Because of the pandemic, Caiya Hanks lost out on her senior BIIF soccer season and a chance to win a third consecutive Division I girls title with Konawaena.
However, Hanks didn’t miss out on an opportunity to earn a small measure of revenge against Hawaii Prep. She scored twice Thursday in Waimea as a West Hawaii club team beat Ka Makani 3-1 to split a two-game series that is part of a modified winter high school season being hosted by HPA and Kamehameha.
If not for the cancellation of the BIIF season, Hanks would have been one of the front-runners for Division I Player of the Year. She garnered a vote last season, when the honor was shared by the Wildcats’ Jadyn Hanks, her sister, and goalkeeper Kapoina Bailey. Konawaena lost just one BIIF game last season, a 3-0 setback at HPA.
The club team – coached by Kealakehe High girls coach John Edwards – played better with the lead then it did Saturday, when it twice held two-goal advantages but ended up losing to HPA 3-2. Caiya Hanks also scored a goal in that game.
Ka Makani senior Bella Police opened the scoring Thursday, her second goal in the past week, but Hanks netted the equalizer in the 25th minute and Teysha Ray Kuahuia provided the go-ahead tally 2 minutes later, matching Hanks with her third goal.
In the boys game, HPA beat Riders FC 3-2, getting goals from Nathan Lawton, Justin Heilmann and Noah Condon.
Micah Carson netted two goals for Riders FC, and Alex Bell had an assist. The teams played to a 1-1 draw Saturday.
HPA’s girls and boys teams each have two games remaining with Kamehameha, Feb. 26 in Keaau and March 4 in Waimea.
Also, a Christian Liberty-HPA girls basketball game that previously was to be played Feb. 17 is now scheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday.