KAILUA-KONA — It’s been a season of patience for Kealakehe. But finally, the wait is over.
KAILUA-KONA — It’s been a season of patience for Kealakehe. But finally, the wait is over.
The Waveriders (1-5-0) used a second half penalty kick goal from Helen Remke to down Keaau 1-0 and capture their first win of the season on Saturday.
“This one feels good,” said Kealakehe first-year head coach Kim Evans. “We have had our challenges and it has taken patience, but we are going in the right direction. They are still getting to know us as coaches, and we are still getting to know them as players. I look forward to seeing these girls improve even more.”
Keaau — which earned its first win of the season earlier this week against Pahoa — falls to 1-4-1.
The win puts Kealakehe in the running to grab the fourth and final seed in Division I when the playoffs roll around next month — a position they will have to fend off Keaau for. However, right now the Waveriders are more focused on building on this win and getting a snowball of momentum rolling.
“We have a young team and have been working a lot on the basics,” Evans said. “I think it’s finally coming together. Maybe not as early as we wanted, but we are seeing improvements every game.”
The teams beat up the turf in the center of the field for most of the first half, and while neither squad gained an advantage, the Waveriders held a heavy edge in scoring chances.
Kealakehe tallied a half-dozen solid shots on goal in the first half, including one that rang off the field goal post right above the net. Another came from senior Brittney Prados, who battled for a sky-high ball with the Keaau keeper. It ended in a stalemate, and the ball bounced wide.
Prados finished the first half with a flurry of chances, with the shots going wide and high, but she kept up her offensive ways to start the second half. Five minutes in Prados grabbed a ball in the box and fired it at the keeper. It squeaked through, but just short of the goal line.
Keaau picked up the pressure with 13 minutes left, but opened itself up to a counter from Kealakehe. Breana Arakawa out ran the defense and took a shot that went off the post.
It didn’t take long for the Lady Waveriders to capitalize on the momentum. Alysha Prados pulled off some fancy footwork in the box, and was tripped up by a Keaau player, resulting in a penalty kick.
With silence in the stadium, Remke hammered the PK into the lower right corner, breaking the scoreless tie and the silence.
Evans said she left the decision on who would take the kick between two of her captains — Remke and Tiara Conn. Conn deferred to Remke, which ended up being a solid decision.
“She is very calm. One of the calmest players under pressure I have seen,” Evans said of Remke. “That was our opportunity. We needed that.”
Kealakehe has a week off before its next game at Kamehameha on Jan. 16. Keaau will also play the Warriors next, but on Jan. 13.
Hilo 4, Makua Lani 0
Alyeemomi Amaral opened the scoring in the 10th minute and she capped it in the 57th minute and added an assist in between at Hilo Bayfront.
Glory Medeiros found the back of the net off a cross from Amaral, and captain Jasmine Smeraglia also collected a goal for the Vikings (6-0-0).
Ashley Mendes made two saves to shut out the Lions (2-2-0).
Honokaa 11, Pahoa 0
Pulelehua Lindsey scored three goals and Jeana Altura added two as visiting Dragons earned their first victory of the season.
Hia Kapu, Puaena Kapu, Tia Agdeppa, Keliko Hurley, Anna Hosek and Tasha Ohta also scored for Honokaa (1-3-1), which entered the game having only scored once.
Goalkeeper Evangelyn Durante recorded the shutout against the Daggers (0-3-0).
Konawaena 2, Kamehameha 0
Konawaena goalkeeper Taiana Tolleson shut out the visiting Warriors and Nanea Wall and Haena Keawekane tallied second half goals to help the Wildcats (4-2-0) to victory.
Kamehameha falls to 1-3-0 this season.
BOYS
Kealakehe 9, Keaau 0
Kolby Martin scored bookend goals for the Waveriders in a mercy rule victory over the visiting Cougars.
Martin scored just over five minutes into the game, and ended the contest with a goal midway through the second half.
Hunter Olaso and James Caudell also had a pair of goals for the Waveriders, who improved their streak of league dominance and bounced back from a rare tie in league play earlier this week against Hawaii Prep.
Kean Shutte and Yuki Lavoie also scored for Kealakehe, while goalkeeper Greyson Moore added a tally to go with his shutout performance.
Kamehameha 2,
Konawaena 1
Rylan Respicio and Tyler Waltjen scored goals in Kealakekua to spark the Warriors (4-1-0) to their fourth consecutive victory.
Kala’i Santiago tallied the lone goal for the Wildcats (3-3-0).
Boys
Kealakehe 9, Keaau 0
Kolby Martin scored bookend goals for the Waveriders (5-0-1) in a mercy rule victory over the visiting Cougars (2-4-0).
Martin scored just over five minutes into the game, and ended the contest with a goal midway through the second half.
Hunter Olaso and James Caudell both had a pair of goals for the Waveriders, who improved their streak of league dominance and bounced back from a rare tie in league play earlier this week against Hawaii Prep.
Kean Shutte and Yuki Lavoie also scored for Kealakehe, while goalkeeper Greyson Moore added a tally on a penalty kick to go with his shutout performance.
Waiakea 8, Kohala 0
Max Adolf put home four goals in Kapaau and Michael Scott had a hat trick as the Warriors improved to 3-2-0.
Gehrig Octavio added a score and goalkeeper Ryden Quitoriano kept a clean sheet against the Cowboys (1-4-1).
Honokaa 10, Pahoa 1
Kyle Ohta and Kauiki Feliciano netted hat tricks to spark the visiting Dragons’ third consecutive victory.
Ohta’s second goal came on the second-half kickoff. Micah Miranda added two goals for Honokaa (5-1-0) and Sean Simmerman and Kekeaweiwi Pilayo also scored.
Judah Brand scored for the Daggers (0-5-1) on a free kicks about 25 yards out.
Hawaii Prep 9, Christian Liberty 0
Chris Whitfield and Austin Schneider recorded two goals apiece as visiting Ka Makani ended a modest two-match winless streak.
Zen Simone, Ilan Naibryf, Braden Kojima, Riley Hiatt, Alex Brost tacked on goals for Hawaii Prep (3-1-1), and goalkeeper Stormer Horten blanked the Canefire (0-4-1).
Parker 2, Ka’u 0
The Bulls (3-0-0) carried play and finally took advantage in the second half, getting scores from Skyler Pleuss and Tage Boyette.
The Trojans fell to 0-6-1.