KEAAU – Kamehameha water polo coach Kaena Horowitz was vocal and enthusiastic as he instructed his team Saturday, shouting “go, go, go” whenever he saw a chance to strike.
When it came time for someone to speak for the Warriors after the match, the first-year coach preferred to let his two experienced players do the talking.
“I feel like half of our team is kind of deaf,” senior Kacelyn Kubojiri said.
It’s clear his message got through.
Counter-attacking at every opportunity, Kamehameha went, went, went and got 19 goals combined from three players to beat Hilo 21-5 as a new chapter of the sport opened with four matches at Naeole Pool.
“He always tell me to go,” junior Waiahuli Akau said after scoring six goals, “but then I cannot hear what he’s saying, so I go the other way. Just all bunched up, but we’re working on that.”
Kubojiri was a freshman during the last completed water polo season in 2019, fighting for playing time on a seasoned Warriors squad that stampeded it way to its ninth BIIF championship in 10 seasons.
“Going from that to having to play the whole game is absolutely crazy,” said Kubojiri, who scored two goals. “I want our girls to be aggressive and especially since it’s a young team, I want them to have confidence and just show what they can do.”
Two players, in particular, did just that – especially after Kubojiri and Akau handled most of the scoring in the first quarter.
Freshman Oliliu Wise, the BIIF breaststroke champion, scored seven goals and Ka’iulani Rocha added six, more often than not swimming ahead of the attack after accepting outlet to passes to break in alone on the Vikings’ goal.
Goalkeeper Maya Robello did well to keep the Warriors’ onslaught at 21 goals. Maya Oishi scored three times for Hilo, and Xochi Gervais had two.
“I’m thankful to be back in the water and see what every other team can do,” Kubojiri said. “They are all working hard.”
Akau plays goalkeeper on a club team, but Kubojiri said most of her teammates had never picked up a water polo ball before preseason practice began.
“That goes for all the teams,” Kubojiri said.
Kamehameha (2-0) began the day with a 15-0 win over Keaau (0-2) in which Rocha scored five goals and Wise, Akau and Kubojiri each had hat tricks. The consensus poolside was the Warriors played as much more of a cohesive unit in their second game.
“We improved, more space, the girls were spreading out,” Akau said. “Our passes, getting into the counter-attack was better.”
Indeed, Akau and Taylor Furstenwerth could see time at 2-meters position this season, but the Warriors never had much of an opportunity in their first two matches for set slots with the way they stole the ball and attacked.
Powered by Kawena Haserot, Kealakehe also opened with two wins, beating Waiakea 8-3 and the Cougars 17-6.
Haserot scored five goals against the Warriors and then went for nine against Keaau, and Mehana Resetnikov scored five times against the Cougars. Jenesse Trusdell and Lexie Prudholm scored two apiece for Keaau. For Waiakea, Grace Nichols had two goals.
