Kapa‘a, Kaua‘i start state play today

Kapa‘a and Kaua‘i high schools’ boys soccer teams are on O‘ahu for the JN Automotive/Hawai‘i High School Association Division II State Soccer Championships, which starts at 3 p.m. today at the Waipi‘o Peninsula Soccer Complex.

Defending Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation champions, the Warriors, will face off against the Tigers of McKinley High School on Field 10.

KIF’s runners-up, the Red Raiders, who left for O‘ahu yesterday, will play the Canefires of Christian Liberty Academy of the Big Island, on Field 9.

“I don’t know anything about that team,” said Kaua‘i head coach Mark Brandeburg. “I’ve seen every team and played against every team from the Big Island except for them.”

Both the Warriors and the Raiders go into this championship tournament unseeded, but Brandeburg found something to serve as inspiration for Kaua‘i.

Kaua‘i’s counterparts on the girls side also went into the tournament unseeded but went on to win three consecutive games — a playoff game and two tournament matches — and took home the third-place finish.

“I kept talking to the kids as the girls kept advancing,” Brandeburg said. “We just have to go out there and play as hard as we can.”

Kapa‘a head coach Kevin Cram said that he is also unaware of McKinley’s playing style. The Warriors have played other O‘ahu teams before, but not them.

“We’re just going to play each game like it’s the only game that matters,” he said.

Both teams were affected by the split of the HHSAA boys soccer teams. This will be the first year teams have been split into divisions I and II.

The O‘ahu Interscholastic Association has claimed 10 boys championship titles so far, while a Neighbor Island school has yet to win one. The closest a Neighbor Island team got was in 2005 when the Menehune of Waimea High School finished third when they defeated Kealakehe High School.