A rematch is in the making as the Waimea Canefires swept the Spartans 8-0 in the semifinals of the Boys Under 14 division at the Wil Veeck soccer tournament Thursday. Earlier, the Kalaheo Cruisers handled the Dragons 5-0 with Caleb
A rematch is in the making as the Waimea Canefires swept the Spartans 8-0 in the semifinals of the Boys Under 14 division at the Wil Veeck soccer tournament Thursday.
Earlier, the Kalaheo Cruisers handled the Dragons 5-0 with Caleb Licke scoring all five of the Kalaheo goals.
The result sets the stage for the rematch between the two American Youth Soccer Organization Region 940 teams similar to the finals showdown last week in Hanapepe Stadium.
Both teams take the field at 1:45 p.m. today at Vidinha Stadium.
Licke demonstrated his sportsmanship during the contest after getting four goals in the opening quarter for the early 4-0 Kalaheo lead.
“I want Trysen to score,” he told the Cruisers’ coach Tony Garma between the quarters.
That set the stage for the second quarter when Kalaheo moved Trysen Kaneshige up from defense to the right wing, but despite the efforts from Licke, the Dragons’ goalkeeper stopped the shots.
“They’re (the Dragons) are an excellent team,” said Pete Oliver, a longtime official and parent of Kaua‘i soccer. “But they normally play nine-a-side, and since Kalaheo has no substitutes, they’re playing eight-a-side and it looks like the players are having a hard time adjusting.”
Kalaheo controlled the contest up until the fourth quarter when the Dragons finally found their wings, and despite peppering the goal with shots, none would sink.
That effort was led by Joshua Cram and Justin Medina with Ty Shiramizu getting in the final-minute attempts.
On defense, Licke was able to get over the pressure exerted by Dragon Kana‘i Oliver and Robert Soares.
But aside from trying to set up Kaneshige for goals, Licke’s final goal came after being smacked in the face with the ball, but recovering to drive home the goal after beating out the Dragon defender on the wing on a breakaway play.
Following his opening goal, Licke went one-on-one with the Dragon goalkeeper, and won. He followed that score with a pass off to Tanner Henry who passed it back to him for the shot up the middle. Another combination play from Licke to Lauren Wheatley, the only girl on the Cruiser team, to Henry and back to Licke capped a nice passing series upfield for the 4-0 lead.
“Nice goal,” Spartan coach Steve Devin said following David Joyce’s second-half score.
In a demonstration of sportsmanship, Devin was constantly encouraging his own players while acknowledging the good play of the Waimea players on the field.
“Nice play 7,” Devin said of John Joyce’s second-half scoring.
The Canefires opened as Erik Siles netted back-to-back goals, the first coming off a corner kick over the efforts of the Spartan goalie. He followed that with another score after taking a pass from David Joyce.
Kaina Dusenberry, playing the right wing, beat out the Spartan defender on a breakaway score, his first of three in the night. Dusenberry’s two other scores came in the second half.
Austin Chicoine gave the Canefires its 4-0 halftime lead.
In addition to Dusenberry’s two goals, David Joyce and John Joyce scored to advance the Canefires to its rematch against the Kalaheo Cruisers.
As the minutes ticked down, Licke’s final showing in the game was a block of a Shiramizu shot-on-goal.
Finals for the Wil Veeck soccer tournament start at 9 a.m. when the Kilauea Panthers take on the Lihu‘e Wahine Slashers for the GU12 title. That contest will be followed by two AYSO Region 941 teams going up for the BU12 title as the Northshore Psychos take on the Northshore Bombers at 10:30 a.m.
At noon, the Waimea Onipa‘a 14 team will meet the Hanalei Heat for the title in the GU14 division followed by the rematch between the Kalaheo Cruisers and the Waimea Canefires starting at 1:45 p.m.
At 3:30 p.m., two AYSO Region 941 girls teams will grapple for the title in the GU19 division.
All games will be at Vidinha Stadium.
