LIHUE — Kauai High School girls soccer took a 5-0 win over Waimea, and the Kapaa and Island School girls battled to a 1-1 stalemate on Tuesday when the Kauai Interscholastic Federation opened its 2024-2025 soccer season.
Red Raider Aileah Villatora, an accomplished KIF cross country female runner, broke the ice with a goal in the 16th minute to give Kauai a 1-0 edge at the half in the contest that was waged at the Hanapepe Stadium.
The Kauai girls built on that lead to an eventual 5-0 shutout over the Menehune wahine.
Kylah Racca found the net to open the second half followed by Laysa Turner netting a goal in the 44th minute. A minute later, Kyla Pereira found the folds in the 45th minute.
Two goals from Coral Turner, coming in the 75th and 77th minutes, iced the victory over the girls coached by Beau Acoba, and his staff that includes Tresten Nakashima, Ken Morikawa Jr., Emma Kelekoma, Aubree Nakazawa, Kailana Batis and Nala Lewis.
Over at the Island School field, both the Voyager and Warrior girls battled to a 1-1 stalemate after Voyager Chloe Ayonon broke the ice in the 22nd minute to give Island School a 1-0 edge at the break.
Kapaa took advantage of the rest period to settle the young team, and with the coaches and bench standing at game’s edge, Kailee-Ann Baltazar, coming from a standout performance on the girls volleyball court, equalized the match in heavy goalmouth traffic at the 61st minute.
Following the KIF opener, both Kapaa and Island School players and coaches were treated to a courtside presentation by a college recruiter from Walla Walla University in Washington. Coach Nestor Osorio encouraged the players and teams to continue pursuing their respective goals.
The next KIF soccer games take place on Wednesday when Kapaa hosts Waimea at the Bryan J. Baptiste Sports Park stadium, and Kauai hosts Island School at Vidinha Stadium. Both sites will feature a single game between the girls teams. The kickoff is at 4 p.m. at both locations.
On Dec. 7, the boys soccer teams open their respective competitions when Kauai High School hosts Kapaa at Vidinha Stadium, and Waimea meets Island School at the Island School fields.
