Coach Skee Saplan speaks for East Hawaii and West Hawaii when he says the results at the Maui Cup show Big Island soccer is improving.
Once again, his Hilo Chicas did their part. Nanea Rabang and Miya Clarke each scored Sunday and Chicas kept another clean sheet and beat Maui United Soccer Club 2-0 in the under-14 final in Kahului.
“Rock-solid defense,” Saplan said. “The team is very close. They just work well together.”
Many of the its players, including goalkeeper Saydee Bacdad, were on a team that swept two tournaments in Oregon last summer.
Saplan picked the Maui Cup as the team’s trip this summer because it had an opportunity to face a Guam national team on Saturday. Chicas won that match 3-0. A Maui team that finished second at the Hawaii State Cup in the spring proved to be a tougher test, but Chicas allowed only one goal in the tournament.
“Saydee only had to make routine saves,” Saplan said. “Then again, she makes all saves seem routine.”
Hilo sophomore Aylee Amaral scored five goals for Chicas, while Waiakea sophomore Kiana Corpuz collected four. Clarke and Rabang each netted their second goals of the tournament.
Of the six Big Island teams that entered, four reached the finals and another contested for a round-robin title.
Saplan’s Hawaii Rush U10 girls lost to Surf Hawaii 3-1, despite a goal by Keilee Silva.
“Club play in general on the island is helping soccer play improve on the high school level,” he said. “We’re closing the gap.”
In the boys 15-18 title game, the Kona Eagles lost 1-0 to a tough foe from the Maui United Football Club. Earlier in the tournament, Kona beat Maui 2-0. Many of Maui’s players were on a team that claimed its division at the Hawaii State Cup.
In finishing 2-1-1, Kealakehe senior Josh Lopez led the way with three goals, Jonah Palakiko netted two and Michael Scott and Kolby Martin added one apiece.
The Kona Crush girls lost in penalty kicks to Maui Girls after the teams played 70 minutes of scoreless soccer in the 11-13 final.
Coach Vince La Porta called the tournament a coming-out party for Kaui Navas-Kauionalani.
“She was phenomenal,” La Porta said. “She played all over, but when she played in the back, we only let in one goal in four games.
“I challenged her on this trip. She’s got great energy and the ability to lead. Very mature.”
Navas-Kauionalani, who attended an immersion middle school, said she’s decided to attend Hawaii Prep. La Porta said the opportunity at a scholarship was too good to pass up.
“I like right wing. I can use my speed, but still get back to help on defense,” Navas-Kauionalani said.
“Throughout the tournament we had times where we did really good. We did OK defensively, but we didn’t do marvelous.”
A Kona Crush U11 boys teams tied for the best record (2-0-2) in its division, but lost out on a goal-differential tiebreaker.