Maui’s King Kekaulike wins State Championship in Boys Soccer

Mauiʻs King Kekaulike boys soccer team defeated Hilo, 3-1 on Saturday night, to take home the Division I state title at the NIU Health Urgent Care / HHSAA Boys Soccer State Championships held at Radford High School.

King Kekaulike’s Nā Aliʻi is the first neighbor island team to win an outright state championship, and only the second title holders from Maui. The last time a Maui team won the state title in Division I was in 2018 when Baldwin High School shared the title of co-champion with Hawaiʻi Prep after the championship match was postponed indefinitely due to lighting.

Last year there was no state tournament due to COVID-19 restrictions, and in the two years prior, Punahou was the top team in the state.

King Kekaulikeʻs Owen Riecke was the first to score at the 13 minute mark, followed by Bailey Hofmann at 39 minutes, and Jai Sternthall at 51 minutes. Hilo’s lone goal was made by Koae Pea.

All three standouts from King Kekaulike were named to the Division I All-Tournament Team, with Hofmann selected as the Most Outstanding player. King Kekaulike’s Rex Riecke and Angus Daniel were also recognized as All-Tournment Team players.

Three Hilo players made the All-Tournament Team: Kaumuali’i “Leha” Harman, Kani Tolentino-Perry, and Tysen Kaniaupio (goalkeeper), Hilo. Rounding out the All-Tournment Team were: Ian Ngonethong of Kaiser; and Ethan Senter and Jase Oshiro of Kalani.

King Kekaulike also defeated Kapolei 2-1 in the quarterfinals on Thursday. Owen Riecke scored at 51 minutes into the game, and Rex Riecke scored in overtime to secure the team’s spot in the championship match.

In Division II, Seabury Hall’s James Haynes, Trey Cerizo, Duke Romanchak, and Patricio Santiago were named to the state’s All-Tournamnet DII team. Seabury took second place in DII after a 2-1 overtime victory by Kamehameha School Hawaiʻi in the championship game, with Seaburyʻs James Haynes scoring the team’s lone goal.