Kapolei Starter Is Named Co-Player Of The Year In OIA
Kapolei didn’t just lean on Kalei Gallarde’s athleticism during his stellar soccer career. The Hurricanes’ coaching staff always knew he could be counted among the “Iron Men” on their roster.
“For our program, he was a four-year starter who played almost every minute of every game he played,” head coach Bryce Kaneshiro. “He was a good example of what we want in a soccer player. He always left his heart on the field, win or lose.”
Gallarde was recently named Co-Player of the Year in the OIA boys soccer West division along with Renato Torquato of Mililani. (All-Conference teams are chosen in a vote of league coaches at season’s end.)
A senior, Gallarde figured big this winter at midfield, helping to lead Kapolei to a 9-0-1 run through the league season. Kapolei also reached the semifinals of the Division I state soccer championships en route to a 13-2-2 overall mark. An eight-game win streak during the Red West race helped fuel the way.
Gallarde was joined on the First Team by teammates Rowen White and Brandon Begonia. Both rated among the state’s top defenders. White is a senior set to graduate in May, but Begonia will return for his senior year.
“We’re looking at Brandon as being part of the keys to our team next year,” Kaneshiro said of Begonia. “He’s going to be thrust into some kind of leadership role. He’s part of our future.
“What made Rowen special was that he was always very calm under pressure. The intensity of the moment never got to him. He executed at a high level consistently.”
Keo Ponce (attacker), Kanaipono Reed (defender) and Preston WallaceWilliams (goalkeeper) were picked for the Second Team. Receiving Honorable Mention were Caleb Gouveia, Michael Wolf and Kamalu Carmack.
Pearl City’s Randy Shinn was named Coach of the Year after leading the Chargers to a 12-6 season. They went 8-2 in the regular season their only setbacks came to Kapolei and Mililani and earned one of the league’s five berths for the DI state tournament.
Giovannie Valiente (attacker) and George Georgiev (defender) were both named to the First Team from Pearl City. The Chargers also had Lane Tomita (attacker), Tyler Braunthal (midfielder) and Tyler Terashima (defender) chosen to the Second Team, while Jared Louis earned Honorable Mention.
Aiea also had a solid season, going 10-6-1 overall under head coach Jon Shirafuji and earning a berth in the state tournament. Defender Tayler SonobeMorita was selected to the First Team from Aiea, while teammate Ezra White earned Second Team honors as a midfielder. Earning Honorable Mention from Aiea were Derek OgawaStaples, Kazu Shima, David Lam, Kris Whaley and Brett Tanonaka.
Campbell also had a winning season, finishing 7-6. Rudy White was named to the First Team as a midfielder. The Sabers’ Jason Chancheck was a Second Team pick as a defender, while Teven Sales, Ryan Mun and Christopher Orpilla received Honorable Mention.
Waipahu had five players Jaret Lapitan, Jouvet Apostal, Jayson Gonsalves, Daniel Ramirez-Hernandez and Jared Cabigas earn Honorable Mention.
