Steve Erler | SL

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Hawaii Prep players raise the trophy after winning the school's first ever boys soccer state title. CJ Caraang | SL

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Sat, Feb 27, 2016 @ Waipio

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KS-Hawaii

1

Hawaii Prep

3

Final	1st	2nd	OT	2OT	PK	Tot
KS-Hawaii (2-1-0)	0	1	-	-	-	1
Hawaii Prep (3-0-0)	2	1	-	-	-	3

J. Schneider (37')   S. Jim (57')   Z. Simone (35')   L. Kenoi (58')

WAIPAHU – Since the advent of boys' state soccer tournament in 1974, the Big Island's Hawaii Prep Academy has been to the dance 29 times. But this will be the first time Ka Makani return home with the crown.

Justin Perry assisted on two goals to help Hawaii Prep beat Big Island foe Kamehameha-Hawaii, 3-1, at the Waipio Peninsula Soccer Complex main stadium.

There were several accomplishments besides winning the school's first boys title after the girls won their third consecutive last week. Ka Makani (16-1-1) avenged a 2-1 regular-season loss to the Warriors (12-5-2). Hawaii Prep's boys also raised lymphoma awareness by wearing a fluorescent green sleeve on one arm.

"It's indescribable what we're feeling right," Perry said. "We knew we had a special group from the beginning of the season and it's incredible to have all the pieces fall together right now."

Hawaii Prep's only blemish came in December.

"This sounds silly, but the biggest difference (from the loss) was we finished one," HPA coach Rich Braithwaite said. "We were very disciplined in the back, dropping an extra guy in to make sure we protected back there. We were able to work well in the middle. We had four, five, six chances before we finally finished."

Added Perry: "It's only right we get to avenge our only loss in the state finals. It was a great opportunity for us. We were looking forward to it and we came out here and seized the moment."

Ka Makani controlled the first half, constantly playing on the Warriors' side of the field. It wasn't until about halfway through the first half that KSH completed a pass in HPA territory.  Then Ka Makani struck twice within a minute.

In the 35^th minute, Perry made a quick pass from the right side to Zen Simone, who booted the ball from the left to give HPA a 1-0 lead.

Perhaps still stunned by the blow, the Warriors might have been caught off guard as HPA forward Jake Schneider received a cross from Perry to score another short shot to make it 2-0 in the 36^th minute.

"We got a little big disorganized and disoriented and they took advantage of that," KSH coach Mario Patino said of the goals happening so quickly. "Hat's off to HPA."

Braithwaite concurred about the quick scoring.

"You know how soccer goes," he said. "It's no goals, no goals and then the whole game quickly changes."

Hawaii Prep spread the field out early, hoping to lure KSH away from the goal, Braithwaite said.

"We actually had our outside backs attack a lot," Braithwaite said. "I think that really helped make a little more space for our attackers in the midfield and on top."

Ka Makani increased their lead in the second half when Sihkea Jim, who played tough defense, managed to squib a five-yard kick from the right side in the 57^th minute.

"Sometimes you get lucky," Jim said of an opportunity for a defensive player to score. "I have a perfect team. They passed me a perfect ball and just got lucky."

His shot did not have much on it because he was being defended well. "So I heeled it behind him and it rolled in to the side," Jim explained.

A little under two minutes later, the Warriors avoided the shutout when Liam Kenoi, who had three goals in the previous two games, scored on a free kick just outside the penalty box from about six yards out that hit inside the back post.

But against HPA's defense, which limited the Warriors to just four shots all game, the two-goal lead was too much to overcome.

"The boys played tough second half," Patino said. "That's all we could do. That makes us proud that they did not give up and they were able to put one in the back of the net."

Since the Division II era, HPA has been to all but two tournaments. Its farthest advancement was finishing second in 2009, losing to Kapaa, 3-1.  In the pre-D2 era, HPA made the tournament 22 times from 1974 to 2006, losing in five semifinals.

The Queen's Medical Center/HHSAA Boys Soccer State Championships
At Waipio Peninsula Soccer Complex

Division I TournamentThursday
Quarterfinals
Game 1 — No. 1 Hawaii Prep 5, Waialua 0
G2 — Pac-Five 6, Seabury Hall 2
G3 — Kamehameha-Hawaii 2, No. 2 Waimea 1
G4 — Honokaa 2, No. 3 Roosevelt 1 (OT)
Friday
Consolation semifinals
G5 — Waialua 4, Seabury Hall 3
G6 — Roosevelt 1, Waimea 0 (PK)
Championship semifinals
G7 — Kamehameha-Hawaii 3, Honokaa 0
G8 — Hawaii Prep 2, Pac-Five 1 (2OT)
Saturday
Consolation final
G9 — Waialua 3, Roosevelt 2
Third-place final
G10 — Pac-Five 3, Honokaa 1
Championship final
G11 — Hawaii Prep 3, Kamehameha-Hawaii 1