HANAPEPE — There was a glimmer of hope for the Waimea High School boys soccer team before its game with Kaua‘i High School started, Wednesday at Hanapepe Stadium. “I just got a call from Kapa‘a and Island is up 2-0
HANAPEPE — There was a glimmer of hope for the Waimea High School boys soccer team before its game with Kaua‘i High School started, Wednesday at Hanapepe Stadium.
“I just got a call from Kapa‘a and Island is up 2-0 over Kapa‘a,” said Darren Kosen of the Waimea coaching staff. “If that keeps up, we’re still in it.”
Island went on to down Kapa‘a, 3-1 behind two goals from Michael Chamberlain and a goal from Kamalei Pihana.
“Waimea is still four points behind Kapa‘a, so they need two straight wins,” said Ken Morikawa, a former Waimea soccer coach and official. “They need to beat Kaua‘i, and Kapa‘a, Saturday.”
While they did not come away with a victory, Waimea and the Kaua‘i boys battled to a 2-2 stalemate.
That one point keeps the Menehune in play, as they prepare to face Kapa‘a at 3:30 p.m. Saturday at the New Kapa‘a Town Park.
Now trailing by three points in the standings, a Waimea victory in the season finale would put the two teams in a first-place tie, leading to a playoff game.
Kaua‘i got two goals from Joshua Beeksma while Waimea netted goals from Jordan Kitabayashi and Torrey Santiago in the effort.
“This is beyond getting nervous,” Kosen said before the game. “Whatever happens is going to happen. The boys have played really well this season and I’m proud of what they have each accomplished regardless of the outcome.”
Over at the Kapa‘a field, Pihana drew first blood for Island in the 10th minute, followed by a Chamberlain score in the 23rd minute for the 2-0 bulge that was reported to Kosen.
Three minutes later, Kapa‘a answered with a Kaisen Carrillo goal. Carrillo has been a key to Kapa‘a’s offense in the midfield and has scored in its last two outings.
Chamberlain put the lid on the win with his goal in the 33rd minute after the second half was played in the Island’s defensive end.
Kapa‘a had several scoring chances, but no goals, said Dr. Rick Goodale, one of the KIF officials in his report.
Earlier in the afternoon, the Kaua‘i girls wrapped up a 5-1 win with all their goals coming in the first half and scattered among the team.
Malia Kagawa notched the first score, kicking a corner kick into the wind that gave the ball enough English to elude Waimea goalkeeper Brandi Briones and nestle in the pocket.
That score came at the 11th minute, and despite the ball being played in the Waimea half of the field, no other score materialized until Maegan Wong capped a breakaway play down the left wing in the 20th minute, starting a scoring flurry.
Three minutes later, Janin Hashizume, one of the Junior Varsity upgrades, got an assist from Kamalu Hornos on the right wing and beat out the Waimea defender for the goal, firing from about 20 yards out.
Anolani Coon got the next goal coming up the middle and firing from about 15 yards out, and Isabelle Curtis netted the final goal in the 33rd minute, capitalizing on a pause between the Waimea defender and keeper.
Charleen Miguel, playing midfield/forward with Jayme Jacinto, netted Waimea’s sole goal in the 63rd minute.
Waimea’s defense, headed by Hamiha Arquette, Natasha Abadilla and Kaycee Nordmeier did a good job of keeping scoring efforts from Jessica Crane, Dayna Fujii and Audrey Lang at bay, allowing no Kaua‘i scores in the second half.
KIF soccer wraps up its regular season Saturday as Waimea travels to the New Kapa‘a Town Park stadium, and Kaua‘i boys take on Island starting at 10 a.m.
