[ ALL-STATE SOCCER TEAMS ]
Punahou baked an
unyielding D
Kelsey Baker is "a trip."
At least that's what Punahou coach Jorge Barbosa thinks.
He means it in a good way, of course.
"She's a character," Barbosa said. "But a whole bunch of players on the team are. They all have a good sense of humor. They love to challenge authority, but that's a good thing. It's not disrespectful. They just really want to know the way things should be, so they ask questions and it leads to dialogue."
Baker, a junior sweeper for the state champion Buffanblu, is the Star-Bulletin's player of the year and a first-team selection. Along with senior goalkeeper Allison Lipsher, Baker was a main cog in the team's defense, which didn't allow a goal all year.
But the longer the team didn't allow a goal, the more the pressure built.
"I was really, really scared late in the championship game against Mililani," Baker said. "I had a miscommunication with another fullback and we presumed one of their players was offside. I'll bring that to my grave that she was offside, but the referee didn't call it. We hesitated, but Allie (Lipsher) came out and made a really big save. When I saw her come out, I was pretty much sure she was going to get the ball. She's done that all year."
Baker and a bunch of other Buffanblu players plan to go for three state titles in a row next year, while Lipsher will be off to play for Duke University.
"We really wanted to win it this year for the seniors," said Baker, who is thinking ahead to college soccer and puts Pepperdine, Loyola Marymount and Southern California at the top of her list.
Right now, she's finishing up the school year and taking advantage of a sports psychology class being taught by former University of Hawaii and Pepperdine volleyball standout Rick Tune.
"When I heard he was teaching it, I thought, 'This should be interesting -- a volleyball star,' " Baker said. "We're learning about stuff like 'optimum performance state' and 'being in the zone.' He can really relate to us, using the situations he's been through."
Baker gets a lot of mileage out of Barbosa's coaching, too.
"He's very determined and always sticks to the task and I absolutely love the way he coaches," she said. "Even if the players disagree, he'll say they don't have to believe him, but that he knows what's best for the team."
Barbosa feels fortunate to have Baker back for another year.
"She's amazing," he said. "Fearless. Some kids you have to teach to be aggressive, but she already had that. Once in a while, she has an off practice, but when it's game time, you can count on her. If an outside fullback gets beat, she makes her mind up right away and she goes and gets the ball. She reads the game well in the back and knows when to go and when to stay.
"When she was a freshman, we thought, 'OK, she has potential, so let's bite the bullet and start her and she can learn.' It turns out to be the best move we've ever made."
Two state titles later, Barbosa can say assuredly that it's been quite a "trip."
ASIDE FROM BAKER and Lipsher, the Buffanblu placed five players on the first and second teams. The other first-teamers are midfielders Rachael Lau and Allison Tsuchida and forward Ashley Collins, while fullback Chelsea Deptula and midfielder Kelsie Look were picked to the second team.
Mililani's Ray Akiona, a new coach in one of the top programs in the state, was chosen as the coach of the year. After a slow start to the season, the Trojans regrouped and made it to the title game, where they played Punahou to a 0-0 tie in regulation and overtime before losing on penalty kicks.
Four from Mililani were picked as All-State players -- midfielder Nicole Harris and forward Sarah Yoro to the first team and goalkeeper Ashley Nakamoto and fullback Erin Kikumoto to the second team.
Kamehameha and Aiea placed three players each on either the first or second teams.
RONEN ZILBERMAN / RZILBERMAN@STARBULLETIN.COM
Player of the Year
Kelsey Baker | PunahouFirst team
Pos. Player Team Year GK Allison Lipsher Punahou Sr. FB Kelsey Baker Punahou Jr. FB Healani Leite-Ah Yo Kamehameha Sr. FB Tehane Higa Aiea Jr. FB Marisa Yamada Kailua Sr. MF Nicole Harris Mililani Sr. MF Jodie Toyama Aiea Sr. MF Rachael Lau Punahou Jr. MF Allison Tsuchida Punahou Sr. F Sarah Yoro Mililani Jr. F Ashley Collins Punahou Jr. F India Soo Kamehameha Sr. F Kami Kapaku Baldwin Sr.
Second team
Pos. Player Team Year GK Ashley Nakamoto Mililani Jr. FB Shauna Tachibana Kauai Sr. FB Chelsea Deptula Punahou Fr. FB Erin Kikumoto Mililani Jr. FB Jordan Weeks Kamehameha Jr. MF Kelsie Look Punahou Jr. MF Aimee Watanabe Castle Sr. MF Kari Tanimoto Pearl City Sr. MF Elizabeth Brauher Waiakea Jr. F Ambree Ako Aiea So. F Lauren Maeshiro Pearl City So. F Tina Garcia Kalaheo Sr. F Anela Gonzales Kalaheo Jr.
Coach of the Year
Ray Akiona, Mililani
Honorable mention
Aiea: Tobi Kanehira, Stephanie Sumida, Nicole Takemoto. Baldwin: Maris Van Der Lee. Iolani: Marci Kang, Amy Lawson. Castle: Lovey Walker. Hawaii Prep: Marissa Faye. Hilo: Rachel Clevenger. Kahuku: Marina Barbosa, Tiana Ahue. Kailua: Ona Byers, Johnalynn Ilae, Kori Maekawa, Marisa Yamada. Kapolei: Leandra Alejado, Sheri-Lynn Tateyama. Kamehameha: Jordan Weeks. Kaiser: Jana Yoshino, Jennifer Ho. Kauai: Emmalani Makepa-Foley, Madison Perry, Amber Thronas. King Kekaulike: Kainoa Correa. Mid-Pacific: Mariko Strickland. Moanalua: Kari Egami. Mililani: Alexis Choi, Veronica DeGuzman, Melissa Imose, Shaunna Miyashiro, Raimee Ortega, Jasmine Pratt. Pac-Five: Lauren Ho. Pearl City: Chelsea Arakawa, Carisa Calpo, Blessing Drumeller, Amber Horn, Chimene Sienkiewicz. Punahou: Elizabeth Carlson, Kelly Kalapa, Jennifer Lau. St. Francis: Monica Chock, Jennifer Scelsa. Waianae: Tazr'e Wentling.
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Smith’s force field
led Trojans
There are certain things you just don't do in sports, and one that's nearly impossible to do is invade the space of Mililani goalkeeper Darren Smith.
Watch Smith in action and you can almost see a force field surrounding him. When he gets to a ball, he lets you know you're too late with his body language. And then he boots it away --or throws it to one of his teammates --with a deliberateness that reminds you that you're not welcome in town.
"Our defense was centered on Darren and he was a huge factor," Mililani co-head coach Jeff Yamamoto said. "Any shots that come at him from 25 yards or more, we could count on those being a turnover for the opponent. He also was the start of our offense, making outlet passes."
Smith led the Trojans to their fourth straight state title (two with him as the starter) and is the Star-Bulletin's player of the year.
He was injured (pulled ankle ligaments) through the regular season, but returned for the Oahu Interscholastic Association playoffs and was his dominant self all the way through the postseason. In the state final against Iolani, he made two key stops in the clinching penalty-kick portion after a scoreless tie in regulation and two overtimes.
"He's probably the most athletic kid who has come through the soccer program," Yamamoto said. "He can outjump anyone and has quickness, speed and he's the strongest guy on the team. He was such a dominant player and we definitely needed his presence in the playoffs."
Three other Mililani players were selected to the All-State first team --fullbacks Jay Abrigo and Paul-Spencer Tojo and midfielder Justin Kim. Abrigo came up with winning goals against Pearl City and Kamehameha to get the Trojans to the final.
Smith is close buddies with Abrigo.
"We told each other that we would be the dominating factors together someday and it came true," said Smith, who admitted that he tries to be an imposing figure on the soccer field.
"I try to intimidate the other team so they have second thoughts," he said. "I want them to know that after they deal with our tough fullbacks then they're going to need that much more effort and accuracy to beat me."
Smith doesn't know where he's going to go to college yet and is deciding on whether he wants to play soccer or football. He was a wide receiver on the Mililani football team that made it to the state quarterfinals in the fall, and he's competing in the 4x400 and the triple, long and high jumps for the track and field team this spring.
He knows the fourth title wouldn't have been possible without his fullbacks and the major contribution of some others, including Kim, the highly talented playmaker.
"Justin Kim showed us the way by his actions and verbally," Smith said. "He worked very hard before and during practice, and he always stayed after practice working on his free kicks."
Smith takes his own leadership role seriously and may use those skills someday in the work force.
"I like to give direction and to be a leader," he said. "In the back of our defense, I can see what others can't see. In life, I'm outspoken and outgoing toward people. It's part of my personality."
IOLANI placed seven players on the first and second teams, including fullback Dane McCleary, midfielders Dyrk Teramae and Kirtus Adams and forward Chris Faulkner on the first team. The Raiders' Ric Miller was picked as coach of the year after leading his team to the Interscholastic League of Honolulu championship. It included an energetic postseason run that ended inches short when Mililani's Ehren Ching slipped the championship game's last penalty kick just inside the left post.
Two high-flying Baldwin strikers -- Blake Nunes and Kimo Ballesteros -- are first-team picks.
Punahou forward Stephen Carlson, multi-talented Kamehameha midfielder David Gualdarama and solid Kaiser defender Jeremy Patton round out the first team.
FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARBULLETIN.COM
Player of the Year
Darren Smith | MililaniFirst team
Pos. Player Team Year GK Darren Smith Mililani Sr. FB Dane McCleary Iolani Sr. FB Jay Abrigo Mililani Sr. FB Jeremy Patton Kaiser Sr. FB Paul-Spencer Tojo Mililani Sr. MF Kirtus Adams Iolani Jr. MF Justin Kim Mililani Sr. MF Dyrk Teramae Iolani Sr. MF David Gualdarama Kamehameha Sr. F Blake Nunes Baldwin Sr. F Stephen Carlson Punahou Sr. F Chris Faulkner Iolani Sr. F Kimo Ballesteros Baldwin Sr. Second team
Pos. Player Team Year GK Jason Keanini Iolani Sr. FB Dustin Taniguchi Kamehameha Jr. FB Steven King Pearl City Jr. FB Jaryd Yee Iolani Sr. FB Adam Inaba Iolani Sr. MF Ethan Gonsalves Castle Jr. MF CJ Cintas Kealakehe So. MF Ian Pascua Baldwin Sr. MF Callum Trigg-Smith Punahou Jr. F Kory Muraoka Castle Jr. F Max Anton Kalaheo Sr. F Patrick Egloria Mililani Sr. F Jeremy Wittig Pac-Five So. Coach of the Year
Ric Miller, Iolani
Honorable mention
Aiea: Brandon Puckett. Baldwin: J.J. Eno, Corey Irwin, Alejandro Garcia-Rosell, Chad Nishikuni, Brady Nunes. Castle: Reid Kanda, Chris Lee, Michael Mayeda. Damien: Lokahi Bounds. Hawaii Baptist: Cameron Holm. Hawaii Prep: Trel Mangarin. Hilo: Jake Silva. Honokaa: Max Bowman. Iolani: Micah Miyaki. Kaiser: Matthew Bush, Curt Sadd. Kalaheo: Stuart Aiu, Wil Cooper, Ryan Kelly, Andrew Wary. Kamehameha: Michael DeCaires, Nick Freitas, Isaiah Guth, Randall Haraguchi, James Ogata, Makana Prothero, Logan Sauer, Aaron Souza. Kapolei: Zachary Gaea, Rhys Kita. Kauai: Kaleo Baxter, Ross Brandeburg, Matthew Bush, Justin Toulon, Todd Yamamoto. Lahainaluna: Tyler Lucky. Leilehua: Ryan Bibilone, Syd Tom. Moanalua: Colin Morikawa, Chad Nakamura, Landon Watanabe, Winston Yee. Mid-Pacific: Shinji Takahashi. Mililani: Brent Murakami. Pac-Five: Kody Seminara. Pearl City: Christopher Caswell, Jaren Oshiro, Keone Peiper, Kenshiro Uki. Punahou: Shane Kutaka. Seabury Hall: Tye Perdido. Roosevelt: Holden Lau, Kaui Wong. Waiakea: Kyle Cabison. Waianae: Joshua Woodard.
