Waiakea girls soccer was imprinted on their blue tie-dye jerseys, which makes sense since Jason Nakayama is the coach and many of his Warriors players are in tow.
Waiakea girls soccer was imprinted on their blue tie-dye jerseys, which makes sense since Jason Nakayama is the coach and many of his Warriors players are in tow.
But the story lines ran much deeper than that at the Big Island Candies AYSO Volcano International Soccer Tournament.
A pair of former Warriors BIIF Players of the Year were on the other side of the pitch Friday, members of Maui’s Excel, and three of Waiakea’s goals were scored by players from other high schools.
It was a win for Waiakea – the American Youth Soccer Association team and the high school. With a 5-0 victory in the under-19 division at Hilo Bayfront, it took another small step to an undefeated summer, while Excel’s Sabrina Scott took a big mental step toward her recovery from major knee surgery.
“That’s awesome,” Nakayama said. “I was happy to see her out on the field.”
Scott, the 2015 BIIF Player of the Year for Waiakea under Nakayama, was playing her first competitive match since tearing her ACL as a freshman for UH-Hilo on Sept. 17 – Scott knows the date by heart.
“It’s getting there,” she said. “I was nervous.
“They knee is very strong. It’s funny, because I hurt myself (today), but I didn’t want to stop, so I ran a girl down and I fouled her.”
Waiakea’s AYSO team went undefeated in the summer league, and it took a 1-0 halftime lead before pouring it on in the second half, getting goals from five different players: Jadyn Clark, Jordyn Pacheco, Jordan Zarate, Kalena Kekaulana, and Kiara Cuyo.
Clark and Kekaulana go to Waiakea. Zarate helped Hawaii Prep to a third consecutive HHSAA Division II crown last season, Cuyo attends to Kamehameha-Hawaii and Pacheco was the BIIF’s leading scorer last season for Hilo. Nayah Robertson, Tiana Kow and Xailynn Lyman-Moke each had a hand in the shutout.
Even with players from multiple schools involved, the unit looked cohesive.
“It took a while, but now they are working a lot better together, figuring out each player and what they can contribute,” Waiakea assistant Sage Van Kralingen said. “On offense, we could be a little more aggressive, and maybe create plays, but I’m satisfied.”
Waiakea plays Hilo and Kona on Saturday and as it tries to reach Sunday’s championship match.
In an earlier boys U19 match, Rush 99 shut out Hilo Thunder 4-0.
Also playing for Excel were sisters Tori and Teani Teanio, both Waiakea graduates.
“They know how I play, so I had to make some adjustments,” said Tori Teanio.
The reigning co-BIIF BIIF Player of the Year said she is going to attend Hawaii Community College for a year before trying out for UH-Hilo.
Scott is still deciding whether she’ll attempt to see the field for the Vulcans this fall.
Rehab her knee was grueling at times, Scott said, but she never lost sight of the goal.
“If I gave up I would feel like I’m a failure, and I’m not that type of person,” she said. “I love soccer way too much to quit.”
Scott used a medical redshirt last season, and UH-Hilo coaches have told her she can take her time and use another redshirt again if she feels it’s needed. Doctors have urged her not to rush since a re-tear is a possibility.
“I’d debating it,” Scott said of coming back this year. “I don’t want to give up (another year). This is my test.
“I want to get back out there, for sure. But a re-tear is very high and I don’t want to go through (rehab) again.”