ILH Boys Soccer
No. 3 Iolani fends off No. 2 Kamehameha with late goal to seize sole possession of 1st place in ILH


Kalani Takase | ScoringLive
January 20, 2025, 10:36pm

  

Mon, Jan 20, 2025 @ Kamehameha

Iolani

2

Kamehameha

1

Final 1st 2nd OT 2OT PK Tot
Iolani (12-0-1) 0 2 - - - 2
Kamehameha (10-2-2) 0 1 - - - 1
Brody Awaya (55’)   Asa Hironaka (72’)   Kaena Aoki (65’)


KAPALAMA HEIGHTS — In this version of Monday night football, Asa Hironaka was the player of the game. 

Hironaka assisted on one goal and later accounted for the game-winning score to help No. 3 Iolani seize first place with its 2-1 win over No. 2 Kamehameha Monday night. 

A crowd of about 350 fans at Kunuiakea Stadium saw the Raiders (8-0-1) hand the host Warriors (7-1-1) their first loss of the season in a meeting of the top two teams in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu. 

With the win Iolani seized sole possession of first place in the league's Division I standings with one game to play. 

"This one is a total boost for us, a boost for our morale going into Punahou," Hironaka said, referencing Thursday's regular-season finale against the eighth-ranked Buffanblu. 

The Raiders and Warriors entered Monday's matchup — which was televised statewide and followed a Division II game that saw Le Jardin rally with three goals in the final 10 minutes to stun PAC-5, 3-2 — deadlocked atop the ILH D1 standings with 22 points apiece. 

Iolani's triumph behind Hironaka's breakout performance puts it three points ahead of Kamehameha, which concludes the regular season against Mid-Pacific Thursday. 

A win, or even a tie against the Buffanblu Thursday would secure a third straight league championship for the Raiders. 

"Knowing that, we needed to make sure that we came out and took care of business and put ourselves in the position where we control our own destiny," longtime Iolani coach Christopher Lee said. 

In the first meeting between the squads back on Dec. 16, Iolani and Kamehameha played to a 1-1 tie. Had they produced the same result Monday night — assuming both teams went on to win their games Thursday — a one-game playoff for the ILH title would have taken place next Monday.

Instead, the Raiders are in the driver's seat for the league's seeded berth at next month's state tournament, which comes with a bye into the quarterfinals of the 12-team bracket. 

After a scoreless first half that saw each team manufacture a handful of chances in the final third, Iolani's Brody Awaya broke the seal in the 55th minute. 

Hironaka set up the Raiders' leading scorer with a pass from the left flank, near the end line. Hironaka served the ball toward the middle of the goal and Awaya flicked it past the goalkeeper and into the back of the net with the right side of his head from about seven yards out. 

"Honestly, when I got to the corner I was scared I was going to lose it. I kind of got lucky on the touch — thank you Jesus for that — and then I kind of flicked it in and (Awaya) was perfectly in the spot, so that was a pretty good moment," said Hironaka, a sophomore left forward. 

However, the Warriors equalized about 10 minutes later. A defensive miscue by the Raiders' center-backs allowed Kaena Aoki to take possession of the errant pass. Aoki split the two defenders and outraced the Iolani 'keeper to poke the ball into the goal. 

Lee said his coaching staff did its best to maintain calm amongst the players on the pitch after Kamehameha evened the score with about 15 minutes to play. 

"I guess we just told the team — I didn't know if they heard us — but it was just about ‘stay calm and stick to what we're good at doing and that's what's going to get us to the goals that we have set for our team,' " Lee said. 

The Raiders — despite numerous players playing through cramping issues — did just that. In the 72nd minute, Hironaka was on the receiving end of a well-placed pass ahead by midfielder Anthony Ancheta. Hironaka got behind two defenders on the play and found himself one-on-one with the ‘keeper before he slotted his shot into the right side of the goal for the go-ahead score. 

"Anthony Ancheta played a very nice ball between the outside-back and the center-back. I totally thought the ‘keeper was going to come out and get it before me and then luckily I had a step on him and I just poked it past him," Hironaka detailed. 

Lee credited Ancheta for leading Hironaka with his well-executed pass. 

"It was a perfectly-weighted through ball, which I guess made the ‘keeper have to make a decision whether he was going to be able to get it or not and it was very, very close to him getting it and fortunately Asa got there first," Lee said. 

It was Hironaka's very first goal of the season and, as Lee expressed, couldn't have come at a better time.

"I've been waiting for him — we were been waiting for him. He's had chances, so I'm glad that Asa had a breakout game today — he's still been an important player, but not quite the impact you saw today — and I'm hoping this will propel him forward going into the rest of our season," Lee said of Hironaka, a Second Team All-ILH forward a year ago.

Braydon Obrero made six saves in goal for the Raiders, while Kamaokeanuenue Medeiros registered four saves for the Warriors. 

Both teams will represent the ILH in the Motiv8 Foundation/HHSAA State Championships, which begins on Feb. 3. 

Iolani, which has played in the last two state finals, will be appearing in its eighth consecutive state tournament, while Kamehameha will return to states for the first time since 2011. 


Reach Kalani Takase at [email protected].




Show your support

Every contribution, no matter the size, will help ScoringLive continue its mission to provide the best and most comprehensive coverage of high school sports in the state of Hawaii and beyond.

Please consider making a contribution today.


IMAGE GALLERY


MORE STORIES

Track and field proposals among those being considered at HIADA conference

Athletics administrators from across the state are gathered at the Hilton Waikoloa Village, where the...

HHSAA inducts 44th class into Hall of Honor

Twelve student-athletes from 10 different schools and representing three of the state's leagues were...

Iolani's Nakanelua garners All-Hawaii Player of the Year honors

Senior setter Bailey Nakanelua was the engine that helped drive the Raiders back to the top of state...

Pearl City's Ngirmidol headlines All-OIA Division II picks

Chargers' setter Marley Ngirmidol named Player of the Year in OIA Division II; Pearl City head coach...

Moanalua sweeps All-OIA East Boys Volleyball top honors

Na Menehune outside hitter Lionel Gannon named Player of the Year and head coach Alan Cabanting named...

Mililani's Kimura named All-OIA West Player of the Year

Senior OH Seth Kimura was joined by teammate Kaito Duranceau on the first team; Trojans' head coach Gabriel...