Chase for the Championship
Owls make it back-to-back D2 state championships


  



Sat, Feb 28, 2015 @ Waipio


Final 1st 2nd OT 2OT PK Tot
KS-Hawaii (2-1-0) 0 1 - - - 1
Mid-Pacific (11-2-2) 4 3 - - - 7
T. Allen (2)   K. Tomita    L. Navarro    D. Teves    K. Behler    R. Siemann    P. Boyd

WAIPAHU – The Mid-Pacific Institute Owls scored four goals in the first and added three more in the second half to take their second consecutive Outrigger Resorts HHSAA Division II Boys Soccer Championships Saturday night at the Waipio Peninsula Soccer Complex.

"It feels awesome. It sounds awesome," said Owl coach Jayson Abe about being back-to-back champions. "It was a complete team effort from every single one of them that's what got us here and helped us finish it here today."

The top seeded Owls defeated the second seeded Kamehameha Schools Hawaii 7-1. The owls defeated Waipahu and Hawaii Preparatory Academy to reach the title game. The Warriors took down Seabury Hall and Honokaa on their way to the championship game.

This is the Owls fourth Division II title (2008 and 2010) and their first ever as repeat champions in the Division II.

Junior defender Kainoa Behler scored his second goal of the tournament in the 10th minute to open up the scoring gates. The shot went high over the Warriors goalkeeper and found the back of the net.  Two minutes later sophomore Kohei Tomita attempted a free kick from about 25 yards out that also found the net.

The Owls were relentless as they added another goal in the 23rd minute when senior captain Brandon Ho sent a through ball to 5-foot-11 sophomore Payton Boyd. Another two minutes later and Boyd was on the assisting end by sending a cross from the right side into the middle that went passed a KS-Hawaii and MPI player and found the foot of junior defender Landon Navarro for the fourth goal of the half.

"I saw him (Body) down there and I thought I would play it straight to him," said Ho about his assist to Boyd. "So I cleared it in a straight line drive. He had an amazing first touch, took the defender on and scored."

"Kohei Tomita played a through ball and I ran as fast as I could. I touched it in and Landon Navarro finished it." said Boyd who finished with two goals in the tournament.

The second half saw more of the same as the Owls continued to push the ball forward into the attacking third. Junior mid Tyler Allen put on a show in the second half by scoring a goal in the 47th minute and another in the 71st minute on a brilliant goal all by himself.

"My centerback cleared it to me," described Allen who finished the tournament with four goals. "I took it off the chest and I was on a breakaway already. I beat the first defender and then two more caught up. I tried to keep the ball on my feet and get a shot off."

One bright spot for the Warriors came in the 73rd minute when junior Riley Siemann scored the lone goal for Kamehameha to avoid the shut out.

Mid-Pacific had a total of 37 shots in this game, 22 in the first and 15 in the second half, allotted with the 75 shots they took in the first two games the Owls went well over the century for shot attempts in the tournament.

"Hard work, dedication, and talent," said coach Abe about his team. "A little bit of a combination of everything. This is one of the most complete teams I've had the pleasure to coach. These seniors I've had them for four years now."

With the new ILH rule the Owls might be moving up to Division I next year, but for now they're on top of the Division II boys soccer world.

Division II All-Tournament Team

Tyler Allen, Mid-Pacific
Payton Boyd, Mid-Pacific
Preston Branco, Honokaa
Alex Brost, Hawaii Prep
Naia Graham, Kailua
Brandon Ho, Mid-Pacific
Domink Pajimola, KS-Hawaii
Riley Siemann, KS-Hawaii
Kohei Tomita, Mid-Pacific
Rylan Respicio, KS-Hawaii

Goalkeeper: Brad Yamashita, Mid-Pacific

Most Outstanding Player: Stirling Aponte, Mid-Pacific



Reach Shawn Sueoka at [email protected].




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