By JOE FERRARO Stephens Media ADVERTISING When Kealakehe’s girls soccer team works on its headers during practice, Waverider coach Jim Smith preaches directing the ball toward the ground. It’s a tough task made easier for teams who have players like
By JOE FERRARO
Stephens Media
When Kealakehe’s girls soccer team works on its headers during practice, Waverider coach Jim Smith preaches directing the ball toward the ground.
It’s a tough task made easier for teams who have players like 5-foot-11 Rachael Bianchi.
The senior midfielder’s header in the 98th minute lifted Kealakehe to a 2-1 double-overtime win over Hilo in the Big Island Interscholastic Federation Division I semifinals Wednesday at Waverider Stadium.
With its victory, top-seeded Kealakehe (13-0) advanced to Saturday’s 7 p.m. championship match at Keaau High, where it will face second seed Konawaena (10-2-1). More importantly, the Waveriders clinched their second straight berth in the Hawaii High School Athletic Association tournament, which takes place Feb. 1-4 at Oahu’s Waipio Peninsula Soccer Complex.
Kealakehe got there despite facing a 1-0 halftime deficit against Hilo (6-5-2), which entered the match as the three-time defending Division I champion.
“We’re definitely a second-half team, and they were on fire in the second half,” Smith said. “They got behind, and they didn’t give up.”
In practice, Smith emphasizes heading balls in the air toward goalkeepers’ feet, figuring his players can take advantage of keepers reaching high to either grab the ball or deflect it.
“It’s really hard for the goalie to bend down and keep it out (of the net),” Smith said.
Bianchi did what Smith asked on a corner kick by senior McKenna Davidson, one-hopping a header into the net for her eighth goal of the season.
“Having the tallest kid (on the team) definitely helped,” Smith said.
Before Bianchi’s game-winner, Davidson, who has battled pneumonia and bronchitis throughout the week, tied the match in the 45th minute, taking a cross from junior Kari Van Mols and burying her 19th goal of the season.
Hilo junior Rose Nakamura scored her team-high 13th goal in the 10th minute.
Smith said sophomore goalkeeper Sulley Schuster made a handful of quality saves, and he also credited junior Caili Ebaniz for strong work on the back line in front of Schuster.
Ebaniz broke her nose in practice last week after a teammate inadvertently collided with her in practice.
“Two years in a row,” Smith said, referring to his team’s state berth. “I’m proud of the girls.”
Konawaena 3, Waiakea 2: In a 2-2 tie at Julian Yates Field, junior Ua Ruedy ran onto a throughball in the second half and pounded home her ninth goal of the season from 12 yards out, helping Konawaena earn its first state tournament berth since 2008.
“We’re happy and proud to be going to states, but we know we have a game on Saturday,” Konawaena coach Guy Miranda said. “We’re not thinking about states until after Saturday.
“But they played their heart out, and they deserve to go.”
Before Ruedy’s goal, senior Teisha Nacis scored her second game-tying goal of the match and her ninth of the season for the Warriors (6-4-3) – both of her goals came on free kicks.
“Waiakea played one fantastic game,” Miranda said. “Their girls came to play, and we’re just happy we got the win. Waiakea performed well, and it was back and forth the whole way.”
Senior Raine Kolman assisted on both of Konawaena’s other two goals.
Senior Ashley Teshima started the scoring in the first half, heading in a cross from about 10 yards out for her fifth goal.
Senior Jasmine Ward later scored her ninth goal off a Kolman pass.
