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Lunas start second half with win

Delos Reyes scores four goals in return from injury, Lahainaluna holds off Maui High 9-6

Lahainaluna High School’s Dakota Delos Reyes looks to shoot as Maui High’s Ashlyn Robinson defends in the fourth quarter of the Lunas’ 9-6 victory over the Sabers on Thursday afternoon at Sakamoto Pool. The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photos

WAILUKU — Dakota Delos Reyes was happy to be back for her Lahainaluna High School girls water polo team.

Lunas coach Bradley Mason was glad to have his playmaker back in the pool, too, as she scored four crucial goals in a 9-6 win over Maui High on Thursday afternoon at Sakamoto Pool.

The result leaves both teams at 3-3 with four matches to play in the Maui Interscholastic League regular season.

“I definitely looked forward to it, just watching my team, being able to go out there and play,” Delos Reyes said in her return from tendinitis in her shoulder that had kept her out of the pool since preseason play. “I definitely missed it. It’s definitely my favorite sport.”

The Lunas are looking to qualify for their seventh straight state tournament, but they know they still have work to do.

Lahainaluna goalie Brooke Whitehead defends a fourth-quarter shot. With Thursday’s win, the Lunas improved to 3-3 in Maui Interscholastic League play.

“It’s one big family,” Delos Reyes said. “When you’re missing one person, it’s just off. It was definitely hard to just get back in shape, get teamwork back together. They’ve been practicing without me, so just to get that back together felt good. … We’ve been putting in the work and we’re ready to come back firing.”

Mason was happy to have his senior offensive leader back.

“It was, it was good for everybody, gives everybody that little extra confidence,” Mason said. “The girls stepped up while she was gone and then to have her back, everyone is kind of feeling that energy. We’re looking forward to a good second half.”

The Sabers fell behind 8-2 early in the third quarter, but closed within 8-4 on a penalty shot goal by Caroline Short with 3 minutes, 14 seconds left in the third quarter.

The Lunas pushed the lead to 9-4 on a successful penalty shot by Delos Reyes with 40 seconds left in the third quarter.

Maui High’s Karina Lynch takes aim on a shot in the third quarter Thursday.

Kylie Robinson scored twice in the first three minutes of the fourth quarter, but the Sabers could not get any closer. Robinson scored four times for Maui High.

“We wanted to start the second half (of the regular season) off right with a win and get headed in the right direction today, so we were happy to be able to do that,” Mason said.

First-year Maui High coach Debbie Hirata was encouraged by the fight her team showed in the final quarter. The Sabers won the first match between the two teams with Delos Reyes sidelined.

“Definitely, and we had a lot of unconventional goals, we had some shots that you didn’t think that would make it, but they did,” Hirata said. “So that made the game interesting.”

* Robert Collias is at rcollias@mauinews.com.

Lahainaluna 4 4 1 0–9

Maui High 2 0 1 2–6

Goal scorers–Lahainaluna: Dakota Delos Reyes 4, Lele Oliveira 2, Makena Cowan 1, Hailey Bogar 1, Ryli Cherry 1. Maui High: Kylie Robinson 4, Caroline Short 1, Karina Lynch 1.

BALDWIN 16, KAMEHAMEHA MAUI 5

Baldwin 5 4 4 3–16

KS Maui 0 2 0 3– 5

Goal scorers–Baldwin: Kristi Kimura 3, Naomi Takakura 3, Jessica Baker 2, Gracie Lawrence 2, Taryn Sato 2, Keanna Campbell 2, Jacsen Donohue, Maria King. Kamehameha Maui: Labryana Hookano 3, Logan Spencer, Naela Nitta.

KING KEKAULIKE 7, SEABURY HALL 5

Seabury Hall 0 2 1 2–5

King Kekaulike 3 3 1 0–7

Goal scorers–King Kekaulike: Montana DiSegna 2, Taitum Jones 2, Ceci Buckingham, Kuaola Emmsley, Louisa Buckingham. Seabury Hall: Bella Otterson 5.

MIL Standings

W L Pct. GB

Baldwin 6 0 1.000 —

King Kekaulike 5 1 .833 1

Maui High 3 3 .500 3

Lahainaluna 3 3 .500 3

Seabury Hall 1 5 .167 5

Kamehameha Maui 0 6 .000 6

Thursday’s Results

Lahainaluna 9, Maui High 6

Baldwin 16, Kamehameha Maui 5

King Kekaulike 7, Seabury Hall 5

Saturday’s Games

At Kamehameha Maui

Maui High vs. Kamehameha Maui, 8:30 a.m.

Lahainaluna vs. King Kekaulike, 9:45 a.m.

Baldwin vs. Seabury Hall, 11 a.m.

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