The Waiakea girls didn’t need to play pass-and-possess soccer, not when Sabrina Scott provided long-distance goals with her strong right leg.
Scott got a hat trick and the Warriors won a 4-1 Big Island Interscholastic Federation game to debut Ken Yamase Memorial Stadium.
Neither team was able to string together three straight passes on the ground. That’s 1 hour and 20 minutes of battling for air-balls, not exactly a 50-50 proposition with the physicality of the Warriors (2-0).
When the Vikings (1-1) managed to trap a ball, they got bumped and often lost possession or fell into a bad habit of rushing and one-timing another air-ball.
Scott’s three goals were all precision strikes, sneaking each shot over Hilo goalie Jordyn Breitbarth’s outstretched hands and under the 8-foot crossbar.
The first, a sky-high rainbow, was from 35 yards, just seven minutes into the game. About five minutes later, the Warrior junior took a free kick from 25 yards out and converted again.
Hilo junior Savannah Toussiant-Adviento scored with 20 minutes left until halftime.
Scott gave Waiakea a 3-1 lead with another long-range score, just eight minutes into the second half. Each time she had just enough room to unleash a shot.
“The first one the defender was coming toward me and the ball was bouncing, but it tipped through Jordyn’s fingers,” Scott said. “The free kick went right over her hands again in the right corner. The third a defender went to kick the ball, but it hit my foot. I made a run and it popped over her hands again in the middle.”
Cierra Toledo-Muragin capped the Warrior kick-and-run scoring output with a rocket from the right sideline with four minutes left.
Waiakea goalie Jordan Melchor didn’t get a shutout, but she produced one brilliant save when Hilo crossed the ball late in the second half, took a shot at point-blank range that she blocked with her body, and gathered the rebound.
Meanwhile, the Vikings were on the wrong end of a kickball battle, a style of play that coach Paul Bello hoped to avoid.
“We didn’t give our best effort,” Bello said. “Waiakea outplayed us in every phase of the game. We had a couple of chances, but didn’t finish.
“We became them. That’s our bad. As coaches we’ve got to fix that. I think we will. This is possibly the worst game we’ve played so far. Credit Waiakea, they brought it.”
Yamase, the former Waiakea athletic director, died in September 2008. He was 59. Under his watch, he worked to improve athletic facilities, including the softball field and all-weather track. He also started the Waiakea Athletic Wall of Fame.
KeAau 4, East-Pac 0
Tiani Teanio scored twice at Keaau High and Charnalyn Crivello and Tori Teanio added goals as the Cougars won their opener.
Savannah Hester shut out East-Pac (1-2) in goal.
Honokaa 6, Kohala 0
Nina Cardoza’s two goals helped carry the homestanding Dragons to a 2-0 start to the season.
Ashlynn Kaiamakini, Sarah Sedillo, Hia Kapu and Cydne Correia also found the back of the net in support of goalkeeper Hailey Paglinawan.
The Cowgirls fell to 0-3.
BoysHilo 3, Waiakea 2
Jace Taka scored in the final five minutes as the visiting Vikings edged their crosstown rival.
Kalei Perry and Dylan Silva also scored for Hilo (2-0).
Hajime Hayano and Jamal Marshall netted goals for the Warriors (1-1).
Christian Liberty 9,
Keaau 0
The visiting Canefire notched a TKO victory in their opener, but goal scorers were not available at press time.
Keaau saw its record fall to 1-1.
Honokaa 7, Kohala 0
Sean Quinlan scored five goals as the host Dragons ran their record to 2-0.
Kyle Ohta and Sean Simmerman also scored for Honokaa, but Quinlan was the story
“He had a field day,” coach Maurice Miranda said. “He scored early and often.”
Goalkeeper Elzer Maltezo and Halana Birch shared in shutting out the Cowboys (0-3).
BIIF Girls Basketball
(Late Tuesday)
Kohala 70
Laupahoehoe 4
Jenni Fong tallied 20 points and three assists in Kapauu as the Cowgirls ran their record to 2-0 in BIIF girls basketball.
The Seasiders fell to 0-2.
Hilo 61, Keaau 23
Sharlei Graham-Bernisto scored 12 points and Aliyah Pana added 11 for the host Vikings (2-0).
Taylor Pocock led the Cougars (0-2) with seven points.
By Stephens Media sources