KEALAKEKUA — After a season-opening 54-42 win over Division I opponent Hilo, Konawaena wasn’t about to lay low for its home opener against the Kohala Cowgirls.
The Wildcats scored 30 unanswered points in the first quarter and kept up the pace through three more to rout Kohala 77-5 Friday night at Ellison Onizuka Gymnasium.
While a high score was expected from the Wildcats (2-0), Konawaena co-head coach Dawnyelle Awa said she still wanted the team to still give it their all against Division II Kohala.
“Every game the girls just have to be ready to go and they can’t look at a team name and slack off,” Awa said. “You can’t look at any team less than another team. That’s what we tell all the girls before any game.”
Sophomore Kaliana Salazar-Harrell led the Wildcats’ scoring with 33 points, scoring 29 of those points in the first half — more than doubling the 13 total points she scored in the season opener against Hilo on Wednesday.
“In Hilo they played really tight defense on her, and tonight, not so much,” Awa said. “And she got a lot of her points off steals.”
The Wildcats shot 74 percent (35-47) from the field. Kayla Pak followed Salazar-Harrell with 13 points, and Braelyn Kauhi and Caiyle Kaupu both had 12 for Konawaena.
Kassie Alapai rounded out the Wildcats’ scoring with seven.
“They all played well,” Awa said. “I think Braelyn and Kaliana did a good job in the passing lanes and in the transition. I think it was a good team effort all around.”
After a scoreless first quarter, Kohala was able to get on the board with 1:55 left in the second thanks to a two-point shot from Laila Caravalho.
It would be Kohala’s first and only made field goal in the first half of the game, and Konawaena led 55-2 at halftime.
The Cowgirls were held scoreless in the third period, and started the fourth with a 67-2 deficit.
Caravalho made a free throw in the fourth quarter to score three of Kohala’s five points.
The other two points came from Kapanaia Reynolds, who made a layup at the buzzer for the Cowgirls to end the game at 77-5.
The five points are the lowest the Cowgirls have scored so far this season. Kohala previous two games were losses to Hilo, 54-9, on Dec. 13 and to Waiakea, 71-8, on Dec. 11.
Konawaena will play Division I Keaau next at home on Saturday, Dec. 28, followed by a meeting with Honokaa on Jan. 2.
The Cowgirls will have a short break before playing Honokaa on Jan. 4.