Cougars To Bond Over Soccer Goals On Big Island Trip
By Jack Danilewicz
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Kaiser High School’s head boys soccer coach Michelle Schreiner can always tell whether or not her players are in sync by their pace alone.
“I know that defense wins championships,” she said, “but my style is to attack fast. We want to play an attacking game. We have a tremendous amount of team speed on this team.”
It all begins with senior forward Bau Stuber, a third-year varsity player and Second Team all-star in the OIA’s Eastern Conference last year.
“Bau has speed, and he adds some good height to the front line,” she said of Stuber, who is 6-foot-2. “We’ve watched him improve a lot here. He had a great season last year, and we’re excited to have him back again.”
Kaiser, which finished fifth in the OIA last year and sixth at the Division I state soccer championships, also boasts key returnees in junior goalkeeper Keane Ellis, senior mid-fielder Sinn Curran and senior defender Brandon Piriyakarnjanakul. If all goes according to plan, however, the underclassmen’s performance could determine the fate of their season.
The good news is that Schreiner’s freshman class is considered the best in her eight years at the school and should have an immediate impact on the program.
“It’s an excellent incoming class,” said Schreiner, noting that as many as five freshmen could be on the roster this time. “They bring a lot of game experience even though they’re young, because most are involved in club programs. They’re very talented, very skilled.“A number of the newcomers could end up in the starting lineup on the defensive side of the ball, where Ellis, Curran and Piriyakarnjanakul figure to anchor the unit.
“Starting from our keeper, our defense will be critical - a big part of every game,” said Schreiner, whose team finished 12-7 overall last season. “We have some solid defenders like Brandon, and some of the incoming freshmen attack the ball well. Brandon is very dedicated and a steady player. He gives 110 percent on and off of the field and shows lots of leadership by example.
“Keane has courage and determination,” she added. “He’s been in the program for three years, and his improvement has been phenomenal. I think he’s one of the top players in the league. Sinn works hard and looks to be a strength in the middle. He has the ability to see the field, and he has good ball sense.”
Offensively, the Cougars hope to maximize their scoring opportunities more this season.“I’d like to see us finish (scoring plays) more,” she said. “We gave up too many opportunities (last year). I want to see us improve there. We have to find the net.”
As in past years, the preseason schedule is built largely around a trip to the Big Island. Schreiner and the Cougars will be in Kona this weekend, where they will play Kealakehe, Konawaena and Makualani teams on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, respectively.
“It’s a bonding trip,” said Schreiner, whose team’s next preseason home game is Nov. 28 versus Kauai. “There’s a lot of potential, and these kids at Kaiser play from the heart. They give you everything they’ve got.”
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