‘Iolani’s Kaleb Abara is making up for lost time at this week’s state tournament after not being able to play soccer the past two seasons.
Abara scored two goals and had an assist in the second half as No. 2 seed ‘Iolani rallied past Kalani 3-2 in the Division I semifinals of the Motiv8 Foundation/HHSAA Boys Soccer Championships at Waipahu.
‘Iolani, the ILH champion, will face Mililani for the title today at 7 p.m. in the soccer complex’s main stadium. The Raiders have won nine state titles, with the last coming in 2014.
Two years ago, Abara and every other student-athlete statewide had their seasons wiped out by COVID-19. He missed all of last season after tearing the ACL in his right knee.
“I’m really glad I was able to come back my senior year and make it to the state championship,” Abara said.
The Raiders, who trailed 2-0 after 11 minutes, got the tiebreaking goal at 61:56 on a penalty kick by Abara to the left side of the goal. ‘Iolani (8-1-3) was awarded the PK after Keao Kawaakoa was tackled just inside the penalty box.
“I just picked my spot again,” Abara said. “I have confidence in my abilities. I knew I was going to hit it into that corner as hard as I could.”
The Raiders cut their deficit to 2-1 at 42:30 on Kawaakoa’s header off a corner kick from Abara.
“I was just getting the back post to made sure nothing goes over the goal because that’s normally how it goes,” Kawaakoa said. “Kaleb floated a perfect ball to the back post and my defender went in toward the goal for some reason. He left it wide open and I just headed it in.”
‘Iolani tied it at 57:49 on Abara’s 22-yard blast from the left side.
“I took my touch inside and I knew I was going to smack it back post,” he said.
In Thursday’s quarterfinals, Abara scored two goals — including the game-winning penalty kick in overtime — in a 3-2 victory over Waiakea.
Ethan Senter put Kalani ahead 2-0 with goals at 5:56 and 11:04.
“That was crazy, man,” Kawaakoa said. “To be honest, after the first two goals, I thought we were done, there’s no way. But we’re kind of a second-half team. We always start slow in the first half, but I had faith in us.”
Kalani, the OIA runner-up, scored first on Senter’s goal off an assist from Raine Fujimura. Senter’s shot from the right side went through the legs of Raiders goalkeeper Tanner Shum and rolled across the goal line.
Senter scored again on a blast from 25 yards. He started on the left side, dribbled toward the middle and blasted a shot into the left side of the goal. The Falcons’ Chase Kaetsu had to duck out of the way of the shot.
“We knew Kalani comes out quick. To be honest, they weren’t ready for how quick Kalani is able to come out,” ‘Iolani co-coach Grant Fukuda said.
‘Iolani had a couple of scoring opportunities before halftime.
Kawaakoa got loose and fired a shot just wide right in the 13th and Brody Awaya received a through ball, but his shot from in close was saved by Kalani goalkeeper Robert Pruner in the 28th.
“We knew in the second half we had the wind and it would be a little bit different game,” Fukuda said. “We got some chances in the first half and we knew stuff would come in the second half. The boys showed their character today.”
In the 55th, the Raiders’ Kokomo Kane had his header hit the crossbar off a corner kick from Keane Palmer.
Kalani nearly tied it in the 74th but Shum stopped Jensen Fuse’s header.
After the game, a Falcons assistant coach confronted the officials and had to be restrained by a school official.
Kalani (13-2-1) will face Hilo for third place today at 3 p.m. at Waipio Peninsula Soccer Complex Field No. 19.
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HHSAA/MOTIV8 FOUNDATION BOYS SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIPS
Division I
Fifth-Place Semifinals
Punahou 3, Kekaulike 0
Goal-Scorers—Pun: Isaiah Kutaka, Lucas
Hubbard, Declan Horio.
Baldwin 3, Waiakea 1
Goal-Scorers—Bald: Evan Llanes, Kekoa
Kiesling, Angelo Media. Waik: Tevin Atwal
