HILO – His girls team allowed 12 goals in the first half and it had trouble clearing the ball out of its own end, but coach Eric Cockcroft was easily the most vocal and supportive onlooker Tuesday at Hilo Bayfront.
HILO – His girls team allowed 12 goals in the first half and it had trouble clearing the ball out of its own end, but coach Eric Cockcroft was easily the most vocal and supportive onlooker Tuesday at Hilo Bayfront.
“Stay positive, stay focused, let’s go!” shouted Cockcroft, who was gleeful at even the slightest turn for the better.
It wasn’t always picturesque, but that wasn’t the point — Pahoa’s return to the BIIF pitch was.
“The teamwork is unfathomable and the sportsmanship is fantastic,” Cockcroft said after a 12-0 season-opening loss to Hilo. “That’s what we’re about: teamwork and sportsmanship.”
One school year after lava flow threatened some of the Daggers’ sports programs and forced some students to go to Keaau High, Pahoa not only is picking itself up, but it’s adding sports.
Boys soccer coach Eric Johnson estimated that Pahoa hadn’t fielded a boys team in about a decade. Both the boys and girls squads are aided by a heavy infusion of players from Hawaii Academy of Arts and Science. HAAS fielded a boys team as recently as two seasons ago.
Cockcroft and Johnson, each a teacher at HAAS, credited Pahoa athletic director Clemente Hudson with bringing the programs back.
“Basically, Dr. Hudson and I came to an agreement,” Johnson said. “We were always looking to do the girls. We convinced him to run both programs.”
Pahoa hadn’t fielded a girls team since at least 2007. For the Lady Daggers, the game should slow down once they pick up more of the basics. Each was playing their first varsity soccer match.
“They learned a lot today,” Cockcroft said. “We’ve got to keep the mouth of the goal clean. Clear the ball and don’t let them keep the ball in the mouth of the goal for more than a few seconds.
“The next goal is to score a goal.”
The Pahoa boys have more experience on their 19-player roster, which is one of the reasons Johnson has loftier long-term goals.
After a 9-0 loss to the Vikings, a Division I contender, Johnson dismissed the notion that it would have been better for Pahoa to open against a less inexperienced Division II squad.
“Forget that,” he said. “As far as I’m concerned, they hold with these guys for a while, the Division II seems that much more realistic.
“We’re coming off of here to play Parker, (Ka‘u) and CLA, and I expect wins.”
Pahoa senior Edgar Ramos is one of two 12th-graders on the team, and Johnson also sees building blocks in junior Jeovannie Villacorta, sophomores Isaac Hall and Judah Brand and freshman goalkeeper Matthias Kekedi.
“This is a building year,” Johnson said. “Next year I plan on dominating.”
Boys
Hilo 9, Pahoa 0
Kalei Tolentino-Perry netted a hat trick as the Vikings bounced back from a 7-1 loss at Hawaii Prep in their opener.
Aris Aynessazian scored twice, Barrett Baca bagged his second goal of the season and Nicholas Carter, River Brown and Kahale Huddleston also had a goal apiece for Hilo (1-1).
Ka‘aina Lewis collected the shutout.
Honokaa, 9, Kohala 0
Juan Pablo Pigott scored twice in the Dragons’ season-opening victory at home.
Also scoring for Honokaa were Sean Simmerman, Kauiki Feliciano, Levi Higa, Quinn Fojas, Daneau Domingo, Kealakai Lindsey and Josiah Rodrigues.
Issac Aguilar and Maikai Kunishige-Aikau teamed up for the shutout in goal against the Cowboys (0-2).
Waiakea 7, Ka‘u 0
Michael Scott recorded a hat trick in Pahala as the Warriors opened their season with a victory.
Max Adolf, Brennan Yamamaoto, Gerhig Octavio and Gabriel Frazier-Jenkins also scored, and Ryden Quitoriano shut out the Trojans (0-2).
Girls
Hilo 12, Pahoa o
Siena Mizuno tallied two goals and the Vikings got eight scores from freshmen in all to improve to 3-0.
Ninth-graders Jordyn Pacheco, Haley Miyasato, Dashney Murray, Glory Medeiros, Navi Varize and Kalamanamana Harman also scored, as did Jasmine Smeraglia, Kaitlyn Galima, Alyeemomi Amaral and Lacey Shiigi.
Freshmen Saydee Bacdad and Hollie Saplan were credited with the shutout.
Saturday
Boys: Kealakehe 11, Ka‘u 1
Laukoa Santos found the back of the net four times in Pahala as the Waveriders cruised in their opener.
Tate Whitney, Yuki Lavoie, Isaiah Geliga, Kyle Nicklesen, Alex Grace Double, Majdi Mariano and Iokepa Perez-Juarez-Aponte also scored.