KEAAU — Parker has its usual small-school limitations, and it’s playing coed soccer this season. But the Bulls carry the same aspirations as the Big Island Interscholastic Federation’s elite Division II teams.
Parker wants to get to the Hawaii High School Athletic Association tournament this season, and the Bulls took a small step in the right direction by earning four points on a busy Saturday trip to East Hawaii.
In the morning, Evan Kasberg and Max Elster staked Parker to a lead, but the second of Matthew Shimabukuro’s two goals helped Keaau forge a 2-2 draw in BIIF play at Shipman Park.
The Bulls took their lumps during a rugged season-opening stretch, but with the toughest portion of their schedule behind them, Parker (2-5-1) still is hanging tough in the BIIF playoff race, moving into a tie with Kamehameha-Hawaii for sixth place.
“We started out with the tough teams, and we’re really happy with how it went against them,” senior sweeper Tyler McCullough said. “But this is a time for us to make up ground and get a few wins.”
Parker got a victory in the afternoon, downing Hawaii Academy of Arts & Science 4-0 in Pahoa behind two goals from McCullough.
The Bulls looked headed for a possible victory against the Division I Cougars (1-3-2) after Elster, a sophomore, scored on a one-timer from 15 yards out to give his team a 2-1 lead.
However, the fleet-footed Shimabukuro ran down a Talon Ota throughball late in the first half and capitalized. He also scored the game’s first goal, converting a turnover into a quick 25-yard blast in the ninth minute.
The senior has accounted for seven of his team’s nine goals this year.
“Hustle on the ball,” coach Richard Handy said of Shimabukuro’s biggest asset. “He doesn’t have the best skill, but he plays hard on the ball. He hustles all the way through. Fearless.”
Parker was playing without leading scorer Paul Gregg, a senior coach Billy Pluess described as a “one-man band” at times.
In his absence, sophomore Aolani Pieper stepped in and was one of three female starters along with junior fullback Marie Jobes and sophomore Maia Tarnas. In the second half, senior Jessie Burns was inserted into the lineup.
Parker didn’t have the numbers to field a girls team like it did last season, but McCullough said the wahine have been a welcome addition.
“We were kind of worried about it a little bit because, of course, it’s a bit different,” he said. “But it’s turned out really well. Everyone is having a good time. And the girls are really holding their own.”
Freshman Skyler Pluess tallied an assist with a long throughball that got behind the Keaau goalkeeper to the waiting foot of Kasberg.
Bulls junior Marlon Lumper had the best scoring chance of the second half, but Keaau fullback Jeffery Ferrell got a leg on the ball before it could reach frame.
In the win over Na Naia (0-8), Kasberg, a senior, and freshman Malik Mariano added goals, and senior Jessie Burns got the shutout.
c Makua Lani 9, Ka‘u 0: Senior Elijah Lingenfelder tallied three goals and an assist, while senior Pono Ng and sophomore Aidan Alcos each had two goals and an assist at Old Kona Airport Park for the Lions.
Junior James Whalen and freshman Timothy St. Clair added their first goals of the season, while sophomore Josh Kuperas blanked the Trojans (2-5) in goal.
Lingenfelder leads Makua Lani (5-3) with 12 goals, while Ng and Alcos have eight and four, respectively.
c Honokaa 1, Waiakea 0: Freshman Zechariah Ugalde’s goal midway through the first half was the difference, keeping the host Dragons (6-0) undefeated and moving them into a first-place tie with Hawaii Prep atop the BIIF Division II standings.
After senior Kekoa Phenicie ran onto a throughball from junior Seanry Agbayani and fired a shot on goal, Ugalde pumped in the rebound for the match’s lone goal.
Senior goalkeeper Cassidy Dixon blanked the Warriors (1-7).
c Hilo 9, Kohala 0: Senior Justin Shiigi scored his team-high sixth goal of the season at Hilo Bayfront as nine different Vikings found the back of the net.
In improving to 5-1, Hilo also got goals from Adryan Vidad, Keola Miller, Kaiawe Miyasaki, Spike Boyd, Katon Pestano, Andrew Dawrs, Arris Aynessazian and Jace Taka.
Pestano and Boyd combined to shut out the Cowboys (0-7) in net.
Girls
c Honokaa 2, Waiakea 0: Kelly Greenwell scored her sixth goal off an assist from Monica Carlos in the 57th minute, and the senior returned the favor in the 73rd, assisting on Carlos’ team-high ninth goal as the Dragons improved to 4-1.
Goalkeeper Hailey Paglinawan blanked the Warriors (3-5).
c Makua Lani 9, Ka’u 0: Senior forward Tiffany Nakamura scored four consecutive goals in the first half at Old Kona Airport Park, giving her a team-high nine for the season as the Lions snapped a four-match losing streak.
Lauren Mabuni collected her eighth goal, while Sina Easley, Naia Willard, Karissa Komo and Amanda Madigan also found the back of the net for Makua Lani (2-4).
Lydia Wood shut out the Trojans (1-5) in goal.
c Hilo 9, Kohala 0: Senior Taylor Pacheco and junior Camille Martinez both scored their second and third goals of the season for the host Vikings (3-1-1).
Rose Nakamura and Carmen Garson-Shumway added their second goals of the year, and Shylia Bautista, Serena Nasworthy and Taylor Matas also found the back of the net.
Edwina DeGrood and Michelle Martinez both played in goal to shut out the Cowgirls (0-6).
Friday’s result
c Konawaena 3, Kamehameha 1: J.G. Replogle scored his team-high 13th goal of the season in the second half at Keaau’s Paiea Stadium after Eduardo Meneses and Kai Dunston produced a 2-0 halftime lead for the Wildcats (4-2).
Preston Branco scored in the second half for the Warriors (2-3-1).
Dunston has found the back of the net in each of the Wildcats’ past three matches.
Corrections
Because of incorrect information provided to West Hawaii Today, a story in the newspaper’s Dec. 16 edition did not credit Hawaii Prep’s Kepa Police for scoring four goals in Ka Makani’s 7-1 win at Konawaena. Also, a Dec. 12 story did not credit Konawaena’s Gerardo Meneses for scoring one of the Wildcats’ two goals in a 3-2 loss to Honokaa.
It is the policy of West Hawaii Today to correct any incorrect or misleading information when it is brought to the attention of the newspaper.
West Hawaii Today’s Joe Ferraro contributed to this report.
