LIHU‘E — Both the Kapa‘a High School and the Island School soccer programs were solid winners on Saturday when the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation resumed its sporting events following a week’s “pause” due to the pandemic.
The Kaua‘i High School junior-varsity boys could only field four players due to COVID-19 protocols. However, play continued with the Red Raider boys being mixed with eligible Kapa‘a players, resulting in a 3-0 mixed win.
The Warriors’ JV girls program picked up its second straight win with an 8-0 shutout over the Kaua‘i JV girls.
The varsity Kapa‘a boys, under coach Kevin Cram, struck first when Jayden Yamashita found the net over the efforts of Kaua‘i goalkeeper Joel Puplava in the 10th minute.
Kaua‘i answered in the 35th minute to force a 1-1 stalemate at the break when Tyler Everett found the inside of the Kapa‘a goal.
Kela Velasco broke the deadlock in the 65th minute with his goal, only to have a hand-ball infraction by Kapa‘a send Everett to the penalty-shot spot, where he converted in the 70th minute for the 2-2 final.
Kaua‘i girls held a 1-0 halftime lead only to have Kapa‘a rebound with a strong second half and goals for the 3-1 Warrior victory.
At the Island School field in Puhi, the Voyagers started action at 2 p.m. because several of the boys soccer players were involved with the KIF paddling distance races taking place at Nawiliwili Harbor at the mouth of the Huleia Stream.
The race schedule for the paddling event was also changed to accommodate the Voyager men who were involved in soccer play.
That play saw the Voyagers rack up a 2-0 win over visiting Waimea behind goals from Cody Manibog and AJ Galiza.
Kendra Knapp of the Menehune varsity girls was the saving grace for Waimea not being shut out by the Voyager women in the contest where defensive play ruled, behind the coaching of Island School coach Colby Ayonon.
Coach Beau Acoba is in his first year as coach for Waimea after serving as Ayonon’s assistant coach, and gets the help of Jourdan Correia and former University of Hawai‘i women’s soccer player Skye Shimabukuro in molding the Menehune into a team unit.
Voyager Sophia Carswell found the net in the 14th minute when the ball got past the Waimea goalkeeper, and with no defensive players between the keeper who came out to defend, the ball dribbled in to give Island School a 1-0 bulge at the break.
Ella Offley came back to up the ante with her score. Knapp’s score came in the final ticks of the game, not long enough for the Menehune to regroup, for a 2-1 final in Island’s favor.
Scoreboard
At Vidinha Stadium
JV boys: Kaua‘i (mixed) 3, Kapa‘a 0
JV girls: Kapa‘a 8, Kaua‘i 0
Varsity boys: Kapa‘a 2, Kaua‘i 2, tie
Varsity girls: Kapa‘a 3, Kaua‘i 1
At Island School
Varsity boys: Island 2, Waimea 0
Varsity girls: Island 2, Waimea 1
Schedule
w Today: Varsity boys, Kaua‘i at Island, 4 p.m.
w Wednesday: Varsity boys, Waimea at Kapa‘a at the Mayor Bryan J. Baptiste Sports Complex, Kapa‘a, 5 p.m.; varsity girls, 7 p.m..; varsity girls, Kaua‘i at Island, 4 p.m.
w Thursday: Junior varsity girls, Kaua‘i at Kapa‘a at Mayor Bryan J. Baptiste Sports Complex, 5 p.m.; junior varsity boys, Waimea at Kapaa, 6:45 p.m.
w Saturday: Junior varsity boys, Kaua‘i at Waimea at Hanapepe Stadium, 10 a.m., varsity girls, 11:45 a.m., varsity boys, 1:45 p.m.; varsity boys, Island School at Kapa‘a at the Mayor Bryan J. Baptiste Sports Complex, 2 p.m., varsity girls 4 p.m.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
