Campbell girls inch closer to soccer history

Campbell can make soccer history with one more win.

The Sabers defeated Konawaena 3-0 in the Division I semifinals of The Queen’s Medical Center/HHSAA Girls Soccer State Championships on Friday night at Waipio Peninsula Soccer Stadium.

One more test awaits for the unseeded Sabers — against ILH champion and top-seeded Kamehameha — on Saturday night. It will be Campbell’s first appearance in a state title game. The Sabers have had some success at the league level, winning the OIA D-I championship in 2015 and the OIA D-II title in 2007.

Campbell coach James Curran, who was part of then-coach Ryan Leong‘s staff in 2015, says this team is similar to that one.

“Both teams have unity, chemistry, are family-like, got each other’s back,” Curran said. “The biggest thing for me, bigger than anything else, is unity.”

Center midfielder Jourdyn Curran, James’ daughter, is in the same role her cousin Chardonnay Curran was in four years ago. Chardonnay is now playing for the University of Oregon.

“I can’t say on the record who I think is better,” coach Curran said. “Char is a skilled individual player and possesseses the ball really well, which is nice. Jourdyn is a little bit more attack-minded. They’re a little different in that area.”

The coach is not feeling any pressure and not passing any of that pressure on to the girls, saying the semifinal win was “like any other game.”

He is aware, however, of what’s at stake.

“If we win, I will feel like LeBron bringing one home for the ‘Land,” he said. “Campbell has had state titles in other sports, but not soccer. When we won the OIAs (in 2015), that was amazing, but we fell short in the (state semis). We’re here (in the final) and we’re locked in and focused.”

The Sabers (12-4-1) have now knocked off two seeded teams (No. 3 Konawaena and No. 2 Aiea) in consecutive nights among their three tournament wins so far — an amazing accomplishment considering the team placed fifth in the OIA West and then fifth in the OIA tournament.

“I have a secret to that whole thing,” Curran said. “The regular season isn’t anything but preparing for the OIA tournament and states. The regular season for me is not a big deal. It’s all about developing the girls, getting them where we need them. You only have two, three months with them and they’re coming from different clubs. Getting them to jell is not easy.

“The girls are being more patient, more composed, not panicking and not freaking out. They’re trying to play decent soccer, trying to keep the ball as much as possible, trying to combine and trying to break lines and attack.”

Jourdyn Curran had a goal and an assist in Friday’s win.

“I’m super proud of everybody,” she said. “We need to focus because (Kamehameha) is hard. We need to work together and hold it down. Our defense has been good holding it down.”

HHSAA D-I Tournament

HHSAA D-II Tournament