Together again, 2019 Hilo High graduate Miya Clarke and Caneel “Booboo” Corpuz (2020) won a soccer championship at Peninsula College, a junior college perennial conference title contender in Port Angeles, Wash.
Clarke scored the game-winner with seven minutes left to lift the Pirates over Clark College 1-0 on Sunday at the Starfire Soccer Complex for their fifth North West Athletic Conference championship.
The Pirates also won in 2018, 2016, 2013, and 2012 and finished as the conference runner-up in 2011, 2014, 2017, 2019.
Clarke was named MVP of the tournament. It was Clarke’s first goal of the season for the Pirates (18-0-2), who have reached the NWAC semifinals in the last 10 years and reached the finals in nine seasons. Clarke was among the conference leaders with seven assists.
“I feel very blessed winning it,” Clarke said. “We’ve been working hard from the beginning. We knew we wanted that ring, and we finally got that ring.”
Clarke, who’s a kinesiology major, served as her own recruiting coordinator and emailed coaches. She’ll play ball at Humboldt State, a Division II school in the GNAC, which is part of the West Region that also includes the PacWest and CCAA.
Corpus, nicknamed Booboo by her grandmother as a baby, was a defender for the Pirates. She has another year of eligibility at Peninsula, where she’s a paramedic science major.
Both Pirates have hit the books and carry 3.5 GPAs. Each was named to the conference All-Star team.
“Playing with Boo has been an honor,” Clarke said. “We’ve played together since we were little. We have a valuable chemistry and it has benefited me in my soccer career. I’m trying to drag her with me to Humboldt.”
Clarke is flying home Tuesday. She has fond memories of Peninsula, forming friendships with her fellow Pirates.
“The best part was the experience, getting the ring, knowing all the different areas, creating bonds with the girls,” she said. “There are a lot of great things with this team. It’s difficult to put into words. I’ll just say they’re unique.”
Corpuz is just glad she came. Clarke landed their first, and Pirates coach Kanyon Anderson scouted her at an Oahu camp.
“I’m happy I came here,” Booboo said. “It’s a great environment. The girls bring it every day on and off the field. Miya and I have a connection no one else has. It’s like we can read each other’s mind.
“The regular season games were competitive. When we went into the semifinals (2-1 win over Columbia Basin), the intensity was higher. We both had a great season as individuals and as a team.”
Booboo is already planing her next destination. She’s looking to team up with Clarke again. She’s planning to fly home during the summer.
“I’m going to email colleges after the spring season. I could stay at Peninsula for the fall and hopefully transfer,” she said. “I’m really excited I came here. Miya was really helpful. She knew the places we could go, knew about the school. She told me about the girls, how much fund we could have. It was great for me to have Miya up here.
“We worked so hard for that ring. When I came last Spring, coach talked about working hard, and that we were the best team. We would win that ring, and we did it.”
Other Pirates
Jonathan DeMotta, a 2019 Kamehameha graduate, was a sophomore striker for the Pirates soccer team and 2020 Waiakea graduate Kai Biegler was a freshman midfielder. Each was productive on a team that finished 15-2-1. DeMotta was second on the team with seven goals, to go along with three assists, while Beigler registered six goals and four assists.
Rogue defeated Peninsula 2-1 in the NWAC quarterfinals.
Women’s hoops
Pirates freshmen Tayvia Cabatbat and Keeli-Jade Smith, both 2020 Waiakea graduates, are on the basketball team, which concludes its season in March 2022.
