It was a picture-perfect day for soccer in East Hawaii on Saturday.
It was a picture-perfect day for soccer in East Hawaii on Saturday.
Leave it to a pair of powerhouses from the sunny side of the island to come over and severely dampen the mood.
Kaulana Ruedy and Mikala Fernandez each scored twice as the Konawaena girls blitzed Hilo 7-2 at Hilo Bayfront in a rematch of last season’s Big Island Interscholastic Federation Division I championship game.
“I’m very surprised at how good we did,” Ruedy said. “I thought it would be 1-0 or something like that.”
The Wildcats (5-0-0) and Vikings (1-3-0) were scoreless during last season’s BIIF championship game until Konawaena won in a shootout. The Wildcats had a much easier time Saturday, taking a 4-0 lead in the 24th minute.
Ruedy called in a statement win, and it’s been two years in the making. She was one of nine sophomores on a Konawaena team that reclaimed the BIIF title. Two years later, the Wildcats are 12 seniors strong and vying for a threepeat.
“We really want to pick it up and push as hard as we can,” Ruedy said.
Nalani Wall, Shayli Nakamoto and Chloe Delaney also scored as Hilo allowed seven goals in a game for the first time in Paul Bello’s 10-plus seasons as Vikings coach.
“That is the best team on the island, bar none,” Bello said.
In another would-be showdown that turned into a blowout, the Kealakehe boys tagged Waiakea with the program’s first TKO loss, winning 10-1 in a matchup of Division I unbeatens.
“It was a combination of things,” Warriors coach David Urakami said. “They came to play. Not so much for our team.”
Tyler Deverse and Josh Lopez each netted two goals for the three-time defending champion Waveriders (4-0-0), who did most of their damage by scoring eight times in the second half.
Kealakehe coach Urs Leuenberger said his team took advantage when the Warriors (3-1-0) went to a three-forward alignment in the second half.
“That opened up the back,” Leuenberger said. “I felt like after the fourth goal Waiakea gave up.
“Our boys have unbelievable conditioning.”
Laukoa Santos, Isaiah Geliga, Jared Poole, Yuki Lavoie, Hunter Olaso and Nick Joersz also scored for Kealakehe. Gehrig Octavio had the Warriors’ goal.
While the Waveriders are working on their third straight unbeaten BIIF season, Bello said Konawaena coach Guy Miranda has turned the Wildcats into a machine that resembles his most recent team to win three straight BIIF titles. Hilo ended that string with a threepeat of its own.
“The strength is in West Hawaii right now,” Bello said. “It will turn back.”
Mehana Sabado-Halpern and Savannah Toussaint-Adviento each scored for the Vikings.
But Hilo trailed 5-0 and 7-1 and couldn’t keep up with the Wildcats’ ball movement on a field that Ruedy said seemed to be about out half the size of Konawaena’s field in Kealakekua.
“We were worried about playing on short field, but it seemed to work in our advantage,” Miranda said. “The weather was unbelievable. I thought it was going to rain but it was sunny like Kona.”
Girls
Waiakea 4, Kealakehe 0: Sabrina Scott scored twice and Cierra Muragin notched two assists as the host Warriors remained unbeaten.
Starcia Lee-Deponte and Kiana Serrao added goals for Waiakea (3-0-0), and Jordan Melchor posted the shutout against the Waveriders (2-2-0)
Kamehameha 3, Honokaa 0: The Warriors (1-2-0) won their first game of the season, dropping the visiting Dragons to 1-2-0.
Boys
Hilo 4, Konawaena 2: Keola Kelekolio netted two goals, and Jonah Kim and Barrett Baca had one apiece as the Vikings (2-1-0) won at Hilo Bayfront.
Kolby Martin scored both goals for the Wildcats (2-2-1).
Makua Lani 7, Ka’u 1: Aidan Alcos led the charge with two goals for the host Lions as they evened their record at 1-1-1.
Kalani Alapai, Spencer Todd, Reyn Newton, Taylor Warnecke, William Bertsch also found the back of the net for Makua Lani.
Carlos Uribe-Bounos scored for the Trojans (0-4-0).
Honokaa 3, Kamehameha 0: Preston Branco recorded two goals and Kauiki Feliciano had the other for the visiting Dragons (3-0-1).
Isaac Aguilar shut out the Warriors (0-2-0), who haven’t scored this season.