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Monday Morning MIL: Baldwin, Seabury Hall boys soccer teams tune up for states; Maui High girls basketball wins MIL championship

By Rob Collias
February 3, 2025, 7:00 AM HST

The Baldwin High School boys soccer team has claimed eight Maui Interscholastic League Division I championships since 2010, including the last three in a row. Seabury Hall has won 16 of the last 17 MIL Division II titles, although the Spartans were the only team at that level from 2018-23.

Baldwin High School's Ryzen Pedroza (left) battles on the ball with Seabury Hall's Owen McCarthy during their scrimmage match on Wednesday. The Spartans won the battle between MIL champions 2-1. HJI / ROB COLLIAS photo
Baldwin High School’s Ryzen Pedroza (left) battles on the ball with Seabury Hall’s Owen McCarthy during their scrimmage match on Wednesday. The Spartans won the battle between MIL champions 2-1. HJI / ROB COLLIAS photo

So, it was a match made in soccer heaven when the Bears and Spartans played a scrimmage game on Wednesday at Keōpūolani Park field No. 4 in order to help both teams tune up for this week’s Motiv8 Foundation/HHSAA state tournaments.

The Spartans came out on top 2-1 on second-half goals by Owen McCarthy and Ashton Garzon, while the Bears got their goal from Caine Fernandez Loui to climb within one with eight minutes remaining. The Bears beat the Spartans 1-0 in a similar scrimmage game in November.

While the Bears were tested in MIL Division I play with five matches decided by one goal while going 11-1-0, the Spartans got only five matches played in MIL Division II play due to three matches being canceled. Seabury Hall beat Kīhei Charter and Moloka‘i by a combined 62-1 in the five league matches it played.

“This was super good, we appreciate it a lot because we need this kind of match to prepare for the state championship to have some competition where we need to be on our toes and play the best we have to keep up with this team,” Seabury Hall coach Diego Bohl Gonzalez Mekeel said. “So, it’s Division I champion versus Division II champion — it’s like a Super Copa, so we’re stoked.”

Baldwin High School's Bryan Chaves controls the ball as Seabury Hall's Sebastian Garzon (left) and Wills Levy close in during their scrimmage match on Wednesday. HJI / ROB COLLIAS photo
Baldwin High School’s Bryan Chaves controls the ball as Seabury Hall’s Sebastian Garzon (left) and Wills Levy close in during their scrimmage match on Wednesday. HJI / ROB COLLIAS photo

Fourth-seeded Seabury Hall will open the Division II state tournament against No. 5 Kahuku on Thursday at 3 p.m. at Waipi‘o Peninsula Soccer Complex. Also on Thursday at 3 p.m. at Waipio Peninsula Soccer Complex, No. 3 Baldwin will play the winner of today’s match between Campbell and Kaiser.

Bears coach Kaniela Palazzotto said extra scrimmages like Wednesday helps his team as well, although he was happy to boost Seabury Hall with the competition. 

“We want to help the Maui be successful no matter what,” Palazzotto said. “That team is good. … They definitely have a shot (at a state title). They’ve got some pieces. The problem is not playing competition and now when you get up there you are going to be playing a lot faster teams, a lot faster pace of play.”

The Bears won their final 11 league matches after losing 3-2 in their opener to King Kekaulike (10-2-0). Na Ali‘i host Kapolei in a first-round state match today at 4 p.m. with the winner advancing to face No. 1 Mililani on Thursday at 3 p.m. at Waipi‘o Peninsula Soccer Complex.

Baldwin High School's Mikah Sado (left) battles Seabury Hall's Cannon Vines on the ball while Baldwin's Tsubasa Thompson and Seabury Hall's Martin Parraguez look on Wednesday at Keopuolani Park. The Spartans beat the Bears 2-1 in a tuneup scrimmage for the teams as they prepare for the state tournaments. HJI / ROB COLLIAS photo
Baldwin High School’s Mikah Sado (left) battles Seabury Hall’s Cannon Vines on the ball while Baldwin’s Tsubasa Thompson and Seabury Hall’s Martin Parraguez look on Wednesday at Keopuolani Park. The Spartans beat the Bears 2-1 in a tuneup scrimmage for the teams as they prepare for the state tournaments. HJI / ROB COLLIAS photo

“Three (MIL championships) in a row, that was our goal starting out the season, and it’s really special it’s my first time to win three in a row in 20 years (as Bears head coach), so that was fun,” Palazzotto said. “We’re on a good little run here, so that’s good. We like to be peaking going in to the state tournament and we are, 11 straight wins, so we feel like we’re right where we need to be.”

The Bears have only three seniors — Maika Warner, Vincent Moore and Alexander Amasiu — and their state roster has 10 freshmen on it.

“Our talk in the beginning of the season was ‘You better catch us early because we’re young and we’re still trying to figure out ourselves, but if you catch us early, you’re not going to catch us late,’ ” Palazzotto said. “And that was kind of what happened.”

Due to injuries and academic problems, the Bears have used five goalkeepers this year. The likely starter for the state tournament is Fernandez Loui.

“This kid is special, probably one of the best juniors in the state,” Palazzotto said of Fernandez Loui. “Just super good on the field and doesn’t have a care for his body inside the goal. He just flies all over the place.”

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GIRLS BASKETBALL: Maui High wraps up first MIL championship since 1999, second ever

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The Maui High School girls basketball team completed a 14-0 run through the MIL Division I ranks to win its second league title ever in the sport, the first coming in 1999.

The Sabers finished their title run with a 53-22 win over Baldwin in the MIL tournament semifinals on Monday and a 42-33 win over Kamehameha Maui on Tuesday in the tournament final.

The Maui High School girls basketball team shows off their Maui Interscholastic League gold medals recently in the Izumi "Shine" Matsui Athletic Center. Maui High Athletics photo
The Maui High School girls basketball team shows off their Maui Interscholastic League gold medals recently in the Izumi “Shine” Matsui Athletic Center. Maui High Athletics photo

The Sabers are seeded No. 4 for the Pacific Century Fund Team Aloha/HHSAA Division I state tournament. In a quarterfinal Thursday at 7 p.m. at Kamehameha Schools Kapālama gym, Maui High will face the winner of today’s game between Campbell and Waiakea.

MIL D-I runner-up Kamehameha Maui (10-4) hosts Mililani today at 4 p.m. with the winner advancing to the quarterfinals on Thursday against No. 2 Konawaena at Damien gym.

In Division II play, three-time defending MIL champion Lāna‘i drew the No. 5 seed and will play Kaiser at Kalani gym Wednesday at 7 p.m. MIL runner-up Moloka‘i will play Hawai‘i Baptist Academy at 5 p.m. Wednesday at Kaimukī gym.

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GIRLS SOCCER: MIL teams combine to go 0-5 at state

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MIL Division I champion Kamehameha Maui lost both of its matches at the weather-delayed Motiv8 Foundation/HHSAA state tournament last week, losing its quarterfinal to Punahou 5-1 on Friday and its consolation match to Mililani 1-0 on Saturday.

MIL Division II champion Seabury Hall lost its two matches, 2-0 to Waimea in the quarterfinals and 6-1 to Pac-5 in consolation play at Waipi‘o Peninsula Soccer Complex.

MIL Division I runner-up Baldwin was beaten 4-3 in overtime by Campbell. The match was rain delayed after regulation time finished in a 3-3 tie at War Memorial Stadium on Monday. The match was completed on O‘ahu on Wednesday and the Bears were eliminated in the sixth minute of golden goal (sudden death) play in the first overtime.

HJI’s “Monday Morning MIL” columns appear weekly on Monday mornings with updates on local sports in the Maui Interscholastic League and elsewhere around Maui County. Please send column ideas — anything having to do with sports in Maui County — as well as results and photos to [email protected].

Rob Collias
Rob Collias is a general assignment reporter for the Hawai'i Journalism Initiative. He previously worked as a sports reporter for The Maui News and also spent time with the Pacific Daily News in Guam and the Honolulu Advertiser. He can be reached at [email protected].
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