KAILUA-KONA — The Waveriders are officially in uncharted waters.
Behind a fourth quarter charge and a hat trick from senior Skyler Hudson, Kealakehe rallied past Kaiser 9-6 in the first round of the HHSAA tournament at Kona Community Aquatic Center on Monday afternoon.
Hannah Tomlinson and Meiling Kam each added a pair of goals for the Waveriders, while goalkeeper Helen Remke kept the Cougars quick offense at bay.
The win was the first for the program in the state tournament, outside of a pair of consolation bracket victories in 2010.
“This season in one word — fantastic,” Tomlinson said.
Kealakehe will face perennial state title contender Kahuku on Thursday at the Duke Kahanamoku Aquatic Complex on Oahu.
The lead changed hands three times in the tightly-contested first half, with the Waveriders eventually escaping into the break with a 4-3 lead.
The back-and-forth affair continued in the second half, and it looked like Kaiser would get a momentum boost in the 5-5 affair heading into the fourth quarter with a buzzer-beater. However, the goal was called off and the Waveriders took advantage, stepping on the gas. Hudson, Tomlinson, Kam and Miana Villegas all netted goals in the fourth to bust open the game and secure the victory.
“In that first half we had to learn what Kaiser was good at and what we needed to do,” Kealakehe head coach Chris Chang said. “The girls adapted, got smart and changed it up.”
Unlike sports like football, there wasn’t tape or a detailed scouting report of their opponent readily available. Instead, the Waveriders went more off the coconut wireless way of investigating the Cougars.
“With Kaiser coming over from Oahu, it was a little intimating,” Tomlinson said. “We really didn’t know what to expect.”
“We tried to do a little bit of research,” Hudson added. “But it didn’t really matter once we hit the pool. We just listened to our coaches and played our game.”
Kealakehe defied the odds just to make it to the state stage, bouncing seven-time defending BIIF champion Kamehameha-Hawaii in the league semifinals to earn a spot.
It’s just the third appearance for Kealakehe at the state tourney and first since 2014. It’s safe to say the Waveriders have already exceeded expectations, but did even they expect to be in this position?
“No way,” Tomlinson and Hudson said in unison.
“Coming into the season with only four returning starters, we were just hoping for the best,” Hudson continued. “But everybody played to their full potential this season and everyone on this team loves the sport. No matter how far we go from here, I don’t think any of us could have asked for a better season.”
The OIA champion Red Raiders are making their 14th appearance in the tourney, qualifying for every state tournament since its inception in 2004. Kahuku, the No. 2 seed in the tournament, are 26-14 in state tournament matches, with four runner-up titles.
Punahou received the top seed and a first-round bye in the tournament. The Buffanblu are making their 12th appearance in 14 years of the tournament, boasting an unblemished record of 33-0 in state play and 11 state titles under the guidance of head coach Ken Smith.
Hawaii Preparatory Academy — the BIIF champion and No. 4 seed — will also play Thursday against Roosevelt, which beat Waialua 8-4.