Kapaa High School’s varsity girls soccer team lost to Hawaii Preparatory Academy in the semifinals of the 2018 The Queen’s Medical Center Girls Soccer Championships – Division II state tournament.
The No. 2 seeded Warriors fell, 3-nil, Friday afternoon at the Waipio Peninsula Soccer Complex.
“We knew going into the game it was going to be a tough match,” said Kapaa head coach Mytra McKeague in a phone interview. “We knew for the whole 80 minutes, it was going to be a battle. Unfortunately, they got a couple of quick ones on us, and we were trying to fight back. But very proud of our girls.”
Hawaii Prep, of the Big Island Interscholastic Federation, scored all three of its goals in the first half. Ka Makani junior forward Emi Higgins bagged a brace in Friday’s semifinal match, scoring at the fifth and 33rd minutes. Senior forward Teah Van Bergen scored at the 7th minute.
“I think our girls played more disciplined in the second half. They never gave up, and that’s something you can’t really teach,” McKeague said. “That comes from within, and I’m very proud of our girls for that.”
Kapaa will play in the third-place match today at 3 p.m. at the Waipio Peninsula Soccer Complex. The Warriors will play the loser of the semifinal match between Kauai High School and Kamehameha Schools-Hawaii of the BIIF.
That semifinal match was rescheduled to 7 p.m. Friday and was moved to Waipahu High School. Results of that match were not available by press time.
Kauai High head coach Auika Metcalfe couldn’t be reached for comment Friday.
Hawaii Prep will be going for its fifth-consecutive Division II girls soccer state title today. The championship match is scheduled for 5 p.m.
“Hats off to HPA. We knew they’re a good team. (HPA coach Stephen Perry) is a great coach, and he prepares his girls well. That’s the difference,” McKeague said.
Information from Hawaii High School Athletic Association.
Friday’s results
Match 13 (semifinal): Hawaii Prep (BIIF) 3, Kapaa (KIF) 0
Match 14 (semifinal): No. 1 KS-Hawaii (BIIF) vs. Kauai (KIF), 7 p.m. at Waipahu High School, result not available by press time
Match 11 (consolation): Kailua (OIA) 2, Leilehua (OIA) 1
Match 12 (consolation): Sacred Hearts (ILH) 4, Makua Lani (BIIF) 1
