PUHI — The Kapa‘a Warriors used five goals from five different players to charge past the Island School Voyagers in boys KIF soccer play Wednesday afternoon at Island School. The Warriors maintained possession throughout the majority of the game, using
PUHI — The Kapa‘a Warriors used five goals from five different players to charge past the Island School Voyagers in boys KIF soccer play Wednesday afternoon at Island School.
The Warriors maintained possession throughout the majority of the game, using their size and speed to out position the Voyagers.
Devin Dylan’s goal in the 16th minute for the Warriors turned out to be the only one the team needed, but the Kapa‘a came out of the gate hard and scored four more, leaving head coach Kevin Cram happy with what he saw.
“We have a young team and most of them haven’t played at this level,” Cram said. “We weren’t sure of what we had. For the first game I was pleased with the play.”
The Warriors pressured from the start and finally broke through when Joshua Cram put a crossing pass right on the right foot of Devin, who gently booted the ball past the Island School keeper.
The Warriors went up 2-0 when Trevor McCracken put a crossing pass into the net in the 29th minute. Kapa‘a capped off an offense onslaught at the end of the first half with a goal by Sonny Check in the 38th minute.
Coach Cram said his team’s ability to maintain control and pepper Island School with scoring opportunities was a good sign early in the season.
“Possession is the main thing,” Cram said. “To see it happen is a good indicator.”
In the second half, the Warriors picked right back up when Brandon Napiorkowski took a slick pass from McCracken and slid it into the net.
The Warriors would add their fifth and final goal in the 76th minute when Joshua Cram booted a free kick into the top of the net.
For the Voyagers, coach Sean Magoun said he saw some positives from his team despite the loss. Island School is a young team with just four seniors, he said, and Wednesday was an opportunity for the team to work together in game action.
“For our guys it was a wake up call for how high school soccer is played on Kaua‘i,” Magoun said. “We’re good at making adjustments as the season goes on. Playing games are the best life lessons. Now when we go back to practice and a coach says ‘Hey hurry it up,’ they’ll hurry it up.”
Magoun said it was ultimately the speed of the Warriors with which the Voyagers couldn’t keep pace. And when a team lacks speed, Magoun said, possession becomes key.
“If we’re not going to be faster we got to be better at possession,” he said. “The basic facts are that if you don’t posses the ball you’re not going to score.”
Cram echoed a similar point from the Warrior side. He said he was pleased with the outcome of the game, but ultimately in these earlier games, it’s more about how you win instead of by how much.
“We like the win, but it’s the style of play were working on more than the final score,” Cram said. “If we do that the scores will come.”
In girls’ soccer action, the Kaua‘i Red Raiders used three first half goals to down the Waimea Menehune, 5-1, Wednesday afternoon at Vidinha Stadium.
Scoring for the Red Raiders were Hayley Walcher, Alyssa Vegas, Kawailehua Hamberg and Marissa Ruiz. Netting the Menehune lone goal was Jayme Knapp.
