Hurricanes Face Key OIA West Division Match-ups
By Jack Danilewicz
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Kapolei soccer team seniors and juniors Mychal Malachi,
Curtis Kiyabu, Dean Stensrud, R.J. Agulub and Kainoa
Bryant. Photo by Byron Lee, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Despite having a detailed scouting report on the opposition, Kapolei boys soccer coach Bryce Kaneshiro always puts the emphasis on his own team.
“We’re just concentrating on our own team right now,” said Kaneshiro, whose Hurricanes took a 4-0 record into the weekend.“We have to keep clicking and do more of what we’ve been doing ourselves. If we improve ourselves, we should be fine. We’ve got to play a whole lot quicker against the teams we have coming up and limit our own mistakes.”
As was the case a year ago,the OIA West Division race figures to hinge on a few key match-ups right after the New Year. A much-anticipated encounter between Kapolei and Pearl City will take place Jan. 2. Games with Leilehua (Jan. 5) and Mililani (Jan. 9) in succession will closely follow the Pearl City contest. Pearl City, Leilehua and Mililani will also meet each other in games within the next couple of weeks, making the onset of the New Year “make-or-break” time in the West.
Kapolei has won back-to-back regular-season titles, including an outright West championship last season that has also secured home field advantage throughout the playoffs. Only a loss to Mililani in the title game prevented Kapolei from winning the overall OIA Championship. The Hurricanes had beaten the Trojans during their regular season, so understandably Kaneshiro’s team has played with a sense of urgency in every game this season, overwhelming its four league opponents by a 31-2 count to date.
To hear Kaneshiro tell it, the Hurricanes have answered some questions raised during the pre-season. “We were getting scored on a lot, almost giving up a goal a game in pre-season regularly, which was uncharacteristic (of us). Now we’ve limited those chances. Our defense has made the most improvement. We stuck with the four guys back there, and they’ve become strong. I’m not as concerned as I was before.”
With that in mind, Kaneshiro praised the play of sweeper R.J. Agulub, outside fullbacks Mychal Malachi and Dean Stensrud, and center-fullback Kevin Tanaka.
Stensrud, a junior, has blossomed into an “impact player” as of late,according to Kaneshiro.“He’s tough - he’s really moved his game up. He’s solidified our defense. This is his first year starting in every game, and he’s become very valuable.”
Kapolei also has gotten solid play from goalkeeper Austin Healy, a standout on the football team this fall, who hasn’t yielded a goal since the Dec. 8 season opener against Waialua when the Bulldogs tallied twice - the only goals given up by the Hurricanes this season.
Offensively, the Hurricanes have been among the more productive teams in the state,largely behind senior fullback/halfback Keoki Haole and fellow senior center/halfback Curtis Kiyabu, whose 10 goals lead the West in scoring.Kapolei also features Aaron Santiago, outside half-back Justin Malvar and halfback Kainoa Bryant.
Although his team has a lineup heavy in talent,Kaneshiro credits his team’s cohesiveness as a key factor in its early success. “This is a good group, and our seniors have been providing good leadership.They celebrate for each other, and they celebrate each other’s success. Right now, we’re trying hard to build on our team chemistry.
“We’re progressing rather well,” he added. “We’ve worked on our weaknesses, and we’re coming together now.”
Kapolei’s wins have come against Waialua (7-2), Waianae (5-0), Waipahu (12-0) and Campbell (7-0). The OIA playoffs are set to begin Jan. 24.
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