KAILUA-KONA — Makua Lani opened its soccer season at Old Airport Park on Tuesday with a 3-1 victory over Kealakehe. The Lions controlled possession in a game that could have been put away in the first half, if not for normal early season mistakes, especially for a team that is starting several freshmen.
Most of Makua Lani’s mistakes came inside the box as the team showed great chemistry in the passing game.
“That is something we have been focusing on a lot,” said Lions coach Riley Alcos. “They made sure their passes were accurate and that they were the right ones to make.”
Though Makua Lani controlled the ball from the start, it would be Kealakehe that took a 1-0 lead in the first half when Helen Remke intercepted a Lions’ goal kick, beat a defender and put the ball in the back of the net.
Makua Lani answered with two goals before the break. The first came off a corner kick. Katrina Whalen passed in to Witney O’Haloran, who then turned and sent the ball to the middle, where Hannah Shimizu received and scored from the 18.
Shimizu, one of two Makua Lani’s captains this season, plays center midfield and is referred to as a “brick wall” by her coach.
“She makes sure that our defense is in line and is so strong in that holding mid position,” Alcos added. “She plays well with the other midfielders and is a great voice out there.”
The Lions second goal came less than three minutes later when Whalen took a pass just outside the 18, turned the corner around her defender, and put the ball in the back of the net from the right side of the field.
The 2-1 advantage maintained until late in the second half. As the time ticked away, Makua Lani’s offense found more opportunities. However, a sneaky play by Whalen on a free kick would provide the insurance goal that the Lions needed. With the ball marked just outside the 18, Whalen quick kicked, which caught the entire Waverider defense out of position. The ball found the net for her second goal of the afternoon.
Whalen is one of several returning starters for the Lions, along with her sister Sophia, Hailey Onaka, Hannah Shimizu, Akari Shimizu and Brianne Lauro.
Lauro is the team’s second captain and goalkeeper.
“She only started playing three years ago but she has been an all-star keeper every year,” Alcos said. “She is vocal and picks up on things really quickly,” Alcos said. “Coaching her is one of the easiest things to do.”
Onaka, like Lauro, who plays center back and wide back, only started playing three year’s ago, but the Lions’ coach says she just has a natural athletic ability.
“Center back is not an easy position and it requires a lot of understanding who where you and other players are at on the field,” Alcos said.
The Shimizu sisters and Katrina Whalen are the hub in the center of the field for Makua Lani.
“They orchestrate and set the pace of how we move the ball,” Alcos said. “The ball is always moving in our system and it should never stop at your feet.”
Sophia Whalen plays wide back.
“She has a lot of knowledge of the game, knows her job and knows what she has to do,” Alcos said. “When I tell her to fix something she fixes it.”
The Makua Lani team is a mixture of returning and new players. The team has several freshman who have earned their way into major roles, since the Lions only lost two players last year. The young starters are Mara Duarte, Moni Moniati, Cressy Kerr, Maddie Schuster and Witney O’Halloran.
The team also has two sophomores that will see starting time in Halle Nottage and Jewel Stroud.
The team has three seniors, Hannah Shimizu, Sophia Whalen and Destiny Jarrett-Stroud.
“Destiny will be starting in and out,” Alcos said. “She is tall and can definitely win balls in the air. She is one of those utility players that can fill in anywhere.”
As for expectations this season, the Makua Lani head coach always aims high.
“Personally I would like to make the state playoffs,” Alcos said. “That is something I am going to shoot for always, but it is going to be hard because there is awesome competition on this island.”
The Lions are off to a good start and will be back in action on Saturday when they host Pahoa at 3 p.m.
Hilo 1, Kamehameha-Hawaii 0
Freshmen made up approximately half of Hilo’s roster for its BIIF opener Tuesday at Kamehameha.
The ninth-graders didn’t merely contribute. They took over.
Goalkeeper Saydee Bacdad made 10 saves in a sterling debut, and Jordyn Pacheco scored early in the second half in her first match to lift the Vikings to a 1-0 victory at Paiea Stadium in Keaau.
Interim coach Skee Saplan stressed upperclassmen leadership as a key during the preseason. On Tuesday, he said the freshmen spoke for themselves by making an impact against a quality opponent.
“Saydee was excellent,” Saplan said. “She made a lot of quality saves. Game-saving saves.”
Possession, he said, was even between the two teams in a back-and-forth match, but according to Hilo’s statistics, the Warriors held a large advantage in shots. Kamehameha put 11 balls on frame, one of which was blocked by a defender.
Hilo, meanwhile, managed just two shots on goal.
The eventual game-winner came in the 48th minute. Freshman Hollie Saplan’s direct kick found the foot of Pacheco, who broke toward the goal unmarked and scored from 15 yards out
“We were really happy with the lineup we had,” Skee Saplan said. “We had a mix of classes in the match.”
He credited fullbacks Lacey Shiigi, a sophomore, and Kalamanamana Harman, a freshman, will helping to keep a talented Warriors squad in check.
“They were fast and have a lot of technical players and experience,” Saplan said. “We just played with a lot of determination.”
Hilo gets another test Saturday when it visits two-time defending HHSAA Division II champion Hawaii Prep.
BOYS
Konawaena 9, Kohala 9
Sergio Garcia recorded a hat trick in Kealakekua and Kupaa Fernandez added two goals for the Wildcats in the season-opener for both teams.
Erikc Marban-Sanchez, Logan Ichishita, Orlan Hernandez and Mahina Ellis-Noa added a goal apiece, and Anthony Ward earned the shutout against the Cowboys.