HANAPEPE — The Kapaa High School soccer teams improved its season by sweeping Waimea High School Wednesday night during the Kauai Interscholastic Federation soccer matches contested in windy conditions punctuated with showers blowing off the Kalaheo Plateau.
Kapaa girls took the opening match, 4-2 over the Menehune ladies, when Maya Loughead opened the scorebooks on a backup play from the right-side traffic in the 13th minute.
Jasmine Semblante answered the score in the 35th minute by being in the right place when the Kapaa goalkeeper came out to defend and the ball, made slippery by the moisture-rich evening air, rolled past her and picked up by the Menehune that backed the play action.
Tavehi Dubocage found the net just ahead of the break to give the Warriors a 2-1 edge to relish at the half.
Hannah Wamsley, netting two goals in the Warrior girls’ win, buffered the lead on a goal within the first five minutes of second-half play.
Semblante answered by netting her second goal in the 59th minute before Wamsley added the insurance goal at the 78th minute for the Kapaa victory.
“We’re proud of the girls,” said Waimea assistant coach Zenda Octavio. “They played through adversity, and although the outcome wasn’t what we wanted, we’re proud of them.”
Andrea Alifler, the Kapaa head coach, enjoyed the victory.
“The girls played great,” she said. “But they need to get better at finding the back of the net. They also need better mental focus offset plays — the two Waimea goals came off set plays.”
The need for stronger mental discipline overflowed into the boys’ matchup that Kapaa took, 4-0 behind two goals from Nahoa Davis.
“The boys just need to be tougher, mentally,” said Waimea boys’ coach Kapono Chong-Hanssen as the Menehune men came off the field with only a pair of yellow card infractions for their effort.
Davis struck first, within three minutes of the starting whistle, followed by a net from Kellen O’Rourke in the 23rd minute where the Warrior men frustrated the Menehune defense on its short game of quick passes and ball movement.
Waimea adjusted from the 2-0 halftime deficit with a more physical defense and the long ball. Still, the Warriors would not break, getting goals from Davis on a penalty kick at 61st minute, and the insurance goal from Keanu Brown in the 70th minute.
No scores were available from the Island School at Kauai matches.
Kapaa will face Kauai High School, Saturday at Vidinha Stadium, when the junior varsity girls kick off at 10 a.m., followed by the JV boys at 11:45 a.m. The varsity girls take the field at 1:30 p.m., followed by the varsity boys starting at 3:30 p.m.
Waimea will visit Island School with the varsity girls taking the field at 10 a.m., followed by the boys at noon.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
