KAILUA-KONA – On paper, it was a clear mismatch.
On one side was a young Kealakehe squad starting a pair of sophomores and another pair of freshmen; on the other, a senior-heavy Kohala team led by the 2020-21 Gatorade Hawaii Boys Basketball Player of the Year O’Shen Cazimero.
After a sluggish start that saw the Waveriders up 5-3, the script followed exactly as expected with such a mismatch.
“We usually play a full-court man,” said Kohala’s head coach Kihei Kapeliela. “Part of (Kealakehe’s) JV played tonight, so we tried to play a halfcourt game. Slow start, so we went back to our normal gameplan and got back into a groove.”
A stifling Kohala press completely shut down Kealakehe’s offense and led to an abundance of transition baskets for the Cowboys as Kohala turned the two-point deficit into a 22-point lead in just eight minutes of game time.
“We just know full speed,” said Kapeliela. “To play halfcourt offense, they’re not used to it. In our zone, they looked lost.”
Cazimero and fellow senior La’akea Kauka combined to score 27 first-half points as the Cowboys extended their lead to 47-7 by halftime.
With the game in hand, Kohala was able to rest their stars and coast to s 62-15 final. Cazimero led all scorers with 16 points, while the Geonwoo Lee led the Waveriders with four points.
Both teams are scheduled to be back in action Saturday night against Waiakea; Kealakehe is scheduled to first host the Warriors at 5 p.m., followed by Kohala vs. Waiakea at 6:30 p.m.
Kohala 24 23 5 10 – 62
Kealakehe 5 2 6 2 – 15
Scoring
Kohala: Cazimero 16 points, La’akea Kauka 11, Hook 9, Landon Kauka 9, Hoshida 5, Agbayani 4, Valenzuela 4, Neves 3, Libron 2
Kealakehe: Lee 4 points, Lorenzo 3, Cho 3, Sales 3, Baker 2
Pahoa 41, Keaau 39
Kalai Midel scored 21 points to lead the visiting Daggers to their first win.
Isaiah Dagupion scored nine points to lead the Division I Cougars (0-4), who trailed 23-21 at halftime.
The Division II Daggers (1-2) and Cougars played to an 18-18 tie in the second half.
Girls
Keaau 53, Ka’u 15
Olivia Yasutake scored 17 points as the host Cougars cruised to victory.
Tyra Wong Yuen scored nine points to lead the Division II Trojans (0-6).
The Division I Cougars (2-3) led 30-9 at halftime.
Cancellations: Christian Liberty’s games Thursday at Honokaa and Saturday at Kamehameha were canceled.
Girls Soccer
Hawaii Prep 2, Konawaena 0
It usually doesn’t take Hawaii Prep’s girls soccer team deep into January to earn its first win. Of course, this is no ordinary BIIF season.
Ka Makani didn’t play their first match until last week, yet Wednesday was already senior day in Waimea. Senior Ruby Helmuth scored in the fifth minute for her second goal, and HPA beat Konawaena 2-0.
“Happy for the seniors to finish their play at home in good form,” coach Steve Perry said. “They have been working hard. Such a weird season, but they remain upbeat and positive.”
Helmuth is one of the few returning starters from the 2020 team that won a seventh consecutive HHSAA Division II title.
Senior Sarak Kiernan, a first-year starter, collected her second shutout, and Tiana Edwards tacked on a goal in the 18th minute. HPA (1-1-2) will be in Hilo next Wednesday to play the Vikings, then will gear up for a one-match BIIF D-II playoff against Kamehameha on Feb. 12.
The Wildcats (0-3) have scored just once this season, and will also be in Hilo next Wednesday to face Waiakea ahead of the Division I semifinals Feb. 9.
Boys
Hawaii Prep 9, Konawaena 0
Aidan Santos notched his second four-goal match of the season, and Kaiser Monchizuki scored twice in Waimea as Ka Makani ended a brief two-match winless streak and remained unbeaten.
Justin Heilmann, Nate Lawton, Mason Hunt also found the back of net for HPA (2-0-2), and Hunt and Heilmann combined on the shutout.
The Wildcats fell to 0-6 but drew praise from Ka Makani coach Adam Christodoulou.
“I thought Kona played well, very compact,” he said. “Best goalie we have come up against.”
Waiakea 6, Honokaa 0
Tevin Atwal scored three more goals – pushing his season total to 11 – as the Warriors improved to 5-0-1.
Ayden Araki, Adon Bisel and Rogelito Doratt also scored goals on the Dragons’ field, and Raiven Chinen and Kawena Calles combined on the shutout against Honokaa (2-3), which has lost three in a row.
Cancellations: Matches between Hilo and Christian Liberty on Thursday, and Kamehameha and the Canefire on Friday were cancelled.