PAC-5 holds off Kapaa to retain Division II crown

PAC-5 raises the state championship trophy after defending it against the Kapa'a Warriors in the Motiv8 Foundation/HHSAA Division II Girls State Soccer Championships at Waipahu's Masa Yonamine Athletic Complex CJ Caraang | SL

WAIPAHU — The crown remains with the PAC-5 girls soccer team for another year.

Mia Hironaka's goal on a free kick in the 39th minute proved to be the difference for the Wolfpack as they repeated as state champions with a 1-0 win over Kapaa Saturday night at the Masa Yonamine Athletic Complex in the Motiv8 Division II Girls Soccer Championship match.

PAC-5 persevered through injuries and gutted out four wins in four days in the tournament, all by shutout, to claim its fifth state title in program history.

"We worked really hard for this," said Hironaka, who scored four goals in the tourney. "It was really tough with all the practice and everybody getting hurt. A lot of us had ankle (injuries) and blisters, but we worked through that pain and just played for each other."

Hironaka's game-winning goal was set up after midfielder Rissalyn Hara drew a foul after getting pushed in the back. Lining up near the left hash 25 yards from the goal, Hironaka hit an arching shot that curved around multiple bodies and into the back post past the hands of Kapaa keeper Kailee Gorospe.

Motiv8 Foundation/HHSAA Division II Girls State Soccer All-Tournament Team
(as selected by the media and the HHSAA)

Michaella Cox, Pac-Five
Ashlyn Dowda-Gates, Pac-Five
Julia Durocher, Kapaa
Rissalyn Hara, Pac-Five
Mia Hironaka, Pac-Five
Mia Kaneakua-Inoshita, Kapaa
Laulea Miike, Kapaa
Tea Rosa, Kapaa
Emeli Rubel, Kapaa
Kana Smith, Pac-Five
Sienna Yamashita, Kapaa
Kayla Arucan, Pac-Five (GK)

Most Outstanding Player: Solala Nasu, Pac-Five

"Sometimes the difference is going to be set pieces and that was the difference tonight, one set piece," said Kapaa coach Andrea Alfiler, whose team was making its first state final appearance since 2017.

"It was a battle and unfortunately we couldn't find the back of the net tonight. Kudos to PAC-5 for the repeat and executing on set pieces."

Hironaka, who plays a holding midfielder role on the team, became the team's go-to player on set pieces with leading scorer Solala Nasu dealing with injuries that limited her in the semifinals and forced her to come out in the championship match.

"Mia is an outstanding player, said acting PAC-5 coach Aliani Lorenzo. "She's a primary example for these girls and she's always been there for them."

Defensively PAC-5 did a decent job on containing Kapaa's leading scorer in Sienna Yamashita. Left fullback Lily Leano led the effort with her physical play, which included a stop in the 65th minute deep in the goal area.

Senior keeper Kayla Arucan was also solid in goal for the Wolfpack with six saves. She stopped a breakaway opportunity by Yamashita in the 54th minute and had a key save on the ground and in the air in the 76th and 78th minute to preserve the shutout.

"She's a leader," Lorenzo said of Arucan. "She always talks to the girls and supports them mentality and is an encouragement for them. She saved a lot of goals tonight and I thank her and it's an honor to coach her."

Lorenzo, who took over head coaching duties midway through the season due to medical reasons, was proud of how her squad handled themselves throughout the tournament.

"We talked to the girls coming into states to have the attitude and mindset not to underestimate any team and to always play for each other, and that's what the girls did today. They played for each other and they knew they had injuries, they knew they had to push through them and we came out with the win tonight."

Reach Michael Lasquero at [email protected].