KAILUA-KONA — The BIIF water polo playoffs technically don’t start until Friday at Naeole Pool at Kamehameha.
However, the win-or-go-home mentality of the postseason came early to Kona Community Aquatic Center on Wednesday, with Waiakea and Konawaena facing off in the final game of the season to decide the last playoff spot.
With its season on the line, Waiakea rallied past Konawaena 11-4 behind a balanced scoring effort, punching its ticket back to the postseason after an extended hiatus.
Summer Cassidy was the only Warrior with multiple goals, tallying a hat trick against the Wildcats, while keeper Genesis Andrewson-Aitogi limited Konawaena’s offense.
Jalen Gambee and Akane Williams each scored twice for the Wildcats.
Due to a few games having to be rescheduled, the regular season finale was the third game in two days for the Warriors. Waiakea had beat Hilo on Tuesday night and lost to Kealakehe earlier in the day, 11-5.
However, the Warriors (5-7) were anything but low-energy in the pool against Konawaena (4-8).
“We knew with all the rescheduling, it was going to come down to this last week. After beating Hilo yesterday, I was hoping that positive energy would transfer into today’s games,” Waiakea head coach Haley Rosehill said. “We could have had a little better effort in that first game, but in the game that really counted, my girls came out with the passion and heart to get the win. That’s all I could ever ask for.”
Waiakea will play undefeated Kamehameha (12-0) the BIIF semifinals on Friday. The private school Warriors — who are seeking an eighth BIIF title in nine years — completed their first perfect season since 2014 last weekend and took the pair of regular season games by a combined score of 31-11 against Waiakea.
Despite entering the postseason as a heavy underdog, the Waiakea players are pumped to get a taste of postseason play.
“I’m really excited,” Waiakea senior Jazmine Early said. “This is such a fun team to be a part of and now we get to play at least one more game together. There’s a real family vibe — no drama.”
The other matchup will be between Kealakehe (9-3) and Hawaii Prep (9-3). The teams split the season series, but the Waveriders overwhelmed Ka Makani in the most recent contest, 10-1.
Against Konawaena, Waiakea gave up the first goal, but responded with six unanswered. Rosehill was happy to see how her team responded to the early adversity, never letting the Wildcats get closer than five goals the rest of the way.
“The games we struggle in are the ones we come out slow,” Rosehill said. “If we can score early, it’s usually a good sign.”
For Early and her teammates, it all goes back to keeping a positive outlook, which surfaces in loud rallying cries from the Warriors as they splash into the pool between quarters.
“You have to keep your energy high,” Early said, “but this is a contact sport, so you have to stay even-keeled when things get aggressive.”
As the final seconds ticked off the clock and the game handily in the bag, the Waiakea players tackled Rosehill into the pool — her second dip into the water in as many days.
“It felt really good,” a dripping Rosehill said. “I came prepared this time because I felt we were going to win.”
“It’s always a good treat for us,” Early said with a laugh. “When we get to do it, it means we did something big.”
In the other contest on Wednesday at KCAC, Hawaii Prep knocked off Keaau 16-1 in the final regular season game for both teams. Malia Honda and Jacquie Stark had four goals apiece for Ka Makani. The Cougars finish the year 0-12.