It wasn’t another state championship — not even close.
For the Hawaii Prep girls soccer team, Thursday’s match against Kamehameha was a bittersweet ending to a shortened season that wasn’t even supposed to happen at all.
Ka Makani defeated the Warriors 4-1 in Waimea to finish their high school winter sports season. The official BIIF and HHSAA season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, forcing HPA to miss a chance at an eighth straight Division II state title.
The soccer games played the past few weeks at HPA and Kamehameha will not count in the record books, but they will count for the seniors who missed their chance to compete one last time at the high school level — and the HPA seniors took advantage of the final match.
HPA senior Bella Police opened up scoring in her last game with Ka Makani at the 18-minute mark with a right foot 20-yard shot into the far upper panel. Fellow HPA senior Morgan Davis followed, converting a corner kick from senior Malia Brost at the 27-minute mark.
Cristyn Parong converted a Nanea Wong Yuen corner kick to score for the Warriors in the 65th minute. HPA seniors Alianna West and Kahala Erskine followed to score for Ka Makani.
“I was so happy to see both teams finish up their shortened winter seasons with beautiful weather and some exciting soccer. HPA finished with a 4-1 record over the last four weeks. The seven seniors were definitely fired up to play well… and they did,” HPA coach Steve Perry said. “Bittersweet day indeed, but we all appreciate the effort and leadership over the past four years.
“Our back four has really come on and allowed our attack to start earlier on the pitch — Lizzie Evans, Ruby Helmuth, Jordan Perry, and Lulia Perez. Thank you to Kimo Weaver and the entire Kamehameha athletic department for being a great partner in this unique four-week season. Much appreciated.”
HPA 6, Kamehameha 0: Ka Makani got goals from six different players on senior day in Waimea to improve to 4-0-1.
Aidan Santos bagged his sixth goal, Justin Heilmann netted his fifth, Noah Balaam his third, and Nate Lawton, Mason Hunt and Aidan Richardson also found the back of the net.
With seniors Kawehi Cabuzel and Nate Heymann alternating time at goalkeeper, HPA collected its third shutout in a row.
Coach James Berry also credited a “strong, veteran defense” – a group that includes Dominic DiDinato, Jordan Hanano and Noah Condon. Freshman Cooper Phillips has played strong as well Berry said.
Condon, a sophomore, reminds his coach of Sihkea Jim, the co-BIIF Division I player of the year as a senior in 2019.
“I’d be hard-pressed to remember a player so passionate and happy to be on the field,” Berry said. “My coaches refer to him as Sihkea 2.0.”
HPA plays Christian Liberty at 1 p.m. Saturday in Waimea to close the season.
The Tribune-Herald contributed to this report.
