Hilo will play Waiakea, but the Vikings won’t be playing the Warriors.
The operative R-word here is respect, not rivalry, according to Hilo coach Curtis Chong.
The under-19 division at the Volcano International Soccer Tournament, which starts Friday at Hilo Bayfront, is a bit tattered but not broken. The Hilo and Waiakea girls each will play Excel Soccer of Maui twice in the three-team field, and they’ll face off once.
Chong said that while it’s true one side leans heavily toward the Vikings and the other to the Warriors, the final tournament of the American Youth Soccer Association year does not directly translate to the high school rivalry.
“This is a culmination of the summer league season,” said Chong, an assistant for the Lady Vikings, “so the players can show what they’ve been working on the past few months.”
Like last season, there won’t be a championship game, nor will there be one in the two-team boys field. North Hawaii, led by Honokaa coach Maurice Miranda, and Kona, guided by Konawaena coach Keahi Fleming, will play twice on Saturday.
Waiakea blitzed Hilo 8-0 at Volcano last year, but coach Jason Nakayama is relying more on youth this year by design, in part because he anticipates a rebuilding season for the BIIF runner-up Warriors once the 2016 season rolls around.
“I asked some of the older girls not to play so we could give the younger players a chance,” Nakayama said. “They should get good experience.”
Included on the roster is Starcia-Lee Deponte, the Warriors’ leading scorer last year and a first-team All-BIIF performer; two players who made honorable mention, senior Cierra Toledo-Muragin and sophomore Kiana Serrao; as well as sophomore Kiana Corpuz, who helped the Chicas club team win the Maui Cup last weekend.
As for up-and-coming players to watch, Sage Van Kralingen, who assists Nakayama during the summer and high school seasons, pointed to three players, including sophomore stopper Emma Reynolds.
“She’s been given the opportunity to step up and she’s done very well,” Van Kralingen said.
She’s also excited to watch the progress of sophomore forward Bryonie Cameron and sophomore center midfielder Summer Cassidy.
Hilo could suit up only one senior, Jasmine Smeraglia, who will team with Alyeemomi Amaral up top at forward.
Amaral, a sophomore, junior Grace Watanabe and sophomore Lacey Shiigi each were honorable mention all-BIIF last season.
Of the five divisions, there will be championship games Sunday in U14 and U12, both of which are coed.
At Hilo Bayfront
U19
Friday
Waiakea girls vs. Excel Soccer, 3 p.m.
Saturday
Hilo girls vs. Excel Soccer, 9 a.m.
Hilo girls vs. Waiakea girls, noon
North Hawaii boys vs. Kona boys, 1:30 p.m.
Waiakea girls vs. Excel Soccer, 3 p.m.
North Hawaii boys vs. Kona boys, 4:30 p.m.
Sunday
Hilo girls vs. Excel Soccer, 10:30 a.m.
U14 (coed)
Friday
Armadillos vs. Kona Storm, 3 p.m.
West Oahu vs. Rush 01, 4:30 p.m.
Saturday
Rush 01 vs. Kona Storm, 9 a.m.
Armadillos vs. West Oahu, 10:30 a.m.
West Oahu vs. Kona Storm, 1:30 p.m.
Armadillos vs. Rush 01, 3 p.m.
Sunday
Consolation game, 10:30 a.m.
Championship game, noon
U12 (coed)
Friday
Na Hoa boys vs. RaRaRaRacoons, noon
Kona Eagles vs. Na Hoa girls, 1:30 p.m.
RaRaRaRacoons vs. West Oahu Warriors, 3 p.m.
Clash vs. Na Hoa boys, 4:30 p.m.
Saturday
Clash vs. RaRaRaRacoons, 9 a.m.
Na Hoa boys vs. Kona Eagles, 10:30 a.m.
West Oahu vs. Na Hoa girls, noon
West Oahu Warriors vs. Kona Eagles, 3 p.m.
Clash vs. Na Hoa girls, 4:30 p.m.
Sunday
Fifth place, 9 a.m.
Third place, 10:30 a.m.
Championship, noon
U10 girls
Blue Flames vs. Rush, 3 p.m.
Hilo Reign vs. Hilo Storm, 4:30 p.m.
Saturday
Rush vs. Hilo Reign, 9 a.m.
Hilo Storm vs. Blue Flames, 10:30 a.m.
Rush vs. Hilo Storm, 1:30 a.m.
Blue Flames vs. Hilo Reign, 3 p.m.
Sunday
Rush girls vs. Blue Flames, 10:30 a.m.
Hilo Reign vs. Hilo Storm, noon
U10 boys
Friday
Leones Negros vs. Na Hoa boys, 1:30 p.m.
West Oahu Warriors vs. North Hawaii, 3 p.m.
West Oahu Warriors vs. Hilo, 4:30 p.m.
Saturday
Loenes Negros vs. Hilo, 9 a.m.
West Oahu Warriors vs. Na Hoa, 10:30 a.m.
West Oahu Extreme vs. North Hawaii, noon
Leones Negros vs. West Oahu Warriors, 1:30 p.m.
Na Hoa vs. West Oahu Extreme, 3 p.m.
Hilo vs. North Hawaii, 4:30 p.m.
Sunday
West Oahu Warriors vs. Hilo, 9 a.m.
West Oahu Extreme vs. Leones Negros, 10:30 a.m.
North Hawaii vs. Na Hoa boys, noon
