Twice as nice: Kauai’s varsity squads beat Island School

Kauai High School and Island School came together for a double-header showdown on Wednesday evening.

Both Red Raider varsity soccer teams came away with victories at Vidinha Stadium, the boys winning 3-1 and the girls, 4-1.

Varsity boys

After an even first half that ended 1-1, Kauai scored two quick goals within six minutes of the start of the second half. Left forward Pono Bukoski led Kauai’s offensive charge, scoring both second-half goals.

He said the team switched from a 4-4-2 formation to a 4-3-3 formation to allow more forwards to attack upfront.

“It worked great,” Bukoski said.

One of Bukoski’s goals was set up with a pass from Kaiea Iwasaki.

“We just knew we had to score and we came up with a plan,” Iwasaki said. “Pono was at the right place at the right time and he put in some big goals.

Island School had the lead when forward Eman Zafirides scored the first goal of the game at the 34th minute of the match. But Kauai’s Reggie McFadden tied the score at the last minute of the first half before the Red Raiders went on to score twice later in the match.

“We had a momentary lapse,” said Island School head coach Sean Magoun.

Magoun said he, too, switched up formations going into the second half in favor of a more cautious approach but it didn’t go as planned.

“It didn’t quite work out,” he said.

Kauai head coach Mark Brandeburg was pleased with his team’s improvement since its last game.

“Last Saturday, we came out really flat. This week, they came out ready to play,” he said.

While Zafirides scored the only goal for Island School, he also earned a yellow card during the first half for contact with the opposing goalie.

“I didn’t think he was deliberate roughing the goalie. In fact, I thought he might have been pushed into the goalie,” Magoun said.

He also said he understands the officials must protect the goalies so he accepts the referee’s decision

Island School switched goalkeepers at halftime, starting Andres Elzaurdia in the first half and playing AJ Ort the second.

“Andres and AJ both played well, but they’re field players,” Magoun said. “My bench isn’t really deep with experience.”

Kauai will play 1:30 p.m. Saturday against Kapaa at Vidinha Stadium.

“Next game is going to be extremely difficult,” Brandeburg said. “Kapaa, they’re always tough.”

Island School will also play on Saturday at home against Waimea. That game is set to begin at 10 a.m.

Varsity girls

Already without first-string netminder Kelly Kay, Island School lost its second goalkeeper Cambria Ort at the tenth minute of the match.

Coaches helped her off the field.

“I was going out to get the ball. I was running to kick the ball and the girl kicked me underneath the knee,” she said. “I just went down because it hurt so bad.”

With Ort down on the play, the net was wide open and Kauai’s Kaylee Tamura scored the first goal of the match.

Tamura said her teammate, Joni Hashizume, accidentally kicked Ort as she was trying to pass.

“Joni didn’t run into her. She just moved the ball to the side and the goalie came toward her,” she said. “Nothing was intentional.”

With Ort out, Island School put Alexandra Temme between the pipes for the rest of the game.

“She hasn’t even practiced. She just stepped up,” said Voyagers head coach Colby Ayonon. “She’s a very good field player, but we needed somebody in there. She took a swing at it.”

Kauai scored three goals during the second half. Hashizume scored early while Marissa Ruiz and Wailana Gandeza scored in the later stages of the second half.

“We’ve been concentrating a lot this week on possessing the ball and moving it around,” said Kauai head coach Kevin Devitt. “We had players playing different positions and trying things out. A little perseverance worked for us.”

The Voyagers only goal came from Madison Moore around the 70th minute of the match, shortly before Ruiz and Gandeza scored their goals.

“We fell asleep for a few moments toward the end of the game,” Ayonon said. “Kauai is a strong team so they capitalized on it.”

Kauai is scheduled to play at 3:30 p.m. Saturday after the varsity boys’ game.

Island School’s next game is noon Saturday against Waimea at home.