Kailua beats Farrington, 2-0, for third league title


Kailua's Dylen Pedrina points to the stands after scoring a goal to put the Surfriders ahead, 2-0. Crizalmer Caraang Jr. | SL

KANEOHE — Kailua reclaimed the Oahu Interscholastic Association Division II title with a 2-0 win over Farrington at Castle High's field Saturday night.

This is the Surfriders' third league championship in school history, all of which were on the Division II level. Kailua coach Steve Dignam has led the program in all the team's championship wins, with the previous two coming in 2010 and 2015.

Kailua and Farrington met earlier during the regular season on Dec. 13, with the Surfriders winning by a score of 3-1.

"I'm happy for the boys," said Dignam. "Our defense was pretty good. Our offside trap was working. Overall I'm happy."

Kailua took the lead just minutes into the match. After winning a corner, senior forward Ripley Quebral poked home the ball to make it 1-0 in the third minute.

"Coach tells me to have a quick trigger," said Quebral. "It bounced off of one of my teammates and I shot it in."

Quebral is the leading goal scorer for Kailua and leads Division II in scoring with 14 goals this season.

"He's a goal scorer," said coach Dignam. "That's his strength. He's a great kid and works hard at practice and gives us 115 percent every game."

Both teams had chances to score in the first half. Kailua dominated possession and forced Farrington's goalie Richard Pili into action early and often. Pili, a junior, made at least 10 saves throughout the game. 

"He's unbelievable," Farrington coach David Chattergy said of Pili. "For a volleyball player playing in only his eighth game, he's been phenomenal for us."

The Governors had chances of their own, but lacked that last pass or first touch to threaten the Kailua goal. 

The second half was much of the same for both squads. Kailua controlled the ball and Farrington tried to hold on and waited for its chances to counter. 

Eventually, Kailua won a free kick on the edge of the penalty box. Noah Vega struck the goal post and then Dylen Pedrina bundled it home in the 69th minute to make it 2-0. 

"We got that second goal and we could see the air come out of the Farrington kids at that point," said coach Dignam.

Farrington's Pili was down on the turf after the goal. He was taken off the field but later came back on after receiving medical attention. 

"He's hand kind of got bent back a little bit," said Chattergy. "But they worked on him and he has some ice on it now so He'll be ready for states."

The Governors did not have a home field to practice on this season, so they have been practicing at a local park. 

"We were practicing at a park with no lines so it gets really hard for us to get down the field," said coach Chattergy. "It's unfortunate, but we'll be back." 

Both Kailua and Farrington will play in The Queen's Medical Center/Hawaii High School Athletic Association Division II state tournament in two weeks.

"Kailua has never made it past the first round of states so that is our objective," said Quebral. "Then we'll take it from there."