Just For Kicks

By Al Chase

Hashimoto preps for SMU
with summer full of soccer

Many of Hawaii's high school senior soccer players have made the all-important choice about the college they will attend this fall.

Duke Hashimoto, a first-team Star-Bulletin All-State selection, signed a national letter-of-intent to play for Southern Methodist.

The Mustangs, ranked No. 1 for most of the 2001 season, finished 21-1. The only loss occurred in the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Tournament to St. John's.

Hashimoto received a lot of attention after playing in the Nomads Tournament with the Honolulu Bulls during spring vacation. Syracuse, West Point, Notre Dame and several other Division I schools joined the recruiting fray.

But, after a recruiting trip to SMU, his mind was made up.

"I met some of the players who live in Dallas and the team captain and some others who were in summer school. I felt really comfortable with them. That, and the soccer program and the academics were the reasons," said Hashimoto.

A striker from Iolani, he was one of 36 boys to play in the inaugural POWERade McDonald's All-American Classic Soccer Games last night on Daniel Island in Charleston, S.C.

A girls match also was held. The matches were held in the natural grass, 5,100-seat Blackbaud Stadium, home of the A League's Charleston Battery.

Hashimoto, the Interscholastic League of Honolulu player of the year, now heads to Salt Lake City for the Snicker's Regionals with the Bulls.

After that he goes to Los Angeles for an invitation-only Olympic Development Program camp run by the L.A. Galaxy. Then, in August, it's off to Holland with the Bulls for some international experience.

Alika Ah New, a midfielder for and son of Kamehameha boys' coach Andrew, will enter California Institute of Technology and play for the Beavers.

Cary Wong, who played several positions at Kamehameha, will enroll at Trinity (Texas) and try out for the soccer team.

Gui Freitas, the Big Island Interscholastic League player of the year and a Star-Bulletin first-team all-state pick, will attend Bethel College in Mishawaka, Ind., on scholarship. He is a midfielder from St. Joseph.

Bethel was ranked No. 9 in the final NAIA poll and finished with a 21-5 record after losing in the second round of the NAIA National Tournament to Auburn-Montgomery.

Rachael Gonzales, a midfielder from Kailua High School and a Star-Bulletin second-team all-state pick, intends to join the Hawaii Wahine program as a walk-on.

Radford High School midfielder Shane McConnell will further his education at Florida State on an Air Force ROTC scholarship and play soccer for the Seminoles men's club team.

Back in Philly

Andrea Alfiler has been resigned by the Philadelphia Charge of the Women's United Soccer Association.

The Kauai resident was drafted by the Charge, cut just before the regular season began, then recently was brought back to the reserve team.

"I'm back, practicing day in and day out and I get paid, just a lot less as a reserve," said Alfiler. "With the long season, small roster and injuries, reserve players are like the ready backup players."

After being cut, Alfiler returned to Azusa Pacific, caught up with her academic work and graduated cum laude in May.