By MATT GERHART
Tribune-Herald sports writer
KEAAU — Parker’s got its usual small-school limitations, and it’s playing coed this season. But the Bulls carry the same short-term and long-term aspirations as the elite in Division II.
Parker wants to get to the Hawaii High 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 Big Island Interscholastic Federation 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 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 time for us to make up ground and get a few wins.”
Parker got a victory in the afternoon, downing Hawaii Academy of Arts and 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 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 its leading scorer, senior Paul Gregg, a player that 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.
But after a busy first 40 minutes, the second half was scoreless. Both teams were stymied by a large mud puddle about 15 yards from midfield that seemingly played as a magnet to the ball.
“That puddle was the only (thing) that stopped Talon all day,” Handy said.
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.
Parker’s boys team ended up in sixth last season, and the Bulls will need to duplicate that finish this year to grab the final spot in the revamped playoff system in D-II. At BIIFs, three state spots are available.
Starting on Saturday, the schedule turned a lot more favorable.
All five of Parker’s losses have come to teams with winning records, and with matches against Kealakehe, Hilo, Honokaa and Christian Liberty in their rearview mirror, the Bulls can focus on upcoming contests with Ka‘u and Kamehameha that will largely decide their postseason fate.
“I’d say that (6th) is our minimum goal,” McCullough said. “We definitely want to take it up a few notches before playoff time comes. We think we have it in us.”
That’s a mindset that his second-year coach would endorse.
“Oahu is always the goal. The whole idea is to build our program so we are competitive with Honokaa and the other D-II schools,” Billie Pluess said. “It comes down to development at the youth level in North Hawaii.”
Handy knows all about the pivotal role youth soccer plays in high school. He’s sees many talented youngsters in Puna as a coach in American Youth Soccer Organization, however, those players mature and go on to different high schools than Keaau, leaving Handy with another inexperienced roster on his hands.
“I’m proud of what they’ve accomplished,” he said. “I had to put years of soccer into them in about a month.”
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).
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.
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).
Girls
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).
Makua Lani 9, Ka’u 0: Senior forward Tiffany Nakamura scored four consecutive goals in the first half at Old 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.
Late Friday
Kealakehe scored twice off corner kicks and once off a throw-in on the way to a 4-2 win over Christian Liberty in a matchup of undefeated teams at Waverider Stadium.
The goals off set plays came over the first 21 minutes for the Waveriders (6-0).
Kealakehe midfielder Keoni Yates began the scoring by heading in his third goal of the season off Logan Whitney’s corner kick in the 10th minute.
Next, Yates delivered a throw-in into the box that Christian Liberty goalkeeper Keanu Bergfeld deflected, but Connor Keale corralled the rebound and tucked the ball into the net for a 2-0 lead in the 19th minute.
Jason Kuwada extended the lead two minutes later, hammering home a penalty kick after officials called a handball in the penalty box on a corner kick from Nick Joersz. Avery Hardie-Jordan made it 4-0 in the 23rd minute by taking a pass from Yates and drilling in his team-high 10th goal.
Outshot 13-4 in the first half, the Canefire (5-1) raised their level of play in the second half, outshooting Kealakehe 8-4.
Nakaiya Kerr scored his league-high 16th goal in the 70th minute on a shot from 15 yards that pulled the Canefire within 4-2.
Seven minutes earlier, Sequoya Kerr found the back of the net on a penalty kick.
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).
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’s team-high ninth goal as the host Dragons improved to 4-1.
Goalkeeper Hailey Paglinawan blanked the Warriors (3-5).
