KEAAU – “Hands up, Blue.”
Following coach Chris Chang’s instructions, Kealakehe’s water polo team charged at Waiakea with an in-your-face defensive style, in part because it could.
“Hard pressure, it tends to work,” Chang said, “until they give you a reason not to.”
Those reasons would come a little later, but since the Waveriders didn’t get in any dry runs before their BIIF season opener Saturday morning, a 12-5 victory against the Warriors at Naeole Pool gave Chang as good a time as any to gauge his team’s state.
It’s stable as usual, for one, and any leadership voids appear to be on there way to being filled as well.
Meiling Kam scored five goals for Kealakehe (1-1), which is trying to replace four seniors after its second consecutive BIIF runner-up finish.
“She’s one of our captains, she understands the game pretty well, movement and all that,” Chang said. “She’s definitely leading this team.”
“The learning curve was a bit steep,” he said of the opening performance, “but I think they adjusted toward the end and started using their strengths more.”
In its second match, Chang got to a opportunity to see what the Waveriders need to work on. Defending champion Kamehameha, which came in with nine preseason matches under its belt, cruised to a 18-9 victory in its only match of the day.
Chang wished his team would have been able to join Kamehameha and Hawaii Prep at Iolani’s tournament on Oahu two weekends ago.
The Waveriders preseason consisted solely of conditioning.
“I always find that teams that have played preseason tournaments, when you challenge them, they kind of show you what your weaknesses are,” Chang said. “I like when you can measure yourself up against the top.”
Kealakehe isn’t the first school one thinks of when it comes to BIIF water polo stalwarts – that would be Kamehameha and then HPA – but the Waveriders are the league’s only program to make the HHSAA tournament each of the past two seasons.
Chang, entering his third year, says his roster of 20 is his biggest one yet, and earning a state spot remains the goal.
“We just have to work hard for it. We lost a few good playmakers, but I’m really hopeful for this upcoming season,” he said. “We have a lot of players who are eager to fill those shoes.”
Hailey Yessis, who scored twice against Waiakea, and Riley Estrada (once), also are captains.
“Both of them showed a lot of awareness,” Chang said. “When something happened they reacted to it properly and that resulted in goals.”
Shyani Sensano also scored twice and Emily Munjar added a goal.
HPA, which lost to Kealakehe in last season’s semifinals, looked in midseason form Saturday, beating Keaau 19-0 and Hilo 17-2. Also, Konawaena beat the Cougars 15-5.
There are five matches on tap this Saturday at Kona Community Aquatic Center, and the headliners are a pair of matches involving Ka Makani. They face Kealakehe at 9 a.m. and Kamehameha at 11:30 a.m.
The loss for Waiakea marked the coaching debut of Coco Flores-Oishi, a 2014 graduate of the school.
Flores-Oishi called her first game nerve-wracking and she had at least one hands-on-her head-moment, but she lauded the Warriors’ effort.
“For placing fourth last year and playing the second seed,” she said, “the girls did really good. They held their own.”
The Warriors cut their deficit to 6-4 in the third quarter on a goal by Ashley Rynkewicz before Kealakehe pulled away.
Rynkewicz, one of five seniors on a 12-member squad that also includes five freshmen, netted a hat trick. Sophomore Korrie Tengan tallied two goals.
Waiakea hasn’t reached the state tournament since 2012, Flores-Oishi’s sophomore season.
“We just need to condition more,” she said. “I just need to get down on more details with the girls, and I think we’ll do fine.”
Flores-Oishi formerly assisted Haley Rosehill, who was known as a vocal coach during matches.
“I’m not a yeller,” Flores-Oishi said. “I’m very quiet. I try to yell but I can’t.”
