[ HIGH SCHOOL SOCCER ]
Ogata’s goal gives
Moanalua winThe sophomore scores in the
62nd minute for a 1-0 victory
over Castle
Moanalua sophomore Kenneth Ogata didn't get to see his glorious moment.
He scored on a 20-yard direct kick in the 62nd minute yesterday to give the host Menehunes a 1-0 victory over Castle to clinch the Oahu Interscholastic Association East Division boys soccer championship.
"I couldn't see it and I didn't even know it went in," Ogata said after his curving shot went right to left around Castle's wall of defenders and caromed off another Knights player and into the far low right corner of the net. "Then, when I heard everybody cheering, I still thought someone else kicked it in, so I kept asking everybody, 'Who scored the goal? Who scored the goal?' Not until my teammates came up and congratulated me did I realize I scored."
The Menehunes (9-0-1) controlled the second half, especially the neutral zone, after Castle's first-half dominance.
"They outmatched us in the first-half, passing-wise," Moanalua coach Spencer Machado said. "But we picked it up a notch, and our play in the second half is what made the difference. We won the midfield battle."
RICHARD WALKER / RWALKER@STARBULLETIN.COM
Moanalua's Kenneth Ogata, left, and Castle's Bryce Muraoka tangled in the first half of yesterday's game at Moanalua High School. The Menehunes beat the Knights 1-0.
Halfbacks Clint Naito, Landon Watanabe and Winston Yee and fullback Colin Morikawa kept Castle (8-1-1) away from its usually smooth passing attack in crunch time, which eventually provided the momentum for the winning goal.
"They (the Menehunes) got us out of our ground game and we started playing their game -- long ball and kick ball," Castle assistant coach Jon Eveland said.
"We were out of synch with our passing and we had a couple of chances that we couldn't put away," added Knights assistant Mark LaChance.
Both teams are gearing up for the upcoming OIA playoffs for a shot at the league championship and a spot in the state tournament.
Castle's Kory Muraoka gave the Menehunes a big scare midway through the first half when his soft roller went under the arms of Moanalua goalkeeper Jonathan Baba, but Baba recovered and picked the ball up after it stopped a yard shy of the goal line.
Early in the second half, Justin Lau also tested Baba with a high header after a cross from Muraoka. This time, Baba bobbled the ball, but hauled it in before it could sneak under the crossbar.
"We just didn't play the way we are supposed to play," Muraoka said. "Long ball isn't our style. We had chances, but couldn't finish. They (the Menehunes) took a good shot and our goalie (Chris Durlacher) had a hard time seeing it."
A few minutes before Ogata broke the scoreless tie, Moanalua's Morikawa nearly put one in during some relentless offensive pressure, but his header off a throw-in hit the crossbar.
Scoring the winning goal in a big game was a new experience for Ogata, who spent most of his freshman year on the bench.
"I've never felt like this before," he said. "It's really hard to explain. Hopefully, we can get to the finals and into the states."
OIA East
Varsity boys
Farrington 3, Kailua 2
Roosevelt 10, McKinley 0
Kaimuki 0, Kahuku 0, tie
Moanalua 1, Castle 0
Kaiser 2, Kalani 0
Goal scorers--Farr: B.A. Gafa 2, Ioane Siuta. Kail: Michael Matsutani, Josh Vierra. Roos: Paulo Barros 4, Chris Morales, Chad Hirata, Holden Lau, Gavin Wong, Dean Kurihara, Keenan Loo. Moan: Kenneth Ogata. Kais: Jacob Curtis, Jonathan Su.
Varsity girls
Kailua 5, Farrington 0
Roosevelt 2, McKinley 0
Kahuku 13, Kaimuki 0
Castle 1, Moanalua 0
Kalani 0, Kaiser 0, tie
Goal scorers--Kail: Michele Yoshida, Marisa Yamada, Ona Byers, Ariel Moniz, Hea Kane. Roos: Julie Ajifu, Nani Chock. Kah: Kahanu Ah Puck 3, Tessi Tolutau 2, Vailima Walker 2, Tiana Ahue, Kelly Pao, Amy Tuttle, Christina Duerdan, Karla Tailele, Noell Au. Cas: Lindsey Watanabe.
Junior varsity girls
Castle 1, Moanalua 0
ILH
Varsity boys
Punahou 3, Pac-Five 3, tie
Kamehameha 8, Damien 0
Mid-Pacific 1, Hawaii Baptist 0
Goal scorers--Pun: Callum Trigg-Smith, Colin Giles, Kirkland Lozada. Pac: Tom Culver 2, Jordan Ota. Kam: Kekoa Osorio 2, Dustin Engle, David Gualdarama, Spencer Freitas, Makana Protheros, Kepa Gaison, own goal. MPI: Chase Heilbron.
Varsity girls
Pac-Five 3, St. Francis 1
Punahou 6, Mid-Pacific 0
Goal scorers--Pac: Jenna Wong, Ashley Medcalf, Melissa Canite. StF: Jennifer Scelsa. Pun: Lisa Lerud, Rachael Lau, Ashley Collins, Kelsie Look, Chelsea Deptula, Lizzy Carlson.
Junior varsity boys
Punahou-Gold 1, Kamehameha-Blue 1, tie
Iolani 2, Punahou-Blue 0
