The Waimea Menehune have captured the attention of the entire state, with their courageous run during the 2005 HHSAA/Meadow Gold Dairies Boys Soccer State Championships. Last night, despite heavy rains, the Menehune were able to dominate Kealakehe of the Big
The Waimea Menehune have captured the attention of the entire state, with their courageous run during the 2005 HHSAA/Meadow Gold Dairies Boys Soccer State Championships.
Last night, despite heavy rains, the Menehune were able to dominate Kealakehe of the Big Island, 5-0 to grab the highest finish ever for a KIF team in boys soccer.
The history book in boys soccer will have the title, “Mene-History!” After dismantling two OIA power-houses, Kaiser and then the 4-time defending champion Mililani Trojans, which got them to the semifinals against Kamehameha-O‘ahu, the Menehune will in our minds as one of the greatest teams ever.
The crowd at Kana‘iapuni Stadium on Maui was treated to a cinderella story, involving the Menehune, who almost made it to the state title game, a feat which was once thought impossible, especially without being seeded.
Head coach Mark Kennett, whose squad won the KIF title for the first time since 1999, has to be ecstatic about his team’s play in this year’s state tournament.
In the third-place game against Kealakehe, three different Menehune penetrated the goal.
Waimea pounced on the Big Island squad early on with three first-half goals. Wailea Arquette slammed home his first goal of the game at the eighth minute.
Then Jeff Kakuda got goal happy with a score in the 30th minute. Waimea wasn’t satisfied with just two first-half goals, as Chad “Mighty Mouse” Thomp-championships off of a corner kick at the 33rd minute for the 3-0 first-half mar-gin.
Kakuda came calling again and dialed up another goal at the 66th minute for Waimea.
Arquette slapped home the final score at the 73rd minute for the 5-0 triumph.
Waimea goalie Justin Estes was spectacular again with the shut-out, which included four saves. Kealakehe’s Andrew Ackerly got six saves in the loss.
Waimea outshot Kealakehe, 16-4, but the Big Islanders put up two more goal kicks than the Menehune with the 12-10 margin.
Waimea finishes its amazing season as the third-best team in the state with a combined record of 8-1-2.
