LIHU‘E — The Kapa‘a High School and Kaua‘i High School boys soccer teams battled to a 3-3 stalemate before a sparse crowd that turned out for a Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation makeup game on Saturday.
The original contest was rained out on Wednesday, and arrangements were quickly put in place to facilitate a contest at Vidinha Stadium.
The second contest featuring Waimea traveling to the Island School soccer field was also rained out, but its status was moved to the end of the KIF soccer season.
The game will not be played unless its results have a bearing on the KIF championship, said Kapa‘a High School Athletic Director Greg Gonsalves.
Kapa‘a’s Omar Perez netted a hat trick, or three goals scored, to mark the score sheet for the Warriors. Perez opened the scoring in the seventh minute by capitalizing on a loose ball generated after a Kaua‘i player collided with his goalkeeper. Perez scooped up the ball and sent it into the back of the net.
Following more wrangling for ball control with Kapa‘a appearing to have an offensive stance, Perez netted his second goal in the 24th minute off a penalty kick to give Kapa‘a a 2-0 bulge midway through the half.
The Red Raiders answered on one of its ventures into Kapa‘a territory, when Kai Potts took a shot on goal that was misplayed by the Warrior goalkeeper, the ball going into the net instead of being deflected. That goal in the waning seconds of the first half gave Kapa‘a a 2-1 lead.
Kaua‘i came back in the second half to score goals by Jacob Andres and Xaeden Valdez. Perez picked up his third goal in the second half to knot the contest at the final whistle.
“The player of the game is that Kaua‘i High School backup goalkeeper,” said Kevin Devitt of the Kapa‘a coaching staff. “He saved Coach Alan Duldulao’s bacon. When the Kaua‘i goalkeeper was yellow-carded, this guy came in. He looked doubtful, but he saved the shot. He fell on the ball and the game was over.”
KIF soccer resumes play on Jan. 6, 2024, when Waimea High School visits Bryan J. Baptiste Sports Complex to face Kapa‘a. The junior varsity boys contest is scheduled to start at 10 a.m., followed by the varsity girls contest at 11:45 a.m. The varsity boys close out the day with a 1:45 p.m. start.
Island School will travel to Vidinha Stadium to meet up with Kaua‘i High School with the varsity girls starting at 2 p.m. followed by the varsity boys kicking off at 4 p.m.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 808-245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
