The Island School girls tied Kapaa High School, 2-2, at the Voyagers’ field in Puhi, and the Kauai High School girls took a 2-0 win over Waimea Wednesday at Vidinha Stadium. The Warriors will face the Red Raider girls Saturday
The Island School girls tied Kapaa High School, 2-2, at the Voyagers’ field in Puhi, and the Kauai High School girls took a 2-0 win over Waimea Wednesday at Vidinha Stadium.
The Warriors will face the Red Raider girls Saturday starting at 1:30 p.m. at Vidinha Stadium.
“This changes the game Saturday,” said Kapaa coach Kevin Cram. “Before this game, we could win, or tie to capture the Kauai Interscholastic Federation title. Now, we must win. A tie will force a playoff for the title.”
Kauai girls 2, Waimea 0
After the win at Vidinha Stadium, Kauai coach Kevin Devitt said Kauai is ready for Saturday’s showdown.
“We gave our starters a break and gave others a chance to play,” Devitt said. “We’re going to try and keep everyone healthy for Saturday. If we tie, we playoff for the title. It’s been a long time since we had a situation like this. It’s nice to have a close season like this.”
Caley Caires, normally anchoring the defense, took an offensive position to score a goal in the first half, and Lyndsie Kashima, normally a striker, finished with an assist to Caitlyn Cantorna for the second goal around the 60th minute.
“Saturday should be fun,” Devitt said. “We just need to stay healthy.”
William Trugillo, the Waimea girls coach, said he liked how the girls played with a more relaxed attitude.
“We had some injuries, but the girls are beginning to come around,” Trugillo said. “They are more relaxed out there.”
Kapaa girls 2, Island School 2
Kapaa and Island School played to a 2-2 draw.
The Warriors’ scoring efforts were stymied by the stalwart defense anchored by Mattea Wortmann and Makenzie Hubbard, as well as goalkeeper Emma Kelekoma.
“We have three freshmen back there — the sweeper, the right back, and the goalkeeper,” said Colby Ayonon, the Island School coach on his young team who got a boost from a big turn out for the game. “The girls got some help because of the assembly schedule and having the school out to watch the game. This was really good because it allowed the younger students to see a game and get interested. It also allows students to see how to play as a team.”
The crowd helped ignite the Voyagers energy, and Ally Pascual nailed a long ball with a tail wind in the 34th minute.
The ball soared high over Kapaa stopper Eryka Keoho and over the stretched arms of Warrior goalkeeper Nygeria Williams for the 1-0 lead at the break.
Kapaa re-grouped and answered the deficit with an April Barnes goal in the 54th minute.
Keoho was moved to the forward position and put Kapaa up a minute later with a goal. Kelekoma was shaken up on the play.
“We strengthened our attack, but that weakened our defense,” Cram said. “We need to work on our passing. That’s our Achilles’ heel. We need more accurate passes.”
Comfortable in the lead, the Warriors appeared headed for the winner’s circle when Island School team captain Brianna Griep took the cross from a Brianna Binder penalty kick and headed the ball into the net in the final two minutes of play.
“It doesn’t feel as good as a win,” Cram said. “The tie doesn’t hurt us, but now we’re tied with Kauai, and we need a win for the title.”
Ayonon said he was proud of the way the Voyager women performed.
“We entered the game with a down 1 goal mentality,” Ayonon said. “But Kapaa is a good possession team, for sure.”
Kapaa boys 4, Island School 1
Kapaa boys strengthened its hold on the lead for its divisions with a 4-1 win over the Island School boys Wednesday at the Voyagers’ field.
Max Nice scored two goals and Justin Franklin and Noah LaMadrid each netted a goal in the win.
Brandon Beydoun did the honors for the Voyagers.
Waimea boys 2, Kauai 1
“We’re fighting to stay alive in the KIF race,” said Waimea boys coach Kapono Chong-Hanssen following the Menehune’s 2-1 win over Kauai Wednesday night at Vidinha Stadium. “If we don’t lose any of our remaining games, the worst that can happen is a playoff for us.”
Kauai boys took the opening shot following a Waimea handball in the goal box as Tyren Kaneshige’s foot found the right corner in the first seven minutes.
Waimea’s Carl Mecham answered the Kauai goal in the 26th minute, closing a corner kick, and Isaiah Duldulao locked up the win on a penalty kick in the 55th minute.
Chong-Hannsen said he was proud of how the Menehune played.
“The boys worked really hard,” he said. “We have some boys coming back from injuries and we put them to work. We needed this win to stay in the chase.”
Waimea next hosts Island School Saturday at Hanapepe Stadium with the varsity girls starting at 10 a.m. followed by the boys at noon.
Kapaa will host Kauai High School at Vidinha Stadium with the junior varsity girls starting at 10 a.m., followed by the JV boys starting at 11:45 a.m.
The varsity girls will start at 1:30 p.m., followed by the varsity boys at 3:30 p.m.
