OIA Girls Soccer
Kalaheo beats Waianae for league title


Brandon Ching | ScoringLive
January 19, 2019, 11:14pm

  


Sat, Jan 19, 2019 @ Kaiser

Waianae

1

Kalaheo

2

Final 1st 2nd OT 2OT PK Tot
Waianae (4-11-1) 0 1 - - - 1
Kalaheo (5-9-0) 1 1 - - - 2
S. Kam    K. Ramie    C. Wagner-Chun

HAWAII KAI — Kiana Ramie's go-ahead goal in the second half gave Kalaheo its third Oahu Interscholastic Association Division II championship as the Mustangs defeated Waianae, 2-1, at Kaiser Stadium Saturday.

Kalaheo, the East's top seed, won its first OIA title since 2016. It was Mustangs coach Alan Heu's second title as head coach. His first title came in 2014.

"It feels good," Heu said. "It's good to come back and take one. It's been a challenge. We had injuries. They rallied and put it all together and played a good game tonight."

Waianae (3-9-1), who was seeded third in the West, took out McKinley and then the West's top seed Waialua to get into the title game. The Seariders were seeking their first-ever girls soccer title in program history.

"I thought it was a fantastic game. Kalaheo is a great team and well-coached. They were very deserving. I cannot be more proud of my team. They gave everything they had and left it on the field and that's all I asked," Waianae coach Kanani Blue said.

It's been a rough season for the Mustangs (4-7 overall) as they started the season 0-5 against Division I teams. Since forfeiting to Kahuku back on Dec. 22, Kalaheo won three-straight en route to the league title.

"We break our season in three pieces: the preseason, our season and the best part of it, we work hard to get here and what we have to do is do well here too," Heu said. "They got better as the season progressed. It was difficult for the girls and we were shuttling girls in and out. For some them it was tough, but we progressed."

Shaelyn Kam leads the Mustangs in scoring with six goals on the season and had an opportunity to give Kalaheo the lead, but Waianae goalkeeper Xailey Kamealoha batted it away to make the save. Not long after, Caroline Gainey lofted the right corner kick to the box area and it landed perfectly for Kam as she kicked it over the outstretched arms of Kamealoha for a 1-0 Mustang lead in the 25th minute.

"I was at the top and the ball started to curve in and then it bounced on the ground and I chested it and volleyed it in," Kam said of the goal. "I think it gave us a boost."

"Caroline is a freshman and was one of the eight we brought up from JV and it's helped," Heu said.

Kam's goal helped energize everyone on the Mustangs' sideline as both teams were trying to feel each other out in the first half.

"I think it did," Heu said of the shift in momentum. "What I teach the girls is there's a couple minutes in every game where you have to focus. Even after you score, we call it our five-minute rule. Score by them or a score by us. They responded well to that tonight."

Shaylin Lopes had a chance to tie it up but her shot was wide right in the first half. Chevelle Wagner-Chun took Hannah Bradbury's free kick from 40 yards out and almost got Waianae's first goal of the night, but goalkeeper Crystal Medeiros secured the ball on the hop to prevent any damage.

Wagner-Chun got another opportunity, this time with her head, as she took Lopes' corner kick from the right side and the ball sneaked past Medeiros to tie the game up in the 54th minute.

"Chevelle is a spark for our team and when she put the back of the net, you could see the atmosphere change. Everyone started to pick up their game and work harder," Blue said of Wagner-Chun's goal.

The Seariders took their bumps and bruises with a four-game losing streak to Divison I foes and being shut out in the process. Overall, the level of competition helped Waianae get better despite the results.

"Being able to play in the West and playing teams like Pearl City, Aiea, it helps us with high pressure and helps us to think on our feet. It helps when you play against the best, it only helps us develop our players," Blue said.

Kalaheo's Kiana Ramie (center) headed in the go-ahead goal in the 68th minute after a 50-yard blast off a free kick from teammate Miki Jahnke. Greg Yamamoto | SL    Purchase image

Miki Jahnke blasted a free kick from 50 yards to Ramie and she scored her second goal of the season with a header off the bounce in the 68th minute for Kalaheo's go-ahead score.

"I have been wanting to get a header the entire season. I followed the ball, it bounced right in front of me and I just headed it and I hoped it went in. It went over the keeper and I was like, 'Wow!'", Ramie said of the decisive goal.

Aaliya Weilbacher had a chance to tie it up late in the second half as she dribbled up the left side, but her attempt rolled into Medeiros' arms.

Both teams along with Leilehua and Waialua clinched spots in the HHSAA/Queen's Medical Center Division II Girls Soccer State Championships starting on Jan. 30.


Reach Brandon Ching at [email protected].




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