LIHU’E — Cody Kimura came up with a hat trick (three goals) to lead the Kaua’i boys soccer squad to a 4-1 victory over Kapa’a Saturday night. The win gives Kaua’i hope for the title with Waimea breathing down their
LIHU’E — Cody Kimura came up with a hat trick (three goals) to lead the Kaua’i boys soccer squad to a 4-1 victory over Kapa’a Saturday night.
The win gives Kaua’i hope for the title with Waimea breathing down their neck, the Menehune needing just one more win to clinch the title.
Kaua’i has one more game to play, the season finale against Waimea in two weeks, but needs help to keep their spark alive – Kapa’a needs to win the Menehune men for Kaua’i’s hopes to stay kindled.
“Kapa’a needs to beat us twice,” Waimea assistant coach Mark Kennett said. “We need to be completely flat, and that is not going to happen.”
Kimura lost little time getting Kaua’i in the scorebooks as he went through traffic for a shot up the middle less than five minutes into the contest, and kneed his second goal that came from an indirect kick by Kaleo Baxter with less than ten minutes remaining in the half.
The 2-0 halftime lead was blemished as Kapa’a fired in a penalty kick by Micah Ohlen early in the second half.
Working through a physical Kapa’a squad, Kimura notched his third goal in the second half, outrunning his Kapa’a defender, stumbling, recovering, and firing from near point-blank range.
Justin Kashiwabara got an assist from Daniel Riggle for the final reading.
Angelina Ricci broke a 0-0 deadlock about midway through the second half to give the Red Raider ladies a reason to celebrate their KIF championship that was won against Waimea earlier in the week.
Assis Ruppert, Kai Kanoho, and Rayon Ribero each scored to lead the Kapa’a JV boys to a 3-1 win over Kaua’i.
Auwika Muragin, Kristen Shim, and Megan Vento each notched goals to lead the Kaua’i JV girls to a 3-0 shutout over Kapa’a, head coach Glenn Morita noting that the exceptional defensive efforts led by Darci Murata key to their opponents not being able to score on the JV team, and their goalies’ task made easier due to the strength of the defense.
