HIGH SCHOOL WATER POLO
FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARBULLETIN.COM
Kahuku's Mika Bailey scored against Roosevelt's Alyssa Fuchsberger during the third period of the Red Raiders' 12-5 victory over Rough Riders yesterday.
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Kahuku’s run of water polo titles hits 4
Continuing its dominance in girls water polo since its first league game in 2003, the Kahuku Red Raiders capped another perfect season with its fourth straight OIA championship.
Sophomore Gina Ahue scored four times and the Red Raiders blitzed Roosevelt with five second-period goals as Kahuku defeated the Rough Riders 12-5 yesterday at Kaimuki in the final of the Oahu Interscholastic Association girls water polo playoffs.
Mika Bailey added two goals as eight Red Raiders finished with scores. Kahuku (14-0) has won all four championships since the OIA began its water polo program in 2003 and has never lost a league game.
"Every year it's always about the players you have and how special it is for them to win," Kahuku coach Aukai Ferguson said. "These girls are real committed to the sport -- they give it the extra effort, and that's what translates to success."
The Red Raiders got on the board first, as Rosie Jaffurs scored from 4 meters out 2 minutes into the game after Kahuku had a man-up advantage. It would be a continuing pattern all game long as Kahuku managed to draw 10 Roosevelt kickouts, compared to just two for the Rough Riders.
Roosevelt (12-2) managed to keep pace with Kahuku early, as Marissa Young scored from nearly 14 meters out, zipping a shot past Kahuku goalie Morgan Wright. Young added her second goal 2 minutes later as Roosevelt trailed by just one after the first period.
"We knew we had to be on (Young) every time she touched the ball, because she was going to shoot," Ferguson said. "She's very dangerous."
Once Kahuku managed to keep Young in check, it was all Red Raiders as Rebecca Fonoimoana scored 18 seconds into the second period to increase Kahuku's lead to two. Bailey converted on a penalty shot and Ahue, Minnie Whitford and Taniya Siflon all scored as well in the period, with Siflon's goal coming with just 25 seconds left.
"For us, if we can come out and score early and prove we can score the ball, we do well," Ferguson said. "In our first meeting, we got good looks at the goal, but I think we were nervous and didn't convert like we did tonight."
Kahuku defeated Roosevelt 6-3 in the only regular-season meeting, handing the Rough Riders their only loss of the season.
Roosevelt's Christyn Takara and Alyssa Fuchsberger scored early in the third period as they managed to trim Kahuku's lead to four. However, the Red Raiders answered behind another goal from Ahue and Bailey's second score.
"It kind of gets harder and harder to win every year, and we wanted to get this done for the seniors," Ahue said. "We played good defense and it seemed on offense we managed to put everything together."
Both teams had already earned spots in next week's state water polo tournament at the Duke Kahanamoku Aquatic Complex at the University of Hawaii. Kapolei and Kalani also earned berths, as the OIA sends four teams to the tournament. Joining them in the tournament will be Kamehameha from the Interscholastic League of Honolulu, two teams from the Big Island Interscholastic Federation and one from the Maui Interscholastic League.
At Kaimuki H.S. pool
Roosevelt |
2 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
-- |
5
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Kahuku |
3 |
5 |
2 |
2 |
-- |
12 |
Goal scorers-Roos: Marissa Young 2, Lana Dang, Christyn Takara, Alyssa Fuchsberger. Kah: Gina Ahue 4, Mika Bailey 2, Shannon Ching, Rosie Jaffurs, Rebecca Fonoimoana, Minnie Whitford, Taniya Siflon, Meme Moody.
THIRD-PLACE GAME
Kapolei 7, Kalani 5
Nicole Hagi scored two of her three goals in the first 3 minutes of the fourth quarter and Ashlie Salas-Selem, the OIA regular-season scoring leader, scored the go-ahead goal with 3:17 left as the Hurricanes outscored the Falcons 4-0 in the final period to come from behind to win the third-place game.
Both Hagi and Salas-Selem finished with three goals for the Hurricanes, while Jenna Nakamoto led the Falcons with three goals as well. Jen Noborikawa and Natasha Fraher each scored goals in the first half as the Falcons held a 5-3 halftime lead. Kapolei's Meredith Egloria added a goal with 1:50 left for the game's final score.
At Kaimuki H.S. pool
Kalani |
2 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
-- |
5
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Kapolei |
1 |
2 |
0 |
4 |
-- |
7 |
Goal scorers-Kaln: Jenna Nakamoto 3, Jen Noborikawa, Natasha Fraher. Kapo: Nicole Hagi 3, Ashlie Salas-Selem 3, Meredith Egloria.