Guzman’s foot leads Waimea-Waimea win

Kai Guzman’s foot got help from the wind on a shot from about 20 yards out Wednesday.

The wind added loft and the shot soared past the goalie in overtime.

The goal earned Waimea A, a Boys Under 14 squad coached by Ken Morikawa, the lead in the Wil Veeck tournament.

But the fireworks weren’t over. Waimea B squandered a penalty kick from almost dead on and fell short on several other efforts in a thrilling 3-2 loss to Waimea A.

“They played an excellent game,” AYSO regional commissioner Paul Jonas said. “Throughout the game, the coaches had balance. When one key player would leave the game, the opposing side pulled out theirs. It came down to the coaches and players.”

In regulation play, Kalama Resquer-Yorkman and Guzman scored for Waimea A, but were matched by Camden Nakashima and K.J. Morikawa, sending the game into overtime. It was Guzman’s long kick from the right side and the missed penalty kick that settled the dispute.

“This is supposed to be an inter-regional game,” Jonas said. “But it came down to not just two teams from the same region — they come from the same town!”

Earlier in the week, Reni Pereira, one of the team moms, said both teams emerged from the playoffs between Region 940 and Region 941 teams.

“These two teams are very close,” she said. “We are extremely proud of these boys.”

Jonas agreed, noting that even during play, both Morikawa and Steven Pereira, the opposing coach, sat together on the bench. During pre-game warm-ups and at the half, both coaches worked with players from both teams.

“This is what AYSO is about,” Jonas said.

Players from the Waimea A include Austin Chicoine, Bryle Rivera, Kai McConnel, Resquer-Yorkman, Mickey Yamane, Guzman, Pedro Zollinger, Wyatt Chicoine and Adam Acain.

Nakashima, Cody Nidwik, Morikawa, John Paul Joyce, Jordan Parongao, Joshua Quilan, Kevin Killerman, Stuart Pereira and Beau Acoba make up the Waimea B team.