KEAAU – Kamehameha water polo coach Kaena Horowitz was outspoken and enthusiastic as he instructed his team on Saturday, shouting “go, go, go” whenever he saw an opportunity to strike.
When it came time for someone to speak for the Warriors after the game, the first-year coach preferred to let his two veteran players do the talking.
“I think half of our team is a little deaf,” said senior Kacelyn Kubojiri.
Clearly, his message got through.
Kamehameha fought back at every opportunity as three players scored 19 goals in a 21-5 win over Hilo as a new chapter in the sport kicks off in four matches at Naiole Pool .
“He always told me to go,” junior Waiahuli Akau said after scoring six goals, “but then I couldn’t hear what he was saying, so I went the other way. It’s just that we all get together, but we’re working on it. .”
Kubojiri, who was still a freshman in his last completed water polo season in 2019, was fighting for minutes on a seasoned Warriors team that won its ninth BIIF championship in 10 seasons.
“From that start to having to play the whole game was absolutely insane,” said Kubojiri, who scored two goals. “I want our girls to be motivated, especially since this is a young team and I want them to have confidence and show what they can do.”
Two players in particular did it — especially when Kubojiri and Aku handled most of the scoring in the first quarter.
BIIF breaststroke champion rookie Oliliu Wise, who scored seven goals and Ka’iulani Rocha with six, usually doesn’t get the ball rolling in front of the Vikings after accepting a pass to break through the Vikings’ goal.
Goalkeeper Maya Robello did a good job keeping the Warriors’ onslaught to 21 goals. Maya Oishi scored three for Hilo while Xochi Gervais scored two.
“I’m excited to get back in the water and see what the other teams can do,” Kubojiri said. “They’re all working hard.”
Akau was a goalkeeper on the club’s team, but Kubojiri said most of her teammates had never picked up a water polo before the start of preseason.
“This applies to all teams,” Kubojiri said.
Kamehameha (2-0) opened with a 15-0 win over Keaau (0-2), with Rocha scoring 5 goals and Wise, Akau and Kubojiri each scoring hat-tricks. The consensus side of the pool is that the Warriors played more cohesion in Game 2.
“We improved, the space was bigger, and the girls spread out,” Akau said. “Our passing, going into the counter-attack is better.”
In fact, Akau and Tyler Furstenworth could see time in the 2-meter position this season, but the Warriors never had much of a chance to get a fixed spot in the first two games because of their stealing and attacking Way.
Backed by Kawena Haserot, Kealakehe also started with two wins, beating Waiakea 8-3 and Cougars 17-6.
Haserot scored 5 goals against the Warriors, then 9 goals against Keaau and Mehana Resetnikov scored 5 goals against the Cougars. Jenesse Trusdell and Lexie Prudholm scored twice each for Keaau. For Waiakea, Grace Nichols had two goals.
