HANAPEPE — The Kapa‘a High School soccer teams swept its series against Waimea, 6-0 for the girls, and 5-3 for the boys, Wednesday night in cold and windy conditions at the Hanapepe Stadium. With the wins, the Kapa‘a girls soccer
HANAPEPE — The Kapa‘a High School soccer teams swept its series against Waimea, 6-0 for the girls, and 5-3 for the boys, Wednesday night in cold and windy conditions at the Hanapepe Stadium.
With the wins, the Kapa‘a girls soccer team clinched the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation girls championship while the Kapa‘a boys move up in the standings, holding on to a four-point lead.
Earlier in the day, the Kaua‘i High School boys battled to a 0-0 stalemate against Island at Vidinha Stadium, the tie effectively pulling them out of the title chase.
“We’re pretty much out of the chase, now,” one Kaua‘i player said following the game. “We have four games remaining so we’ll just have to make the best of what’s left.”
The Kapa‘a girls, getting good balanced play throughout the day, improve to 6-0 and clinched the KIF girls soccer title.
“We needed a win, or a tie, and the girls came through,” said Kapa‘a coach Colby Ayonon. “They knew what they had to do and we tried to get everyone to have a chance to play.”
Raquelle Matayoshi, tending goal during the first half, was moved to forward during the second half and netted two goals within two minutes of each other to lead the Warrior wahine scoring.
She was joined by Seri Niimi-Burch, effectively handling the transition game in midfield, netting two goals.
Cody Barnett’s solid play in the front netted one goal in the 25th minute and Brandi Silva rounded out the scoring, netting the first of three second-half goals in the first 10 minutes of play.
Waimea made progress against the Warriors, who moved the ball with quick, measured passes on the windy field, but the Menehune’s Charleen Miguel, playing forward and dropping to midfield had just a few touches while Hamiha Arquette, anchoring the Waimea defense, was kept busy throughout. The Menehune adjusted at the half, getting goalkeeper Jayme Jacinto out on the field.
Waimea’s Jordan Kitabayashi dropped to the ground, his arms wrapped around his head and did not move for a few minutes.
That demonstration of defeat came when Kitabayashi matched up with Kapa‘a’s Gabriel Aloi on the sideline and after dogging Aloi through the play, was beat as Aloi’s blue shoe sank the ball for the final goal, Kitabayashi crumbling with the ball in the boys’ game.
Both teams demonstrated intense play in the battle which started with the Warriors holding a one-point lead in the title chase after Waimea battled Kaua‘i to a 1-1 stalemate, Saturday to wrest the lead from the Menehune.
Kapa‘a came out behind its defensive trio anchored by Hunter Hudson deep behind Zaimana Fernandez and Torren Kimura.
Between the three, the balls were sent to midfield where Carrillo was effective in netting four goals, three in the first half, out of five scored.
His first came on a throw-in to open the books only to have Waimea answer when Torrey Santiago sealed a Kitabayashi delivery about 10 minutes into the game.
Carrillo broke the 1-1 deadlock only to have Joshua Quinlan lock up the score from about 30 yards out, the Menehune forward trio of Devan Banasihan-Kenney, Santiago and Bryson Tacata effectively pulling the Warrior defensive pressure away from the midfielder.
Kapa‘a came back with two more scores, a Carrillo penalty kick and the final Aloi net while Kitabayashi added Waimea’s final score on a penalty kick.
Waimea boys meet up with Island starting at 10 a.m., Saturday at the Island School compex while the Warriors will match up against Kaua‘i at Vidinha Stadium.
The JV games start at 10 a.m. and the varsity games kick off starting at 1:30 p.m.
