It came earlier than some had expected at the end of last season when Konawaena’s girls soccer team reached even ground with Hilo.
By the looks of Thursday’s dissection, the Wildcats look intent on playing a level above this year.
Jadyn Hanks scored her third goal midway through the second half, and Naia Balancio completed her hat trick a few minutes later as the Wildcats dealt the Vikings a humbling defeat with a 7-1 victory in BIIF Division I at Hilo Bayfront.
“I was actually kind of nervous,” Balancio said. “We were rivals last year, but we were focused and we wanted to do our best and have a good outcome, and we did that.”
No statements were made, just stately play for Konawaena (4-0), which can’t enjoy this win too long. The teams meet again Tuesday in Kealakekua, and the Wildcats already are familiar with the dynamic that comes with the quick turnarounds for divisional opponents in the home-and-away format.
Konawaena beat Waiakea 2-0 last Saturday on the road, but it found the Warriors to be a much tougher opponent three days later at home, coming back to win 2-1.
“(Waiakea) had a lot of changes and they came out harder,” Wildcats coach Kaua Wall said. “I’m expecting Hilo to make some changes and it’s going to be a good game Tuesday. The match is not over yet.”
To say this was Skee Saplan’s most lopsided loss would be an severe understatement. In his fifth season, the Hilo coach sustained just his fourth BIIF defeat – including a 1-0 loss to Konawaena in last season’s title game – and the seven goals match the total the Vikings allowed the past two seasons combined in league play, a stretch of 27 contests.
“Not to put anything past (the Wildcats), because they are a super team, but we gave up a couple of easy ones,” Saplan said. “Some hiccups in the back.”
It was 3-0 at halftime, and Konawaena’s fifth score came on an own goal. Hilo avoided the shutout when Briana-Jean Tanaka scored with about 10 minutes remaining.
The fleet-footed Hanks netted the only goal in last season’s BIIF final, an upset that denied the Vikings’ celebrated senior class a fourth championship. Konawaena went on to reach the state semifinals and has returned a year later all the stronger with the goal of reaching the state final, Balancio said.
“We have the same team, but we’ve just bonded more and we’ve grown a lot since BIIFs,” she said. “We do have a target on our back now, a really big target. It makes us have to play up to a standard and not let up.”
Konawaena’s bond is fortified, Wall said, thanks to two sister combinations – Jadyn and Caiya Hanks as well as Finesity and Avrie Salinas-Gouveia – that ignite the Wildcats through the middle of the field, from center back on through striker.
“The family ties are strong,” Wall said.
Caiya Hanks nearly added to the lead when her shot rattled of the crossbar, and a few minutes later she led the charge down the right flank but shot wide.
Hilo has a lot to think about ahead of the next meeting, but first the Vikings travel to play Kealakehe on Saturday.
“We always try to learn from our losses, especially ones like these,” Saplan said. “I hope we can bounce back. Kealakehe is going to be carrying the energy of us losing by this much to Kona, so that’s another thing going against us. We have to go out to Kealakehe and try to make our own statement and get ready for Tuesday.”
