While teams are only loosely associated with their designated high school names at the Big Island Candies AYSO Volcano International Soccer Tournament, everything was in order in the under-19 boys division.
Kealakehe was the last team standing Sunday, and after accepting their medals, one players said, “Now we go back to the good side of the island.”
Whether you prefer sunshine or a lush landscape, his point was inarguable when it comes to boys soccer.
There were whispers Saturday at Hilo Bayfront that Kealakehe wasn’t quite up to its usual high standards, but after a talking to from coach Alden Sawada, it whipped into shape a day later and played like its BIIF juggernaut, beating Rush 99 twice, including 4-2 in the championship game.
“They weren’t focused yesterday, and that was the problem,” Sawada said. “We had to have an inspirational talk.”
Asked if it was a positive meeting, Sawada said with a smile, “Very negative.”
It worked.
Kealakehe played to a draw against Hilo Thunder and lost to Honokaa on Saturday, but it handed Rush 99 its first loss, 5-2, on Sunday morning and won a points tiebreaker with Honokaa to reach the final, where Kealakehe got two goals from Alika Citron and one apiece from Jonah Palakiko and Kainoa Raymond.
“Yesterday against Honokaa, a lot of them showed up late, so they got a lecture,” Sawada said. “Today, they were terrific.”
Max Adolf and Griffin Adolf scored in the final for Rush 99, coach Gene Okamura’s club team, which has players from Waiakea and the Hawaiian Academy of Art & Sciences.
“We entered to support (the American Youth Soccer Organization), and the tournament,” Okamura said. “Most of the kids have been playing club within the last year.”
Sawada said he was encouraged how his younger players meshed with those who already play varsity soccer at Kealakehe High. In short time, Sawada will try to put some of his new pieces to good use as the Waveriders aim for a sixth consecutive BIIF Division I championship.
“They all stood out,” he said. “They are all super stars.”
Okamura, a 2006 Waiakea graduate and newly named UH-Hilo interim soccer director, helped start the Rush program three years ago, and he’s seen it expand to include roughly 275 players in ages 4-18.
“Back in the day, there was only soccer club here, but soccer is really growing in the community, which is fantastic,” Okamura said.
In the girls U19 final. Waiakea capped an undefeated summer, shutting out Excel, a club team from Maui, 4-0.
“Going unbeaten wasn’t a goal, it was the product of hard work,” assistant coach Sage Van Kralingen said. “This game they were aggressive and didn’t stop.”
The other champions were Kaneohe (Oahu) in U14, Hilo FC in U12 boys and Hilo’s Hookahi in U12 girls.
