Kapaa High School’s varsity girls soccer team defeated Makua Lani Christian Academy of the Big Island Interscholastic Federation, 2-1, in the quarterfinals of The Queen’s Medical Center Girls Soccer Championships – Division II state tournament Thursday. “We’re excited,” Kapaa head
Kapaa High School’s varsity girls soccer team defeated Makua Lani Christian Academy of the Big Island Interscholastic Federation, 2-1, in the quarterfinals of The Queen’s Medical Center Girls Soccer Championships – Division II state tournament Thursday.
“We’re excited,” Kapaa head coach Mytra McKeague said in a phone interview. “It took a while for them to finally connect the dots. We scored right before the half. And during halftime, we gave them a good talk. Gave them incentive to score. … It was good. It was a very physical game.”
McKeague said the team wasn’t its usual self and wanted to get them concentrated again during halftime.
“They were really flustered we noticed. So, we tried to settle them down and make them focus on what we’re here for — which is to play soccer,” she said. “I think it was just really nerve-racking for them being in the state tournament.”
Warriors sophomore forward April Barnes scored for Kapaa at the 38th minute. Sophomore midfielder Kela Wood scored the team’s second goal at the 41st minute.
“I was given a nice pass from (junior forward Kaisha Davis-Caberto),” Barnes said. “We were connecting good. Our team was very good offensively, attacking the goal.”
Makua Lani sophomore midfielder Akari Shimizu scored her team’s goal at the 48th minute.
Kapaa, the No. 2 seed in the Division II tournament, will play Big Island’s Kamehameha Schools–Hawaii in the semifinals. That match is scheduled for 1 p.m. today at the main stadium of the Waipio Peninsula Soccer Complex on Oahu.
KS–Hawaii defeated No. 3 seed Kalaheo of the Oahu Interscholastic Association, 6-1, in the quarterfinals Thursday.
“We’ll get a good night’s rest and prepare in the morning,” McKeague said . “At least it’s at 1 o’clock. It’s a little bit earlier than today’s game. We won’t have to wait all day for the game.”
Barnes added about the semifinal match: “They’re going to come out hard. We’re just going to have to keep doing what we do, connect, be first to the ball and have a good first touch.”
