Kalaheo tightened its grip on OIA Division II girls soccer preeminence Saturday.
The Mustangs (4-7) defeated Nanakuli 1-0 in the league championship game at the Kapolei High field for the school’s second title in a row and fourth in the last seven seasons under coach Alan Heu.
Most of the offensive action occurred in the Golden Hawks’ side of the field, but Kalaheo could only break through for a goal once — off the foot of Kiana Ramie on a pass from Liv Deeley just two minutes in.
“This makes me really proud because this is my senior year and we won it last year, too,” Ramie said. “It’s just a perfect way to end the (OIA) season.”
>> PHOTOS: Kalaheo vs. Nanakuli Opens in a new tab
Meanwhile, the Mustangs’ defense — spearheaded by Makayla Horton, Kaikena Kiaaina, Izzy Reyes and Hailey Lugo in front of goalkeeper Samantha Hutchinson — shut down Nanakuli’s attack. The Golden Hawks’ best pressure came in the last 10 minutes of the first half, with Kaelamaikalani Kawai, Razhjah Kuhiki and Kasi Amaral buzzing the Kalaheo zone with no payoff to show for it.
“Our defense has come around since the beginning of the season,” Heu said. “They’ve picked it up, definitely. But, we didn’t play the way we’ve been training to. We’ve been training to play a possession type, run the play. They got us to play their game. We want to avoid playing kick and run.”
Heu and his staff counted 10 offside calls against the Mustangs, mostly due to the Golden Hawks smartly moving up to bait them into it.
Nanakuli goalkeeper Uilani Paishon-Davis was busy all night, especially in the first 30 minutes and the last 20, when Kalaheo had the most of its many offensive chances. Leilani Aleka and Lexus Kotrys turned in solid defensive performances for the Golden Hawks.
“I felt like we could have done better,” Nanakuli coach Chasytie Hoohuli said. “We wanted our girls to play 80 minutes, and then they score in the (second) minute of the game on a back-door goal. We got caught watching the ball and not the player. Simple little mistakes that we tell them all the time, but unfortunately that’s what happened. Still, I’m super proud of them.”
The Golden Hawks (3-8-1), who were going for their first OIA title, move on to the opening round of the upcoming D-II state tournament. At states, the Mustangs get a bye into the quarterfinals.
Along with the last two OIA D-II championships, Kalaheo also won league titles in 2014 and ’16.
