’Pack boys kick Warriors
A crucial showdown between boys soccer powers laden with senior talent came down to a wiry 5-foot-6 sophomore.
The Pac-Five Wolfpack won't be apologizing any time soon, either, for finding a youthful gem in the ranks. Ryuta Iihama scored off a remarkable cross from Tom Culver at the 75-minute mark to lift Pac-Five over Kamehameha 2-1 yesterday on a soggy surface at Kapiolani Park.
The win was timely for the Wolfpack, who improved to 6-1-1 (19 points) in the highly competitive Interscholastic League of Honolulu. They vaulted over Kamehameha (5-1-2, 17 points) into second place. Both teams trail front-running Iolani. Only two state tournament berths are allotted to the ILH.
"This is a huge win for us," Pac-Five head coach Napawan Smith said. "After the loss to Iolani and the tie with Mid-Pac, we had to show that we belong with the best in the ILH."
A loss would have created a tremendous separation between the top two teams and the rest of the league. Instead, Pac-Five tightened its grip on a possible state berth -- one that was not available last year. Because of a rule change, the multi-school squad competes for the right to play in the state championships this season.
"The seniors last year were very motivated," Smith said of last year's ILH runner-up team. "This year's seniors are so motivated right now that they have a chance at states. They stepped it up today."
It wasn't like Kamehameha gave in at any point. For much of the second half, the game was tied at 1. The thick grass and muddy sod curtailed speed significantly, and Pac-Five's defense became a key factor in the final 17 minutes.
The 'Pack allowed only three shots on goal by Kamehameha in the entire second half. That set up Iihama's winning goal. Culver drove from the middle to the right corner, looking for an opening, when he found Iihama deep inside the box. Culver's pass was perfectly placed, and Iihama drilled the shot in from 5 yards out.
"Someone played the ball to Jeremy (Witting), and he got the ball to me," Culver said. "I saw I had space, and I tried to hit Ryuta in stride."
Iihama had cut deep into the box. "Tom was pulling my mark away. The keeper was on the post. He tried to go back, but I got it past him on the post," he said.
It was almost as pretty as Pac-Five's first goal. The Wolfpack needed nearly the entire first half to find net. Kyle Lee's 'alley-oop' from about 35 yards out found Wittig wide open near the right post of the goal. The sophomore gave the spinning ball a touch, pushing it to the center, before tapping the ball in for an easy score.
It was a misdirection play that Pac-Five uses effectively. Culver cut high in the box, drawing Kamehameha goalkeeper Nick Freitas out. Witting snuck backdoor.
"I heard the keeper yell, 'He's got it!' I tried to shoot it as quick as I could," Wittig said.
That play netted Pac-Five a 1-0 lead at the 35-minute mark. The 'Pack went into intermission with a lead despite being outshot, 13-5. Kamehameha had its chances.
>> Cody Takata's blast from the right elbow of the box glanced off backup goalkeeper Reid Woodward's hand and ricocheted off the crossbar at the 19-minute mark.
>> Mike DeCaires' attempt from 15 yards out was stopped by hustling Kody Seminara at the 29-minute mark as a slight drizzle returned.
>> At the 37-minute mark, Takata's nicely placed lob from 35 yards out gave the Warriors a 2-on-2 situation less than 10 yards from goal. All four players collided in mid-air, and the ball dribbled just wide right of the goal.
The defensive war went both ways. Freitas came up with several saves, stopping all attempts from the corner. Pac-Five had breakaway situations twice in the second half and came up empty.
Keoki Haole was stopped on one breakaway, and a 15-yard shot by Culver was stopped on a diving play by Freitas. Those stops proved pivotal.
At the 63-minute mark, James Ogata's long cross found Randall Haraguchi, who headed in a brilliant 10-yard score.
"I was just lucky I got my head on it," Haraguchi said. "Anything to score."
That set the stage for 12 more fierce minutes, before Culver and Iihama's unorthodox, but triumphant play.
The tall, soggy grass and slightly swampish conditions -- there was even a large puddle at mid-field that sucked in any unsuspecting ball or player -- were perhaps more of a factor than anyone could have predicted.
"It's pretty disappointing, but tomorrow's another day," Kamehameha's David Gualdarama said. "They did all right, but our team was kind of slow."
Kamehameha has little time to dwell on the defeat. The Warriors were to return to Kapiolani Park to meet Mid-Pacific today at 4:15 p.m. "We gotta win the rest. Every game is very important now," Gualdarama added. After today's game, the Warriors have two days of practice before meeting Damien.
The play of Woodward was intriguing, considering the plain fact that he is not the starter. Regular keeper Eben Hellekson is on a vacation.
"Reid just volunteered to do it," Smith said of the 6-2 player. "He's not our usual backup, but he's got the height."
Pac-Five has little time to enjoy the win. The 'Pack battles Hawaii Baptist today, 4:15 p.m., at Kapiolani Park, and then comes a matchup with Punahou on Friday.