King Kekaulike High School’s Kiryn Hashimoto (left) runs toward teammate Tori Zackious after scoring a goal on Zackious’ assist during the first half of Na Alii’s 4-0 victory over Baldwin in the teams’ Maui Interscholastic League opener Wednesday night at King Kekaulike Stadium. The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photos
PUKALANI — Tori Zackious has her young King Kekaulike High School girls soccer team on a mission to start the Maui Interscholastic League season.
The speedy Zackious, a junior forward, scored twice and added a nifty assist to lead Na Alii to a 4-0 win over Baldwin in the Maui Interscholastic League opener on Wednesday night at a rainy, cold King Kekaulike Stadium.
“I feel like we played really, really well, especially because half our team are rookies, so it was a lot harder for us and coming into this game we were kind of doubting ourselves and our abilities,” Zackious said. “But seeing this tonight and seeing our girls really perform at a higher level just makes me feel really happy.”
Zackious gave Na Alii a 1-0 lead with a goal off a header in the eighth minute from about 6 yards away. She put pressure on the Bears’ defense all night long, using her speed to run on to passes in the attack zone.
Likewise, Baldwin’s Olivia Ellis put pressure on the Kekaulike defense with her speed on to the ball several times in the first half from her right-side defender position.
King Kekaulike’s Tori Zackious launches a long header between Baldwin’s Olivia Ellis (from left), Sammi Kinoshita and Mattison Akiona to score a first-half goal Wednesday.
The Bears’ Bree Toma put a rocket shot on goal in the 38th minute from about 20 yards out, but Na Alii goalkeeper Mahealani Arakawa was in solid position to make the stop.
Zackious broke free on a run in extra time in the first half and one-timed a ball to Kiryn Hashimoto, who tapped it home to make it 2-0 at halftime.
Baldwin had a solid chance in the 46th minute, working the ball to the penalty box before Tamilyn Ebisu sent a shot wide left.
King Kekaulike’s Kaila-Mae Makekau had a dangerous shot from the left side in the 53rd minute that just sailed wide left at the goalmouth.
Baldwin’s Kena Tihada sent a header on goal in the 55th minute that required a save by Arakawa.
King Kekaulike’s Journey Andaya (foreground) and Baldwin’s Sydneylee Anduha settle under an incoming ball in the first half Wednesday night.
Ebisu sent a free kick from about 40 yards out that crossed Na Alii’s goalmouth untouched in the 63rd minute.
King Kekaulike’s Kaelynn Andrade sent a corner kick in front of the Baldwin goal in the 65th minute — the ball rattled around in the scoring zone for a moment before being cleared.
Arakawa made the save of the night in the 68th minute when she stopped a laser-beam shot from the left side by Baldwin’s Sienna Fernandez.
Na Alii added the final tallies on a long shot by Lei Coyle from about 40 yards away in the 71st minute before Zackious scored a minute later after a scramble in front of the net.
King Kekaulike just returned from a tournament at Hawaii Preparatory Academy where they went 1-2, their only win coming against Pac-5, with losses at the hands of Kaiser and Hawaii Prep.
Baldwin’s Olivia Ellis controls a first-half ball Wednesday night.
“I just feel, like, we’re not going to get our heads too big,” Zackious said of the convincing win to open MIL play. “I’m going to talk to the girls in the locker room, we’re going to stay humble, we’re going to thank our coaches and thank people for coming out for us. And we’re just going to make sure that we keep our heads in a good mindset.”
King Kekaulike coach Gundi Dancil said he was encouraged with the way his team bounced back from some disappointment on the Big Island.
“We talked to the ladies from the tournament that we just had and we told them that today’s game was like our fourth game, even though we’re starting the season,” Dancil said. “Since it started so early we needed to take what we had on the Big Island and bring it here.”
Baldwin coach Dave Mena said his team will work on the flashes of brilliance he saw Wednesday night.
“It just wasn’t as consistent as we would have liked,” Mena said. “We changed our game plan and it didn’t go well for us.”
Mena tipped his cap to Na Alii, who had their string of four straight MIL titles snapped by Kamehameha Maui last season.
“They are a good team, they have the record for it, how many MIL champs now?” Mena said. “It feels great to get started — we’ve got a good long road ahead of us and yet at the same time it’s going to be short. We waited so long for it to start, it’s now here.”
The only other MIL match scheduled for opening day — Kamehameha Maui at Maui High — was postponed due to wet conditions at the MHS field. MIL soccer coordinator PK Higa, the athletic director at King Kekaulike, said the match will be rescheduled at a date to be determined.
* Robert Collias is at rcollias@mauinews.com.
*****
MIL GIRLS SOCCER STANDINGS
DIVISION I
WLTPts
King Kekaulike1003
KS Maui0000
Lahainaluna0000
Maui High0000
Baldwin0100
DIVISION II
WLTGB
Molokai0000
Seabury Hall0000
Wednesday’s Results
King Kekaulike 4, Baldwin 0
Kamehameha Maui at Maui High, ppd.
Saturday’s Matches
Baldwin vs. Lahainaluna at War Memorial Stadium, 6 p.m.
King Kekaulike at Kamehameha Maui, 6 p.m.
Baldwin’s Olivia Ellis controls a first-half ball Wednesday night. 
King Kekaulike’s Journey Andaya (foreground) and Baldwin’s Sydneylee Anduha settle under an incoming ball in the first half Wednesday night. 
King Kekaulike High School’s Kiryn Hashimoto (left) runs toward teammate Tori Zackious after scoring a goal on Zackious’ assist during the first half of Na Alii’s 4-0 victory over Baldwin in the teams’ Maui Interscholastic League opener Wednesday night at King Kekaulike Stadium. The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photos
King Kekaulike’s Tori Zackious launches a long header between Baldwin’s Olivia Ellis (from left), Sammi Kinoshita and Mattison Akiona to score a first-half goal Wednesday.Today's breaking news and more in your inbox
Today • HHSAA swimming and diving 8:30 a.m.—State championships, dive finals, at Kihei Aquatic Center. 1 ...
BOWLING ALOHA FRIDAY LEAGUE Feb. 2 Results At Wailuku Lanes Standings—Anela’s 61, Jonathan’s 59.5, ...
Lola Donez scored 19 points in her final game with the Lahainaluna High School girls basketball team as the Lunas ...
Top-seeded Iolani School got a golden goal off the post in the 89th minute on Friday night for a 1-0 overtime win ...
Today • HHSAA swimming and diving 10 a.m.—State championships, dive prelims, at Kihei Aquatic ...
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7rq3UoqWer6NjsLC5jqynqKqkqHytu8Kao2aroKS%2Ftb%2BOa2dra19mfnC6wGaYpaGZYriqr8pmpp%2BeXaiyor%2FOp2SwoaSderi1zWg%3D