the Cowboys have four matches remaining (vs. Honokaa, at Honokaa, vs. Ka’u, at Makua Lani) compared to the Wildcats’ two (at Keaau, vs. Kealakehe).
In a story in Wednesday’s edition, the Tribune-Herald incorrectly reported Honokaa (4-8-1, 13 points) was in fourth place in D-II. The Dragons are in third.
Girls
Kamehameha 9, Makua Lani 1: Nanea Wong Yuen and Roycie Faye each recorded hat tricks as the Warriors concluded a 9-4 regular season.
Chenoa Frederick scored twice and Kaila Ambrosio celebrated senior day with her 12th goal of the season.
Tia Lurbiecki scored early in the second half for the Lions (5-7-1), who will be back at Paiea Stadium on Monday as Makua Lani and Kamehameha meet in the BIIF Division II semifinals for the fifth consecutive season. The Warriors are vying for their eight consecutive trip to the final.