‘Iolani goes down to wire to edge Kamehameha and earn state boys soccer berth

The ‘Iolani and Kamehameha boys soccer teams were dead even through three games and 260 minutes.

The only difference was the Raiders were slightly better in penalty kicks Tuesday, and it sent them through to the HHSAA Division I state tournament.

Isaak Tanaka came off the bench and made a save in the shootout and Zach Gaoiran followed with a conversion as host ‘Iolani beat Kamehameha 1-1 (5-3 PKs) in the playoff for second place in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu.

‘Iolani (7-1-3) will join league champion Punahou in the HHSAA tournament, which starts Monday.

“I’m definitely proud of us for making it,” Gaoiran said. “It’s been our goal from the beginning. We deserve to be here, and although we took a longer route, we got the job done and we’re looking forward to playing next week.”

‘Iolani and Kamehameha (6-2-3) tied in their regular-season matchups — 2-2 on Jan. 25 and 1-1 on Feb. 9. On Tuesday, they played 80 minutes of regulation and two 10-minute overtime sessions before going to PKs.

The Raiders went first in the shootout, with Jaxon Kahawai, Ian Yogi, Keao Miyahira, Brett Nakao and Gaoiran all making their kicks.

“We needed every one of them,” said ‘Iolani coach Chris Lee. “Over the course of the season, we missed three of them. We had to really focus in on what we had to do and were fortunate today our guys came through in the clutch.”

The Warriors stayed even at 3-3 with Ethan Apo, Elijah Soon and Kaimi Victor converting. Kamehameha’s fourth shooter, Kilinahe Waring, attempted a shot to the right of Tanaka, who dived to make the save.

“I told my boys before the shootout, just make your shots and I’ll make one save for you guys,” Tanaka said.

Tanaka started the first six games at goalkeeper, but moved to forward to give the Raiders more offensive firepower. On Tuesday, Tanner Shum started in goal and made five saves through regulation and overtime.

“In the PKs, we had decided Isaak’s senior leadership was very important at that point in time,” Lee said. “Not that Tanner couldn’t have done it, but that was the decision we had made (before the game).”

Tanaka added: “I’m a keeper at heart, so I was ready for the moment.”

Gaoiran ended things with his conversion to the right of Warriors goalkeeper Keolakupono Mataele, who finished with seven saves.

“Once Isaak made the save I was super happy because all I had was one job,” Gaoiran said. “I knew if I made my shot, we win the game. I just wanted to pay back Isaak for his super good save, and I buried the ball into the goal.”

Gaoiran, Tanaka and Kahawai, all seniors, are the tri-captains for the Raiders.

‘Iolani went up 1-0 in the 18th minute on Kahawai’s 20-yard free kick from slightly left of center.

Keane Palmer was aligned to his left and ran through, then Kahawai blasted the ball past the Kamehameha wall and into the top left corner of the goal.

“I was trying to get it on frame, not trying to hit it too hard, but trying to get it to the side so the keeper didn’t really have a chance,” Kahawai said. “The first runner, I think he made the wall move a little bit to the right, so it gave me a little more space to hit it to that near post.”

Kamehameha’s Tanoa Tinao equalized in the 51st when he took a long pass, avoided a defender and Shum and controlled the ball for an easy tap-in goal.

“Tinao is a Big Island boarder. He’s from the Big Island just like me,” said Kamehameha coach Uri Barron-Silva. “We needed one, we switched up the formation, put him up top. Tinao stepped up, all 5-5 of him, and he put that goal in the net.”

The Warriors were missing two starting forwards, according to Barron-Silva. One played in an outside league and was ineligible, while the other picked up a third yellow card in a game Wednesday against Mid-Pacific.

“‘Iolani is a great team,” Barron-Silva said. “They’re fast, they’re physical, very tactical, amazing on set pieces, well coached. We had opportunities on both ends, both teams had opportunities throughout the season to end it and go to states and it came down to the wire.”

STATE GIRLS SOCCER

Kamehameha-Maui 2, Pearl City 1

Sienna Kamalani scored in the 29th minute and Kealani Warner tallied the go-ahead goal in the 34th minute as the host Warriors edged the Chargers in a first-round match of the Division I girls state soccer tournament. KS-Maui will play Kamehameha in a quarterfinal Thursday.

Julia Oka had Pearl City’s lone goal in the 33rd minute.