KEAAU – Rosi Handy is a former soccer player at Keaau High and the daughter of longtime boys coach Richard Handy, so she certainly knew what she was getting into.
Handy watched her father pull double coaching duty last season before she came to the rescue to take over the girls program, holding absolutely no delusions of grandeur considering the unlevel playing field the Cougars face experience-wise in BIIF Division I.
In theory, Keaau is on fairly even ground going up against Kealakehe, but that went out the window Wednesday when the Cougars suited up only 10 players. Fighting uphill again, that just made Maurice Riingen’s late go-ahead goal, her second of the match, all the sweeter as Keaau earned a 2-1 victory to gain a leg up in the playoff race.
“We have 13 players total and the numbers worked for us,” said Handy, who’s team was playing shorthanded for the first time this season. “I told the girls, let’s get this win today. It’s not only what we needed, but what we wanted.”
The Cougars (3-3 Blue division, nine points) tied the Waveriders (3-4, nine) in the race for the final playoff spot in D-I. The teams meet again in Kailua-Kona on Jan. 17, and Handy hopes to have the full complement of 11 players then after having to practice much of the winter break with as few as seven players.
“The seven that we had show up to practice, they all practice hard and it shows,” she said.
Last season, the Waveriders and Cougars split during the regular season, and Keaau punched its first ticket to the BIIF semifinals by winning a play-in game at home.
“The playoffs should always be a goal,” she said, “but so is just playing as team, learning how to play soccer together and having fun.
“We have a couple of freshman that came up from club that really help us stay strong with low numbers.
Riingen and Kierstyn Yamamoto give a Keaau a solid offensive nucleus and Handy credited goalkeeper Makamae Kanaina with coming up with at least three fine saves against the Waveriders, who got a goal from Breana Arakawa as the match went to halftime 1-1.
Handy, a 2012 Keaau graduate, said she never told her team to play for a draw, and Riingen broke the deadlock after corralling the ball for a breakaway down the right wing, giving Handy and assistant coach Rico Ferrari a chance to celebrate, alone, on the bench.
“I feel like we’re always in the same situation where not a lot experienced players come out,” she said. “But we never had a numbers problem when I was in high school.
“But the girls are pulling it together and are awesome.”
Hilo 9, Honokaa 0: Jordyn Pacheco scored four goals and Hollie Saplan registered a goal and three assists as the Vikings rolled at Hilo Bayfront.
Kiana Corpuz tallied two goals for the Vikings (6-1-1), and Glory Medeiros and Kalamanamana Harman added one apiece.
Saydee Bacdad was credited with the shutout of the Dragons (1-7).
Waiakea 4, Makua Lani 0: Xailynn Lyman-Moke scored two goals and Ki Serrao and Ella Johnson also found the back of the net as the Warriors (5-3) won on the road.
Tiani Kow blanked the Lions (2-4).
Boys
Kealakehe 2, Keaau 1: Teddy Rubenstein and Alex Bell scored goals as the Waveriders won on the road to improve to 3-4.
Daniel Vierra tallied a goal in the final five minutes for the Cougars (1-4).
Hilo 3, Honokaa 0: Chauncen Labra, Jack Mann and Josh Rosario each scored as the Vikings (4-2) eased to victory at Hilo Bayfront.
Waiakea 4, Makua Lani 0: The Warriors (4-2) got a goal apiece from Kai Biegler, Kolton Xie, John Grover and Riley Tamanaha to win on the road.
Isaac Sumera and Taylor Todd each had a hand in the shutout against the Lions (3-3).