WAILUA — Over the past weekend, four men’s soccer teams met at the Wailua Homesteads Field to decide who would stand victorious at the end of the Kaua’i men’s playoff tournament. The first, a consolation game, was between the Wailua
WAILUA — Over the past weekend, four men’s soccer teams met at the Wailua Homesteads Field to decide who would stand victorious at the end of the Kaua’i men’s playoff tournament.
The first, a consolation game, was between the Wailua Kryptonite and the Kilauea Killers.
The game proved to be an even match-up for the first half but then slipped into a Kryptonite victory. The young and more balanced Kryptonite team took over in the second half.
The final score was 4-1, leaving Scott Miles’ first year-squad in fourth place and the tournament defending camps in third place.
The afternoon’s contest was marked by hard physical play and a few small kine skirmishes.
The Westside Afterburners had brought their “A” game all season against the Hanalei Soccer Club, beating or tying them in all previous meetings.
However a new moon was getting ready to shine over the sleeping giant.
As if by miracle, the Hanalei Soccer Club figured out how to play together as a team.
On Sunday, Hanalei drew first blood.
Charles Dubacage lunged and struck a centering feed to Anthony Tangelder, who half volleyed his best shot of the season past the Afterburner goalie.
Just before the end of the first half, Westside had its best scoring chance of the game, putting a shot off the crossbar. The follow-up shot ended up trapped between the legs of one of its own men on the goal line.
As the player rolled and tried to flip the ball the extra 10 inches needed to score, Hanalei defender Brad Smith came through, clearing the ball out to the corner.
Without the use of instant replay, no one really knows whether it was a goal or not.
Luck continued in Hanalei’s favor as Charles Dubacage, the recipient of the league’s top offender award, tapped in a point-blank shot to give a comfortable two-point lead to Hanalei.
Bad soon became worse for the Afterburners when they lost their center forward Preston Cupchoy for intentionally hand-balling a cornerkick into the net.
The proverbial nail in the coffin came from the vast head of Bobby Tangelder, league veteran, who headed in a perfect serve from Josh Tasler from the corner.
Westside deserves credit for brining home the regular season first place trophy as well as fielding the leagues best defensive player, Kevin Celebrado.
Play will resume again in September.
