MILILANI — They came in pink but left with gold. The pink-shirted Ha‘aheo squad — competing in the Under 12 Girls Premiere Division — was easy to spot throughout the Mililani 7-A-Side Soccer Tournament, first for their handmade unis and then
MILILANI — They came in pink but left with gold.
The pink-shirted Ha‘aheo squad — competing in the Under 12 Girls Premiere Division — was easy to spot throughout the Mililani 7-A-Side Soccer Tournament, first for their handmade unis and then for the bling around their necks.
Coach Bobbie Rapozo cut out the numbers for each girl’s jersey and sewed them on by hand, then stood by as the girls were crowned champs.
Emblazoned and blazing, Ha‘aheo went undefeated in pool play and allowed just two goals in its first five games, coach Lenny Rapozo said.
In a rematch from an early 0-0 stalemate in pool play, the pink shirts met Ka‘oi Rampage — a team ranked both statewide and nationally — in the finals.
After regulation and two overtimes, it was more of the same: 0-0.
Even after the clock stopped, the defensive battle raged on.
After the first five rounds of the shootout: 1-1.
Then Ashlie Overmyer took the line and sent one soaring over the Ka‘oi Rampage goalie’s head before nestling in the net for the score.
Malu Vegas, Ha‘aheo’s invaluable goalie throughout the tournament, who had just allowed only the third ball to get past her in the six games and change, stopped the final shot to give her team the victory and the title.
In pool play, Malu’s wizardry in goal was matched by Caitlyn Rapozo’s golden foot in the field. Caitlyn netted Ha‘aheo’s only goal in a 1-1 tie against Rust Soccer Club to open the tournament and notched two more in a 4-0 rout of Real Soccer Club in the final game of pool play. Machaela Rapozo and Jannin Hashizume each added a goal to advance the pink shirts to the semifinals.
The Machaela-Jannin combo took over from there, scoring both goals in a 2-1 win over Ka‘oi Attack Soccer Club to lead Ha‘aheo to the finals.
GIFC-Remix, Lihu‘e Cougars and Westside United were the other Kaua‘i teams in the tournament, Lenny Rapozo said.
Ha‘aheo’s roster includes Ashlie Overmyer, Machaela Rapozo, Keani Hawkins-Tabian, Jannin Hashizume, Kayla Chang, Maegan Wong, Mariah Pai, Mia Cabulisan, Caitlyn Rapozo, Malu Vegas and Anuhea Panui.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com.
