Region 941 of the American Youth Soccer Organization may have captured three of the four titles at the Wil Veech soccer tournament, but the spectators who took in the two nights of title play were the winners. Region 940 left
Region 941 of the American Youth Soccer Organization may have captured three of the four titles at the Wil Veech soccer tournament, but the spectators who took in the two nights of title play were the winners.
Region 940 left Vidinha Stadium with the title for the Under 14 Girls when the Kalaheo Milk held off a strong comeback effort from Eastside Makoa for a 4-3 margin and the title.
Earlier in the afternoon, the KFC team dedicated its play to fallen player Dylan Devin in claiming a 5-2 win over Boogie Nation in the Under 14 Boys championship game.
“Dylan got to play for 10 seconds,” said one mother following the KFC win.
The right wing became a casualty after falling while trying to win a Boogie Nation ball down the line. That created a 15-minute delay in play while the American Medical Response ambulance tended to the injured player before taking him to the hospital for further treatment, the rest of the KFC players circling the injured player and shook his hand before he was taken away.
Shaken the the mishap, Boogie Nation struck early as Micah Quinlan netted a goal on Boogie Nation’s first possession.
That was followed by a nice loft from the outside as Boogie Nation wing Kaina Dusenberry’s delivery arced just beyond the outstretched arms of KFC goalkeeper Christian Potter for a quick 2-0 lead.
But KFC was not done and Shane Nishioka answered with two quick goals, the first coming when he outraced the Boogie Nation stopper for a shot up the middle.
Nishioka went on to replace Potter at goalie for the second half, and despite Boogie Nation outgunning KFC in shots, Nishioka defended well to preserve its win.
Potter went on to score two goals and Brandon Napiorkowski scored a goal in the hotly-contested win.
Wyatt Taniguchi and Isaac Fiero did a good job of getting the ball to the front, and in the second half, Taniguchi’s foot was called on to pepper the goal.
Alyssa “Malu” Vegas netted two goals and Caitlyn Rapozo added another pair to keep the Kalaheo Milk in control of Eastside Makoa in that matchup.
Jannin Hashizume took advantage of lapses in the Kalaheo defense to score two goals in the effort. Ashlie Overmyer added the third goal for Makoa.
Overall, the girls’ matchup was one of defense as Makoa tried to keep Rapozo in check and containing Vegas.
Mia Cabulisan anchored the Kalaheo defense with Nicole Gardner doing an excellent job in the midfield while Kaylee Silva was the Makoa counterpart, playing both the stopper and goalkeeper positions.
Vegas broke the strong defensive stalemate late in the first quarter on a play up the middle, challenging Silva for the goal.
Rapozo, toying with defenders for ball control near midfield, finally banged the ball that soared past the Makoa goalkeeper for a 2-0 lead early in the second period.
But Hashizume got past Cabulisan and with no other defender around, netted Makoa’s first goal for a 2-1 halftime deficit.
Kalaheo coach Lono Gardner’s staff of Bobby Rapozo and Wayne Taniguchi turned their attention to the younger players, getting Emma Sloan to the forward middle position and Danika Thompson in midfield while moving Vegas to sweeper.
Working in tandem with Coral Green in the forward position, Hashizume found Overmyer who beat out the Kalaheo stopper for the tying goal in the third quarter.
Kalaheo answered with another Vegas goal with Rapozo adding another insurance goal in the third period.
But Makoa was not done yet as Hashizume found the net on a nice breakaway play in the final period to ignite the audience after scoring, the effort coming up short at the final whistle.
