KSH downs Honokaa, 3-0, to advance to title game


WAIPAHU – Liam Kenoi scored twice and David Erskine scored another to lead Kamehameha-Hawaii over Honokaa, 3-0, in Friday's semifinals of The Queen's Medical Center Division II boys' state soccer tournament.

The Warriors (12-4-2), the Big Island Interscholastic Federation's third-place team, advance to Saturday's 5 p.m. championship against top-seeded Hawaii Prep at the Waipio Peninsula Soccer Complex. Last year, the Warriors lost to Mid-Pacific, 7-1, in the title game.

Last week the same schools played for the girls' championship that was won by HPA for the third year in a row.

The third time proved to be the charm for the Warriors, who lost to the Dragons during the regular season and the BIIF tournament semifinals. The Warriors were the second seed last year, so it was expected to go far, but not this season.

"It feels good because it wasn't planned," Warriors coach Mario Patino said of advancing to the title game for the second year in a row. "We just wanted to get to states. We have a young team. We lost a lot of the key seniors were from last year, so it was kind of a crap shoot on far we'd get this season, but they haven't peaked all season and now they're peaking."

Kenoi scored in the 36th and 66th minutes, while Erskine scored in 52nd minute for all the Warriors' scoring.

"Our forward, Pono Brown was able to distribute beautiful balls," Patino said. "He's on fire right now. I think everything's meshing right now."

The Warriors' defense played superbly, fighting off all threats by the Dragons (12-5), the BIIF runner-up. KSH's fullbacks, Kailikea Kekuawela, Isaiah Laeha, Israel Bowden and Justin Kenoi helped keepers Jameson Soto  and Dorian Salazar deny the Dragons from scoring. The KSM goalies combined for seven saves on 12 shots on goal.

"They're very dynamic on top," Patino said. "We've been training the past two weeks to take out that dynamic play and I think we were successful with the organization."

 

 



Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at [email protected].