LIHU‘E — A pair of Kapa‘a second-half goals forced a playoff for the varsity girls soccer team Wednesday night at Vidinha Stadium. The Kapa‘a Warrior wahine, needing the 2-0 victory to stay alive in Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation girls soccer, breathed
LIHU‘E — A pair of Kapa‘a second-half goals forced a playoff for the varsity girls soccer team Wednesday night at Vidinha Stadium.
The Kapa‘a Warrior wahine, needing the 2-0 victory to stay alive in Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation girls soccer, breathed second life into the season, capitalizing on Kaua‘i defensive breakdowns in the second half for the win.
The nightcap was one of three games played, the earlier game being won by Island School girls 3-0 over Waimea at the Island School campus, where Madison Moore netted a hat trick, or three goals scored, two coming in the first half.
Janae Souza, normally playing defense for the Kaua‘i junior varsity girls, was moved up to forward in the waning minutes of the game against Kapa‘a, the tall defender netting a goal to ice the 3-0 victory.
Kaylee Balbarino started the fireworks, closing the door on a collision between Kaua‘i’s Aleigha “Red” Scovel and the Kapa‘a goalkeeper, who came out of the box on a save attempt, Balbarino picking up the loose sphere following the collision and netting it before the trainers came out to check on the downed players.
Caley Caires followed the opener with her goal with Souza closing the book on the JV win.
Following a clean but intensive slugfest in the first half, the intensity continued until the 49th minute when Kapa‘a forward Madisson Hinkel found the net on a cross.
But Kaua‘i battled back, being offered some scoring opportunities but not being able to close.
In the 65th minute, Kekai “Kiki” Gonsalves, the Warriors’ lead forward, broke away and fired a shot from the leftside, which soared over the Kaua‘i goalkeeper’s head for the 2-0 final.
Kaua‘i High School varsity girls needed a win, or tie, to have tied up the KIF title Wednesday. The Kapa‘a boys, with its win over Island School last Saturday, locked up the KIF boys title.
KIF soccer continues Saturday when Waimea hosts Kapa‘a at Hanapepe Stadium starting with the JV girls at 10 a.m. followed by the JV boys starting at 11:45 a.m. The varsity girls start the afternoon action at 1:30 p.m. followed by the varsity boys kicking off at 3:30 p.m.
Kaua‘i boys will travel to Island School for a single match starting at 10 a.m.
An announcement by Greg Gonsalves, the Kapa‘a athletic director and soccer coordinator, states the JV girls match for Saturday is being moved to Jan. 26 at Island School following the Island School vs. Waimea boys varsity game starting at noon.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@ thegardenisland.com.
