Just For Kicks
Hawaii players
contribute on the mainlandAT least 120 Hawaii soccer players are competing at the collegiate level on the mainland this year. Keeping you updated on how those men and women are doing will fill this column space the rest of the year.
Duke Hashimoto is the fourth leading scorer for the 9-1-1 and fifth-ranked Southern Methodist Mustangs. The freshman striker from Iolani has scored twice, assisted on three goals and started 10 of 11 matches. His shots on goal percentage (.600) tops the SMU starters.
Michael Semenza has scored five goals for Willamette (7-8). The senior striker from Punahou has started all 15 matches for former Iolani and Brigham Young-Hawaii coach Bob Barry, in his first season as Bearcats head coach.
Kenji Treschuk, a sophomore midfielder from Moanalua, has a goal and assist for the 7-5 Penn State Nittany Lions. He has started all 12 matches. The goal came in a 1-0 win over host Michigan.
Bobby Shinn had his first two-goal collegiate match Oct. 2 when York (Neb.) blanked Central Christian 4-0.
Sarah Takekawa (Kailua) has helped the St. Mary's Gaels to a 6-6-1 mark with two goals and four assists. The sophomore striker has started 11 matches.
Chelsea Montero, a junior defender from Kamehameha, has been a fixture on the back line, starting all 13 matches.
Darren Lee and Brent Nakamura, sophomore midfielders from Punahou, have played all 12 matches for the 7-2-3 Chapman Panthers. Lee has two goals and Nakamura four assists. Matt Carlson, a junior defender from Punahou, has seen limited action in four matches.
In the Ivy
Romy Trigg-Smith (Punahou) has played in all 10 matches as a midfielder for the 14th-ranked Princeton Tigers (10-0), who, along with Texas-El Paso, are the only two undefeated NCAA Division I teams left. The Tigers hosted Ivy League opponent Pennsylvania last night.
Maile Tavepholjalern, a freshman midfielder who played from Punahou from the seventh to 10th grade before moving to San Diego, has started several matches for Harvard. She has two assists in nine matches
Her teammate is Iolani grad Alisa Sato, a junior striker who has seen action in five matches for the 4-4-1 Crimson.
Kara Ishikawa (Iolani), a freshman midfielder, has started two of nine matches for the Cornell Big Red (6-2-1) and has one assist. Michelle Quensell (Punahou), a freshman striker, has come off the bench to play in four matches.
Important meeting
The U.S. Youth Soccer Region IV fall workshop is being held in Honolulu starting Friday and ending Sunday.
Chairpersons of each committee from Alaska, Arizona, California North, California South, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming join their Hawaii hosts to plan the coming year.
"We expect between 175 and 200 people," Hawaii Youth Soccer Association president Scott Keopuhiwa said.
He reports that planning for the USYS Snickers Far West regional tournament being held here next summer is going well.
"We have organized all our committees," he said. "You know everyone knows each other in the Hawaii soccer community. I volunteered at the AYSO National Games, but it was more than that. I learned a lot."
Region IV produced eight 2002 USYS national champions.
Just for Kicks runs every other Sunday in the Star-Bulletin.Al Chase can be reached at achase@starbulletin.com