LIHU‘E — The Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation girls soccer series that started Tuesday and finished Wednesday had a strong bearing on which team would be the third KIF representative that advances to The Queen’s Medical Center Hawai‘i High School Athletic Association Division II girls soccer championships that will contest on O‘ahu from Feb. 23 through 26.
According to the HHSAA website sportshigh.com, the KIF is allocated three spots for the DII girls championship.
“We’re still alive,” said Waimea coach Beau Acoba prior to the Tuesday game. “We’re real close with Island School, and anyone can go. I just tell the girls, ‘We gotta win everything.’”
That did not happen as Kapa‘a varsity girls, secure in at least one of the KIF spots, tied the Voyagers, 1-1, Tuesday afternoon at the Island School field.
“A tie is better than a loss,” said Kapa‘a trainer Chris Ang. “You get points for a tie.”
During the contest shadowed by runners making their way up the tree line, Voyager Cass Hubbard broke a 0-0 stalemate in the final minute before the break by capitalizing on a corner kick for the 1-0 bulge at the half.
Kapa‘a, working hard to kick-start its offense, finally got its break in traffic with less than five minutes showing on the game clock when Emeli Rubel found the folds in traffic on a corner kick.
Over at Vidinha Stadium, Wednesday, the Kaua‘i varsity girls, secure in one of the KIF berths to the state championships, downed the Waimea girls, 5-1, further widening the gap to the state tournament.
Kaleonahe Bukoski finished with a hat trick, or three goals scored, and Shania Kelley scored a goal in each half for the Red Raiders.
Waimea’s sole score came off a cross to Canyon Niccore just three minutes into the second half.
For the varsity boys, the series resulted in Island School picking up its fourth win in the league following its 2-1 edge over Kapa‘a varsity boys, Wednesday.
Kaua‘i High School varsity boys locked up its third win in the league with a 3-0 win over the Waimea boys at Vidinha Stadium behind goals from Jesse Hoff, Kai Pappas, and Jaffi Bautista.
Put simply, the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation girls soccer program is rapidly winding down, with the final contest going off, Monday when the Waimea High School girls host Kapa‘a High School in the Menehune’s Senior Night at the Hanapepe Stadium, starting at 6 p.m.
“Tonight (Wed) is Kaua‘i girls’ Senior Night,” said Waimea player Reign Palama. “Saturday, the Kapa‘a girls have their Senior Night at the Bryan J. Baptiste stadium. We have our Senior Night, Monday on Valentine’s Day when we play Kapa‘a in a game that re-scheduled from earlier in the season.”
Saturday, the KIF hosts a full slate of games when Kapa‘a High School hosts Kaua‘i High School at the Bryan J. Baptiste Sports Park stadium for four contests, including the Junior Varsity Girls, the Junior Varsity boys, and both varsity girls and boys contests. The first contest starts at 10 a.m.
Over at Island School fields, the Voyagers host the Menehune with the varsity girls kicking off at 2 p.m., and the varsity boys starting at 4 p.m.
Scoreboard
Tues. Kapa‘a VG 1, Island VG 1
Wed. Island VB 2, Kapa‘a VB 1
Wed. Kaua‘i VG 5, Waimea VG 1
Wed. Kaua‘i VB 3, Waimea VB 0
•••
Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
