Just For Kicks
Nate Adams waited four seasons to be in a position to earn honors. Ben Swan picked up right where he left off last year. Adams, Swan honored
with awardsAdams, the Bradley Braves starting goalkeeper, was named the Missouri Valley Conference defensive player of the week (Sept. 3-9). Swan was cited as the Pennsylvania Athletic Conference player of the week.
In Bradley's two wins, Adams faced 44 shots. He allowed only one goal, registered 13 saves and had a shutout. In a 2-0 upset at then-No. 12 Santa Clara, Adams made a career-best nine saves for his second consecutive shutout. In his next match, the Iolani graduate had four saves in soggy conditions as Bradley beat Northern Illinois 2-1.
Never losing sight of his goal to be Bradley's starting goalkeeper, Adams persevered and remained motivated for a redshirt freshman season and three years of little activity.
"It certainly wasn't from lack of talent. He was in my first big recruiting class, but sat behind an All-American for two years," said Bradley coach Jim Derose.
"Nate was like a backup quarterback on a football team. You simply can't get the reps you need in practice. If he had been the fourth midfielder, he would have played 60 minutes a game. His learning curve has occurred in games.
"He's so mature, just safe and solid and steady. Our team is so confident in him."
Adams, at 5-foot-11, isn't as tall as many Division I goalkeepers, but he plays to his strengths and avoids his weaknesses.
He handles himself extremely well 6-to-8 yards from the goal line but knows its folly to get caught in heavy traffic 14-to-18 yards from the net.
The previous week, Adams was named the league's Prairie Farms Scholar-Athlete of the Week. He maintains a 3.39 cumulative grade point average. A business management major, he will graduate at the end of the fall semester.
Swan is off to a strong start for Arcadia University in Glenside, Pa., after an outstanding sophomore season for the Scarlet Knights.
The 5-foot-10 striker was honored after scoring three goals and assisting on another as Arcadia opened its season with a 2-0-1 record.
Swan, a Konawaena graduate, was PAC player of the week twice last year and earned first-team all-PAC honors. In 2000, he set Arcadia's single-season scoring record with 21 goals, added eight assists for a total of 50 points, second-best in the school's history.
After high school, Swan joined the Air Force, then spent a year at Burlington County College before transferring last year to Arcadia, an NCAA Division III school.
Takekawa has hot foot for St. Mary's team
Sarah Takekawa won a starting position at St. Mary's and has become an impact player for the Gaels. The freshman striker from Kailua has scored four goals in five matches, three of them game-winners.The Gaels (5-0-0) host Hawaii, Sept. 28, in the first of three road matches for the Wahine.
Kenji Treschuk, a freshman defender from Moanalua, has won a starting job with the Penn State Nittany Lions.
Shelly Suzuki (Punahou), who played for San Diego State last year, has transferred to Claremont-Mudd-Scripps where she is a sophomore defender for the Athenas.