Youthful Kahuku water polo team back in its comfort zone

Kahuku found itself in a most unfamiliar position to open the Stanford Carr Development, LLC/HHSAA water polo state championships.

The first round.

The Red Raiders had a nine-year run as Oahu Interscholastic Association champion come to an end at the hands of Kaiser in the league title game earlier this month. As a consequence, Kahuku entered states without a bye and with plenty to prove.

“It’s just another game,” coach Gina Ahue said. “We just gotta go out there and prove that we’re worth something.”

Her team did, getting back to the quarterfinal round with a 6-2 win over Leilehua on Monday afternoon at Kamehameha’s pool.

The longer road through the tournament bracket could benefit her young team, Ahue reasoned.

Kaylee Vendiola and Siitia Cravens each scored two goals, and Kayla Smith and Jade Paranhos-Lopes completed Kahuku’s scoring. The Red Raiders, who sport no seniors, next face fourth-seeded Kamehameha-Hawaii in a 2:45 p.m. matchup Thursday back on the Kapalama hillside.

>> View more photos from the match in our photo gallery.

“We just have to make sure … that we’re ready, in all areas of the game,” Ahue said. “Swimming, confidence, passing, execution. And most of all is effort. It comes down to effort.”

The whole season has been a long road for Kahuku, which lost Brigham Young-Hawaii’s pool as an available site before this season. Instead, they’ve traveled 30 minutes up the North Shore to the Pupukea Boy Scouts camp to practice.

“It’s really hard, but it also brings us together a team. Hardships build us together,” said junior goalkeeper Kimbrell Kunz, who saved eight shots Monday. “We’re alone out in the mountains in freezing cold water pulling frogs out of the pool.

“It really helped us (in) becoming a team even though this is our first year together.”

Leilehua had his own challenges. Coach Nathan Higa often has to contend with continuity issues because of the military turnover on his campus. Monday, he had to deal with Kunz, whose stops and outlet passes helped Kahuku to a 4-1 halftime lead.

“She was outstanding. She was in the right place at the right time,” Higa said. “It almost looked like we were throwing it to her. She was playing great.”

Leilehua lost by one in the teams’ regular-season meeting, then by eight in the OIA tournament.

“We knew that they’re a young team, and we hoped that we’d give them a good match,” Higa said. “I think we did pretty well.”

Hawaii Prep 5, Moanalua 4

Ka Makani seized upon home-island advantage to stun Na Menehune at Kamehameha-Hawaii’s campus and advance to face OIA champion Kaiser.

Nora Healy and Jackie Payne scored two times each for HPA and Chloe Hughes once.

Isabella McRae and Marissa Halim split the scoring for Moanalua.

Kamehameha 14, Kapolei 2

The host Warriors, who’ve played in the state title game for four straight years, steamrolled the Hurricanes from the outset and advanced to face third-seeded Baldwin in a 4 p.m. quarterfinal Thursday.

Lori Char, Samantha Nakagawa, Shaye Story, Makela Riordan and Kala‘i Terada scored two apiece for Kamehameha, while Keanuenue DeSoto, Reaves Dayton, Liana Wong and Kyra Kahahawai put in one.

Taylor Quereto-Medeiros and Ryleigh Gates scored for Kapolei.

Roosevelt 9, King Kekaulike 2

Adoria Lee scored a hat trick to lead the Rough Riders past Na Alii in a first-round game at Kihei Aquatic Center and into a quarterfinal matchup with 11-time defending state champion Punahou.

Princess Gimeno and Lauren Croll added two scores apiece, while Margaret Lonborg and Hailey Oyadomari also found the net. Louisa Buckingham and Montana Disegna scored for King Kekaulike.