Seniors help Hawai’i crush Cal State Fullerton on Senior Night

Seniors help Hawai’i crush Cal State Fullerton on Senior Night

Mar 1, 2026

Seniors help Hawai’i crush Cal State Fullerton on Senior Night

Hawai’i WBB seniors Saniyah Neverson (left), Imani Perez (middle) and Izzy Forsyth (right) pose alongside head coach Laura Beeman following a Senior Night win over CSUF. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

 

HONOLULU – A performance fit for celebration.

A group deserving of even more.

The University of Hawai’i women’s basketball team completed their home watch of the Big West on Saturday night, cruising to a 67-49 demolition of Cal State Fullerton (16-12, 12-6 Big West) inside Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center.

The final home game in the last Rainbow Wahine run as a member of the Big West, senior forwards Saniyah Neverson, Imani Perez and Izzy Forsyth helped Hawai’i (18-10, 12-6 Big West) win its sixth straight contest and for the 12th time in the last 13 games in their own island finales.

Neverson paced UH with 12 points, seven rebounds and a season-high four assists while adding a steal and historic rejection in the second quarter as the 2026 edition of the Rainbow Wahine set a new single-season program record with their 164th denial of the year.

Entering the evening needing five to tie the all-time mark and six to set a new record, Hawai’i finished the game with nine blocks as a team. It was the 18th time this season that the Rainbow Wahine recorded at least five rejections in a game.

Imani Perez, the lone UH senior to spend all four years of her college career in the islands, tallied eight points, six rebounds and two more blocks in her final time suiting up in the Stan Sheriff Center. The 6-foot-4 forward from Colorado has quietly made herself one of the all-time great Rainbow Wahine, racking up nearly 800 points to go along with 532 rebounds and 120 blocked shots as she heads into her final regular season week with the program.

“I always say if someone is in your life and they’re worth enough for you to cry over, both of you guys have done something great,” Hawai’i head coach Laura Beeman said while talking about Perez. “I’ve shed a lot of tears over that kid, and I’m more than happy to do it again.”

Izzy Forsyth, who has continually worked her way back from a knee injury that stole her 2023-24 season at UC San Diego, made her first start for the Rainbow Wahine in her final game inside the Stan Sheriff Center and scored eight points (2-3 3PT) in 15 minutes of action.

“We’re so fortunate that they all decided to come here,” Beeman said glowingly of her senior trio. “Imani for four years, what an amazing story. And then for Saniyah and Izzy, just to come here their last year … it was like they played for us for four years, honestly. They are amazing young women and to walk in here in a year and do what they’ve done in our locker room, within our team, it just feels like they’ve been with us from Day 1.”

Hawai’i took a two-point lead after the first quarter of play thanks to Forsyth’s first 3-pointer of the night and a Ritorya Tamilo block of a last-second try from behind the arc. The rejection by Tamilo was the fifth of the opening frame and the 163rd of the year by the Rainbow Wahine, tying the program’s single-season record.

Imani Perez got on the board with a pair of triples to open the second quarter, part of a 3-point onslaught by the Rainbow Wahine that saw the hosts go 7-for-13 from long range in the first half. Rebecca Moors and Kyra Webb got in on the sweet-shooting fun before Saniyah Neverson sent Hawai’i into halftime leading by 11.

Hawai’i extended the lead out to 20 when play resumed in the third, seeing Forsyth and Neverson each drain another triple before a few Tamilo finishes put the Rainbow Wahine in cruise control.

Underclassmen drove the final 10 minutes for the Rainbow Wahine, seeing Bailey Flavell, Keiara Curtis, Ritorya Tamilo, Kyra Webb and Rebecca Moors combine for 12 of the final 14 points by UH. Perez was the lone basket from outside the youth group, scoring one last jumper in the Stan before exiting to a bear hug from Laura Beeman and a standing ovation from the crowd in house.

Ritorya Tamilo joined Neverson as the only Rainbow Wahine players in double figures on the night, racking up 10 points, seven rebounds, three steals and three blocks in 16 minutes off the bench. Keiara Curtis added eight points while Rebecca Moors chipped in a season-high seven points in seven minutes of action.

Freshman guard Bailey Flavell did a little bit of everything for Hawai’i in the win, scoring six points, grabbing seven rebounds and handing out four assists. Kyra Webb tacked on six points, four boards and a block as well in 15 minutes of work for UH.

The win knotted the Rainbow Wahine with Cal State Fullerton for fourth in the Big West standings with two games left in the regular season. The top four seeds will get a first-round bye in the conference tournament in Henderson in two weeks.

“I think we’re playing better basketball, obviously,” Beeman said when asked about the statement the Rainbow Wahine made in their final weekend at home this season. “I think we’re peaking at the right time. We have two more huge games on the road, and then we’re going to go to the tournament. Let’s hope that we just continue to play well at the tournament.”

Hawai’i hits the road next week to wrap up the regular season, visiting UC Riverside on Thursday, March 5 before heading to Long Beach State for the final time as conference opponents on Saturday, March 7. A road trip sweep would deliver the Rainbow Wahine their third straight 20-win season and fourth in the last five years.

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Hawaii handles BYU in first match back at SSC in over a month

Hawaii handles BYU in first match back at SSC in over a month

Feb 26, 2026

Hawaii handles BYU in first match back at SSC in over a month

The Rainbow Warriors celebrate after defeating BYU in four sets. | Photo: Rayden Aoki

MANOA — Home sweet home.

Playing its first match at Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center in more than a month, the University of Hawaiʻi men’s volleyball team defeated BYU in four sets Wednesday night before a crowd of 4,800.

Set scores were 27-25, 23-25, 25-17, 25-18.

The third-ranked Rainbow Warriors (13-1) extended their winning streak to 10 matches while snapping the sixth-ranked Cougars’ nine-match win streak.

“It was great. Stan Sheriff is the best gym you can play in America definitely, and playing here as a Hawaiʻi team is even better,” said junior outside hitter Louis Sakanoko.

The two teams will conclude their series Friday night. The two-match series was not on the schedule at the start of the year, but was created after the cancellation of the NIL Tournament in California earlier this month. A portion of ticket proceeds from the series will go directly toward the universities’ NIL initiatives, supporting efforts to recruit and retain players.

“I had so much fun,” Sakanoko said. “Thank you to all the fans for coming. The attendance was pretty crazy for a last-minute game, so really, really happy to be here.”

Sakanoko’s comfort on the Rainbow Warriors’ home court was on full display on the penultimate point of the first set when he put down a reverse attack behind his head while facing away from the net.

“It’s Louis being Louis,” Hawaiʻi coach Charlie Wade said.

Sakanoko said it happened in the flow of the moment.

“We don’t even really practice that. Just in the moment, that’s the only thing I could find to score, so I tried. And I know Charlie doesn’t like that, so I better score when I do that or I’m in trouble.”

This play resulted in a Hawai’i kill by Louis Sakanoko (23). | Photo: Rayden Aoki

Sakanoko was one of three Rainbow Warriors to finish with double-digit kills, recording 15 as Hawaiʻi hit .451 as a team in the win. Sophomore opposite Kainoa Wade led the team with 16 kills, while sophomore outside hitter Adrien Roure hit .500 and finished with 14 kills.

“Tonight everyone was really efficient,” Sakanoko said. “I think the more spread out the offense is, the better for us because it’s one or two blockers maximum, so it’s always really nice.”

Middle blocker Jordan Trevell also hit .636 without an error and had seven kills on 11 swings. Setter Tread Rosenthal recorded 46 assists and added three kills, while libero Quintin Greenidge also contributed a point.

Hawaiʻi dropped the second set by the minimum two points but responded by winning the third set by its largest margin of the match.

Greenidge noted that playing at home helps the team stay composed after a setback.

“There’s just a level of comfort that we have on this court,” he said. “Even after losing that second set, we can go back (in the locker room), come back out, see all our fans and just reset and know that we can win.”

Wade also made a key substitution after the intermission, inserting sophomore middle blocker Ofeck Hazan, who finished with four kills on six swings.

“We weren’t really touching much in the middle. (BYU was) running the middle a fair amount and scoring, and Ofeck is just kind of that high-energy guy. Always gives you a lift. Does a lot of things that never show up on the stats,” Wade said.

Ofeck Hazan (16) celebrates after a Hawai’i point in the fourth set. | Photo: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

“Thought it was a good spot for him to come in, and he absolutely delivered.”

Trent Moser led the Cougars (13-3) with a match-high 18 kills in the loss.

Hawaii caps AC Carter Night with dramatic overtime win over UC Santa Barbara

Hawaii caps AC Carter Night with dramatic overtime win over UC Santa Barbara

Feb 21, 2026

Hawaii caps AC Carter Night with dramatic overtime win over UC Santa Barbara

Hawai’i guard Hunter Erickson (0) raises his fist in celebration after the Rainbow Warriors outlasted UC Santa Barbara in overtime. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

HONOLULU – A night to remember.

Playing for a season-high audience of more than 8,000 fans and some of the greatest names in program history, the University of Hawai’i men’s basketball team outlasted UC Santa Barbara inside Bankoh Arena at Stan Sheriff Center on Saturday evening in overtime, 78-75.

“This one is one that I’ll never forget,” said head coach Eran Ganot after the win. “I cannot thank the power of the Hawai’i fanbase for their love and passion and emotion that they showed in there.”

Celebrating program legend Anthony ‘AC’ Carter’s jersey retirement, Hawai’i icons spanning from the 1970s through the 1990s and into the 21st century returned to the islands for a weekend celebration fit for a superstar.

University of Hawai’i legend Anthony Carter poses with a framed version of his retired jersey alongside UH athletics director Matt Elliott. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

It sparked an overwhelming sense of pride in the program as members from the over 100-plus year history of the program gathered in the same place to celebrate Rainbow Warrior royalty together. That program-wide togetherness became a rallying cry for the UH coaching staff to the team entering the weekend after suffering the first two-game losing streak of the season.

After beautiful renditions of the national anthem and Hawai’i Pono’i from Henry Kapono and the City of Refuge Christian Church sparked up the noise inside the Stan Sheriff Center, the teams got right to business trading stops and a few early buckets as the Gauchos took an early 7-5 lead through five minutes.

Ike Finlinson started to wake up the Rainbow Warriors on offense, scoring all nine of his points in the first 12 minutes of action to push the hosts ahead by the under-eight-minute media timeout, 22-15.

After being held to a 2-for-13 stretch through the middle of the opening stanza, UC Santa Barbara found the offensive fuel over the final seven minutes as they made six of their final 10 shots from the floor, including back-to-back threes with under a minute remaining to take a 32-30 lead at the break.

“Lapses are killers,” said junior guard Isaiah Kerr when asked about the end of the opening frame for Hawai’i. “It’s simple stuff where we’re kind of beating ourselves, and so that was the conversation at halftime. We’re playing good defense, sometimes we beat ourselves and we had to make that change.”

The Gauchos continued to gain separation when play resumed, scoring the first six points out of the locker rooms to extend out to a 38-30 lead over the Rainbow Warriors. Seniors Dre Bullock and Harry Rouhliadeff took turns getting the offense restarted for UH, scoring the next seven points to pull the hosts back within one, but back-to-back buckets by Aidan Mahaney put the visitors back up by a handful.

Kerr made the change he spoke about wanting to see, sparking Hawai’i on both ends after re-entering the game by helping cool off the increasingly warm Mahaney with his defense and knocking down a triple and a couple of free throws as the Rainbow Warriors rallied ahead of the Gauchos with under nine minutes left to play, 52-51.

Hawaii G Isaiah Kerr closely guards UCSB’s Aidan Mahaney. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

“I said to [Isaiah Kerr] after the game, I have never seen a player play as hard as I did see him tonight,” Ganot shared. “What happened is a rising tide lifts all ships, and Dre then took it to another level.”

After UC Santa Barbara shoved back ahead by a handful with 5:03 remaining in regulation, Kerr and Bullock willed the Warriors back before Harry Rouhliadeff tied it twice in the final minute to send the game to overtime.

Kerr began the extra period with a 3-pointer from the right wing to ease the nerves of the 8,103 fans standing anxiously waiting and wanting to celebrate the memorable evening. The junior guard elicited the loudest pop from the crowd all night two minutes later as he forced UCSB forward Hosana Kitenge to foul out as Kerr finished a layup through contact to put the Rainbow Warriors ahead for good with 1:59 remaining.

“[The 3-pointer to begin overtime] wasn’t even the play that was set up originally,” Kerr said chuckling about his hot finish. “I was just wide open when I caught the ball, so I was like alright it’s going up, and it went in. I felt really good to get that start and then that kind of had me in a little bit of a more aggressive mindset.”

Hunter Erickson and Isaac Johnson each split trips to the free throw line to help keep UH up over the final minute and Kerr made the on-the-fly decision to not foul while up three as UCSB’s CJ Shaw forced up a contested 3-pointer from the right wing that clanked off the side iron and into Bullock’s hands to clinch the 78-75 win.

The victory snapped UH’s eight-game losing streak against UC Santa Barbara and returned the Rainbow Warriors into a tie atop the Big West standings with UC Irvine and Cal State Northridge with two weeks remaining in the regular season. The Anteaters fell at home against UC San Diego on Saturday night while CSUN clipped Long Beach State by two in Long Beach.

Dre Bullock paced Hawai’i in the win with 21 points, seven rebounds and three steals, going 7-for-16 from the field while knocking down 6-of-9 from the charity stripe. Isaiah Kerr added a season-high 17 points off of the bench for the Rainbow Warriors, scoring 15 points after halftime while drawing the defensive assignment of Aidan Mahaney for a majority of his 32 minutes of work.

Harry Rouhliadeff was the final player to finish in double figures for UH, scoring 10 points and recording two of the biggest baskets of the game for the hosts before fouling out in overtime.

Hawaii F Harry Rouhliadeff tosses up a putback with under a minute remaining to tie the game. | Photo Credit: Michael Lasquero, HSRN

“Harry’s battling foul trouble and he makes two of the biggest emotional plays,” Ganot quickly pointed out postgame. “That’s our captain, make no mistake.”

Colin Smith led the Gauchos with 19 points and eight rebounds in the loss while Marvin McGhee IV recorded his first double-double of the season with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Aidan Mahaney scored 16 points before fouling out in overtime but was held to 7-of-20 shooting from the floor and didn’t get to the free throw line in a game for the first time in the entire month of February.

Hawai’i (19-7, 11-5 Big West) will head to the continent next week for the final road trip of the regular season, visiting UC Davis on Thursday, February 26 before hopping over to face Cal State Fullerton on Saturday, February 28.

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Hawaii Pacific snaps slide with Senior Night rally over Azusa Pacific

Hawaii Pacific snaps slide with Senior Night rally over Azusa Pacific

Feb 20, 2026

Hawaii Pacific snaps slide with Senior Night rally over Azusa Pacific

The HPU Sharks Men’s Basketball team honor their seniors. | Photo: Riley Guillermo, HSRN

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HONOLULU – Swimming out of the Tank with one last win.

The Hawaii Pacific University men’s basketball team sent six players off with one last victory from inside the friendly confines of the Shark Tank on Thursday night, taking down Azusa Pacific, 75-66. Senior guard Joshua West scored a team-high 19 points in his final home game, helping the Sharks erase a halftime deficit to rally for a win for the fourth time this year.

Fellow senior Quinton McCullough added 16 points and five rebounds in 26 minutes off the bench, going 8-of-11 from the floor and sparking the HPU offense in the second half. Junior guard Quentin Meza chipped in 13 points, four rebounds and a trio of assists for the Sharks while going 5-for-5 at the charity stripe as HPU (16-9, 12-8 PacWest) went 21-for-25 as a team from the free throw line.

“Ultimately, we absolutely had to have this game to try and qualify for the conference tournament,” said head coach Jesse Nakanishi following the win as the Sharks momentarily claimed third place in the PacWest standings for themselves.

Entering Thursday on a three-game slide, Nakanishi acknowledged that his squad had not been playing their best basketball. Even worse, it was different areas in HPU’s game showing cracks.

Against Point Loma, HPU struggled with turnovers and getting stops against the top team in the conference. Homecoming night against Fresno Pacific saw the Sharks start slow, falling down 23-2 through the opening 11 minutes of action last Saturday.

Tuesday’s Field Trip Game, an annual treat for the Shark Bite Mentorship program under Nakanishi’s watch, was supposed to help boost his team with over 400 screaming keiki in attendance. It helped HPU spar with Jessup for the opening 20 minutes, but the defense evaporated after halftime and the Warriors took a 23-point lead with under 10 minutes to play.

The Sharks battled to rally over the final few minutes against Jessup, but the 23-point deficit proved to be too much as they fell for the first time ever on Field Trip Day and suddenly had put their postseason hopes in peril.

Thursday brought another opportunity, the final one at home, for HPU to get back on track before closing the regular season on the road.

It appeared like it’d be more of the same for the Sharks though as Azusa Pacific (6-18, 4-15 PacWest) got out of the gates quickly, taking a 12-3 lead over the hosts after five minutes of action.

The Azusa advantage grew into double figures as the clock hit the nine-minute mark of the opening stanza, taking a 28-17 lead after back-to-back 3-pointers from Caleb Oden and Tobias Aisien.

In search of a jolt of energy, Nakanishi dusted off trusted senior reserve Kemp Van Es for just the 10th game this season and got results as the guard drilled a triple from the top of the key with a defender closing in to help power the Sharks on a 19-9 run.

“When you go [through rough stretches], you don’t hit the panic button, but you look for the spark button, if you will,” Nakanishi said in response about trying different rotation combinations than usual throughout the night.

Meza finished another layup through contact and added the free throw after to make it a 37-36 deficit for HPU just before the break, but APU guard DM Sanders drained his second 3-pointer of the night before the horn to send the Cougars into the locker rooms leading the Sharks by four.

Quentin Meza (3) celebrates after making a play against Azusa Pacific. | Photo: Riley Guillermo, HSRN

Then, it seemed like the funk started to finally lift from HPU.

Nakanishi inserted McCullough into the opening five out of the break, replacing freshman Ike Sutton in the starting lineup for the second half after the forward tallied eight points in the opening half.

It was once again the right lever to pull – or button to press – by Nakanishi.

McCullough scored six of HPU’s first eight points out of halftime, helping put the Sharks ahead for the first time all night just two and a half minutes after play resumed. The two squads sparred momentarily until Azusa Pacific punched back, taking a five-point lead back with 10:19 left in regulation after getting to the line eight times over a three-minute stretch and forcing Nakanishi to take a timeout.

Sutton was back in following the timeout, stepping up alongside Nemanja Sarenac and a trio of seniors as HPU threw a few quick jabs with three straight buckets from Josh Niusulu, McCullough and Maj Dusanic to take a 58-57 lead as the clock ticked under nine minutes left to play.

The Sharks would not trail again.

Quinton McCullough gets a dunk off past a Azusa Pacific defender. | Photo: Riley Guillermo, HSRN

Sutton added on three points from the line after getting fouled on a triple as the shot clock expired and drilled a pull-up jumper from 14 feet away to extend the advantage to six for HPU with 5:18 to go.

“He’s a tough kid for as small as he is,” Nakanishi glowingly said of Sutton. “He really has great on-ball defense and just puts pressure on defenses on the other end.”

Meza and West took turns delivering the daggers into Azusa Pacific’s comeback hopes, guiding HPU to a calm 75-66 victory in the final meeting against the Cougars as PacWest rivals.

APU will transition to the NCAA’s Division III level following the conclusion of the 2025-26 academic calendar and join the SCIAC as the school celebrates the return of the football program.

Sanders led the way for Azusa Pacific with 14 points in the loss, shooting just 3-of-13 from the field but knocking down a pair of threes for the Cougars. The senior from San Diego also knocked down 6-of-7 free throws while the team went 16-for-23 from the charity stripe as a whole.

Graduate transfer Shad Thomas recorded his 12th double-double of the year for APU, chipping in 10 points and collecting 13 rebounds in 37 minutes of work.

Hawaii Pacific will hit the road for the final two games of the regular season, needing one more victory to clinch a spot in the PacWest Tournament. The Sharks will visit conference-leading Point Loma on Thursday, February 26 before wrapping up the regular season against another squad looking to secure a postseason spot in Concordia on Saturday, February 28.

“We’re going to play two of the best teams in the league,” Nakanishi flatly stated. “If you want to be the best, you’ve got to beat the best is the message.”

Joshua West (center) was one of the six HPU seniors that were honored. | Photo: Riley Guillermo, HSRN

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KANEOHE — Kaiser built a four-touchdown lead, weathered a spirited Castle comeback and pulled away for a 42-20 victory Friday night in an OIA Division II game. The Cougars got back into the win column as they improved to 4-2 overall and 3-2 in...

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‘Iolani Rallies, Then Rolls Past Punahou 5-2 to Defend Division I State Crown

‘Iolani Rallies, Then Rolls Past Punahou 5-2 to Defend Division I State Crown

Feb 12, 2026

Soichi Amakata (22) battles with a Punahou defender to gain possession for ‘Iolani. | Photo Credit: Daniel Fujita, HSRN

‘Iolani Rallies, Then Rolls Past Punahou 5-2 to Defend Division I State Crown

BY HSRN STAFF | HONOLULU
PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 12, 2026

WAIPAHU – For the first time all season, ‘Iolani faced adversity.

For the rest of the night, the Raiders responded like champions.

After falling behind early, ‘Iolani erupted for five goals — including two from sophomore Chase Yamashita — to defeat Punahou 5-2 Wednesday night at Waipio Peninsula Soccer Stadium before an estimated crowd of 850 fans. The victory secured the Raiders’ second straight Division I state title, third in four years, and 12th overall.

“It feels pretty amazing. It might be one of the best feelings I’ve ever felt my whole life,” Yamashita said. “Everyone on the team, they all want to win so from the bench players to the actual starters, they’re all supporting each other no matter what.”

Early Punch, Immediate Response

Punahou struck first in the 16th minute when Thompson Cheever found the back of the net, giving the Buffanblu a 1-0 advantage.

It marked the first time all season that ‘Iolani (13-0) had trailed in a match.

“We haven’t been down all season, but we knew that we’d be okay and we just had to fight through that adversity and trust each other,” said senior midfielder Devin Lee, who was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. “It was just one early mistake that we had, a miscommunication, but it just mattered how we bounced back and we were able to come up with a goal right afterwards.”

That equalizer came in the 22nd minute when Yamashita converted off a pass from Lucas Ginoza, sending the teams into halftime tied 1-1.

Second-Half Surge

‘Iolani wasted little time seizing control after the break.

In the 45th minute, Lee finished off an assist from Yamashita to give the Raiders their first lead of the night. From there, the floodgates opened.

Brody Awaya made it 3-1 in the 57th minute with a header off a corner kick from Lee. Just one minute later, Soichi Amakata extended the lead to 4-1.

Brady Lau pulled one back for Punahou in the 60th minute, but Yamashita answered two minutes later, finishing off a pass from Amakata to close the scoring at 5-2.

“Our team’s energy just got up and it started from the bench to the players and the players just had all this energy,” Yamashita said. “Once we got one goal, it just piled on over and over. I thought that was a great team effort by us.”

‘Iolani outshot Punahou 14-12 and held a decisive 10-4 edge in shots on goal, capitalizing on its chances while maintaining steady pressure throughout the second half. Braydon Obero-Ueno made two saves in goal for the Raiders, while Ethan Eagle recorded five saves for Punahou.

A Perfect Season

The championship capped a dominant 13-0 campaign

in which the Raiders outscored opponents 54-8 and won 11 of their 13 matches by two or more goals. They finished as the lone undefeated team statewide without a loss or a tie.

“It wasn’t as easy as it seems,” said longtime ‘Iolani coach Chris Lee. “You know, motivating them every day — because they knew that they could play at a very high level — that was part of the challenge, but to their credit, this group rose to the challenge every time it was asked to them and especially tonight against a Punahou team that has been improving throughout the course of the season.”

The title game marked the third meeting between the Interscholastic League of Honolulu rivals this season. ‘Iolani previously defeated Punahou 3-1 on Dec. 17 at Alexander Field and 4-0 on Jan. 21 at Kozuki Stadium.

“We knew that they weren’t going to give up. We knew that they were going to fight to the very end and fortunately our players took that to heart and knew that they had to play up to our standard and play the way, as a team, that we’re capable of playing in order to beat a really good Punahou team,” Lee said.

Punahou finished the season 11-4 and was seeking its 23rd overall state championship — its first since 2020.

But on this night, after an early scare, ‘Iolani proved once again why it stands atop Division I boys soccer — resilient, relentless, and undeniably dominant.

 

By the Numbers (from official stats sheet)

  • Final: ‘Iolani 5, Punahou 2

  • Shots: ‘Iolani 14, Punahou 12

  • Shots on Goal: ‘Iolani 10, Punahou 4

  • Goals: Yamashita (2), Lee, Awaya, Amakata

  • Assists: Ginoza, Yamashita, Lee, Amakata

  • Saves: Obero-Ueno 2; Eagle 5

Hele/HHSAA Boys Soccer State Championships All-Tournament Team
(As selected by the HHSAA and media)

 
Division I
Thompson Cheever, Punahou
Asa Hironaka, Iolani
Kimat Holcomb, Punahou
Kekama Kane, Iolani
Elijah Kuni, Mililani
Brady Lau, Punahou
Davian-Fox McElfresh, Kalani
Rylan Sergent, Mililani
Chase Yamashita, Iolani
Goalkeeper: Braydon Obrero-Ueno, Iolani
Most Outstanding Player: Devin Lee, Iolani
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 HONOLULU – There’s plenty different about this year’s Rainbow Warriors. The University of Hawai’i men’s basketball team officially opened up practice for the 2026-27 season on Monday, embarking on the program’s first journey through a new...

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Kapaʻa Claims Revenge, Shuts Out Kamehameha-Hawaiʻi 3-0 for Division II State Title

Kapaʻa Claims Revenge, Shuts Out Kamehameha-Hawaiʻi 3-0 for Division II State Title

Feb 12, 2026

Kapaʻa Claims Revenge, Shuts Out Kamehameha-Hawaiʻi 3-0 for Division II State Title

BY HSRN STAFF | HONOLULU
PUBLISHED FEBRUARY 12, 2026

WAIPAHU – Four days later than planned and one year removed from heartbreak, Kapaʻa made sure this ending was different.

Behind a dominant defensive effort and three second-half connections from its senior core, Kapaʻa defeated Kamehameha-Hawaiʻi 3-0 Wednesday afternoon at Waipio Peninsula Soccer Stadium to capture the 2026 Hele/HHSAA Division II Boys Soccer State Championship. The Warriors finished the season unbeaten at 13-0-2 and secured the program’s fourth state title (2009, 2013, 2019, 2026).

It was a rematch of last year’s title game — a 1-0 loss that lingered all offseason.

“It means a lot,” said senior Omar Perez, who was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. “Coming back here is our revenge for last year because that was devastating. Now that we won this, it’s just beautiful and for my senior year.”

Setting the Tone Early

Originally scheduled for Saturday, the championship was pushed back four days due to weather. When kickoff finally arrived, Kapaʻa wasted little time asserting control.

Perez opened the scoring in the 19th minute, finishing with his left foot to give the Warriors a 1-0 advantage. From there, Kapaʻa leaned on its structure and discipline against a Kamehameha-Hawaiʻi squad that entered with 61 goals on the season, led by senior Micah Chung’s state-best 20.

“We knew we were up against the top goal scorer in the state, so the thought was if we could keep him out of the goal, there’s a good chance they’ll end up with a zero on the score sheet,” said Kapaʻa head coach Kevin Cram. “So we worked hard on defensive support, working together, and scrimmaging ourselves gave us the best opportunity to learn that standard.”

The plan worked. Kamehameha-Hawaiʻi managed just two shots on goal despite 16 total attempts, repeatedly turned away by a connected back line and goalkeeper Kiaʻāina Velasco.

Pulling Away After Halftime

Three minutes into the second half, Hunter Kerry doubled the lead.

Off a feed from Keoni Dasalia, Kerry struck cleanly to put Kapaʻa ahead 2-0.

“I think it just came to me and soon as it came off my foot I knew it was in,” Kerry said.

For Kerry, the moment was about more than just the goal.

“I’ve grown up with these boys, been with them, played club soccer with them. I love them to death,” he said.

Kapaʻa was outshot by Kamehameha-Hawaiʻi 14-16 overall but held a decisive 7-2 edge in shots on goal, capitalizing on its chances while limiting clean looks at the other end.

Perez helped seal it in the 65th minute, assisting Bear Miller for the final goal of the afternoon.

“Miller, that’s my boy. We’ve played together since we were five years old,” Perez said. “It just happens. I heard him yell for the ball and I didn’t even look back, just played it right to him.”

The chemistry was evident — a group that grew up together delivering on the biggest stage.

A Fitting Farewell

The victory served as a storybook sendoff for Cram, who has led Kapaʻa since 2005. The championship marked his fourth state title at the helm before he departs in April for an 18-month mission trip to Peru.

“I was hoping I would go out as a winner, and it feels good,” Cram said.

For Kamehameha-Hawaiʻi (11-2-2), the loss halted its bid for a fourth state championship in five years and fifth overall. But on this afternoon, Kapaʻa’s discipline, defensive execution, and senior leadership proved too much.

Four days late — and one year in the making — the Warriors left Waipio with redemption, hardware, and a championship that meant just a little more.

 

By the Numbers (from official stats sheet)

  • Final Score: Kapaʻa 3, Kamehameha-Hawaiʻi 0

  • Shots: Kapaʻa 14, KSH 16

  • Shots on Goal: Kapaʻa 7, KSH 2

  • Goals: Perez (19’), Kerry (43’), Miller (65’)

  • Assists: Dasalia (Kerry), Perez (Miller)

  • Saves: Velasco 2; Shayde Dela Cruz 4

Hele/HHSAA Boys Soccer State Championships All-Tournament Team
(As selected by the HHSAA and media)

 
Division II
Kepa Afalla-Constantino, Kapaa
Gabriel Arquitola, KS-Hawaii
Micah Chung, KS-Hawaii
Keoni Dasalia, Kapaa
Andrew Durocher, Kapaa
Kanoa Honda, KS-Hawaii
Hunter Kerry, Kapaa
Zach Montgomery, Hawaii Prep
Tanoa Muskat, KS-Hawaii
Goalkeeper: Kiaaina Velasco, Kapaa
Most Outstanding Player: Omar Perez, Kapaa
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Hawai’i basketball rolls into brand new era with brand new roster

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 HONOLULU – There’s plenty different about this year’s Rainbow Warriors. The University of Hawai’i men’s basketball team officially opened up practice for the 2026-27 season on Monday, embarking on the program’s first journey through a new...

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