OIA Boys Soccer
OIA East rivals Kalani and Kaiser finish in a stalemate


Michael Lasquero | ScoringLive
January 23, 2022, 12:18am

  

Sat, Jan 22, 2022 @ Kaiser

Kalani

1

Kaiser

1

Final 1st 2nd OT 2OT PK Tot
Kalani (12-4-1) 1 0 - - - 1
Kaiser (14-2-1) 0 1 - - - 1
Noah Kaneshiro    Ten Kurokawa


HAWAII KAI — OIA East rivals Kalani and Kaiser remained unbeaten on the season after playing to a 1-1 tie Saturday night at the Ted Fukushima Athletic Complex.

Ten Kurokawa scored on a second-chance opportunity in the 18th minute to give the Falcons (6-0-1) the early lead while Noah Kaneshiro scored on a diving header in the 51st minute to tie things up for the Cougars (6-0-1).

Although neither squad came away with the victory, both head coaches for their respective teams were proud of how their teams played.

Kaiser coach Layne Abalos liked the effort from his players in the second half after playing nervous and tense in the first 40 minutes.

"We did well, we passed the ball, we played our game, more in the second half than the first, but overall we did well," Abalos said.

For the Falcons, Kalani first-year coach Keach Mizuno was pleased with his team's play without a few key players that were either out with an injury or in covid protocols. Kalani was without centerback Shane Fuse, defender Jase Oshiro and midfielder Ethan Senter, and also lost centerback Jenson Fuse in the second half to an injury.

"Missing those key players and with the way the game was played, I'm happy," said Mizuno.

Kaiser would cash in on this in the second half with the equalizer as the Cougars were the more energetic and active team after the break and controlled possession more.

"Because we were missing a few guys and they not healthy, so we don't have much subs," Mizuno said. "So we just put the best players out there with what we have. They were kind of running out of gas, a little bit tough game for us. This is the first challenge against the team we played so it was a good experience for them."

The lone goal for the Falcons was a result of staying with the play. After Kaiser cleared a Kalani set piece, Kalani's Lucas Wright collected a ball and passed it off to forward Maka Monaghan, who dribbled it up the left side deep into Kaiser territory. Monaghan crossed it inside to Kurokawa, who fired a shot from 10 yards out. Kaiser keeper Lucca Tommasino stopped the ball from going in the net with his hands, but Monaghan was able to corral the deflected ball near the goal line and pass it back to Kurokawa for the goal.

There was some frustration from the Cougars about whether or not the goal was legal. Most of the action on the goal happened on the opposite side away from both team's benches and the assistant referee on that side of the field. Ultimately, the officials ruled it a goal and Kalani took a 1-0 lead into the break.

"We had to get a ruling from the referee," Abalos said. "(From my viewpoint), the player came from behind the goal, came back in and he served it in and they scored a goal. Unfortunately he's not offside because he went out of bounds and came back in, and then it was a determination on whether or not (my keeper) parried or didn't parry it. It was a save, it was a deliberate save. It is what it is."

The Cougars shook it off after the break and controlled possession for majority of the second half. Kaiser had success bringing it up on the sides of the field and scored the equalizer when Leo Davies found Kaneshiro for the score. Davies brought the ball up from the right side of the field and fired a ball that looked like a shot on goal or a pass to the middle. Davies' ball curved and was able to find Kaneshiro, who sped behind the defense on a back-door play.

"Noah, he surprises me, he still does," Abalos said of Kaneshiro. "He's really fast for a sophomore."

Kaneshiro generated more opportunities with his speed after the goal, but couldn't cash in. The Cougars also had a number of shots from the middle of the field hit the post to leave the game at a stalemate after 80 minutes were done.


Reach Michael Lasquero at [email protected].




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