Freshman Fontes tops in girls soccer

Frank Baumholtz knows how to grow ’em.

Baumholtz, the veteran Pearl City coach and the Star-Advertiser’s coach of the year, led the Chargers to the state title this year with a largely young group.

How young?

His best player, freshman Sunshine Fontes, is the Star-Advertiser all-state player of the year and fellow freshman Bree Fuller joined her on the first team. Sophomore Daelenn Tokunaga is also listed among the state’s elite.

Fontes of Pearl City is the first freshman to be the player of the year. Since 2001 a non-senior has won it only three times, Punahou junior Kelsey Baker in 2004, Mililani junior Tia Furuta last year and Fontes this year.

Freshman to make the girls all-state team since 2001, none of them were four timers:
2016: Sunshine Fontes, Pearl City (POY)
2016: Bree Fuller, Pearl City
2010: Kylie Chun, Punahou
2010: Anu Kahele-Manners, Punahou
2006: Meleana Shim, Kamehameha

A freshman boy has never made the all-state first team.

Here are a few historical notes on this year’s class:
>> The OIA has had successive players of the year for the first time ever.
>> A forward has won the Player of the Year in each of the last three years and five of the last six. The only holdout was Iolani defender Taylor Kipilii in 2013.
>> Littlefeld is Baldwin’s first first teamer in a decade, Maris Van der Lee was the last, making the Honolulu Advertiser’s list in 2006. If she can make it next year, she would give the Bears their first successive spots on the first team since Kami Kapaku and Koren Takeyama in 2003-04
>> Campbell was shut out of the first team after putting two seniors on the list last year.
>> Iolani has had at least one first teamer every year since it was shut out in 2009.
>> Kamehameha has been shut out of the first team two years in a row, the first time that has happened.
>> Pearl City put five players on the first team this year, they hadn’t had a first teamer since Meghan Fuller and Amy Tanaka in 2008. Freshmen Sunshine Fontes and Bree Fuller and sophomore Daelenn Tokunaga are the first underclassmen to be named first team for the Chargers.

Three time All-State first teamers:
Kelsey Baker, Punahou
Courtney Rae Botelho, Kamehameha
Kylie Chun, Punahou
Tani Costa, Kalani
Caprice Dydasco, Kamehameha
Tiana Fujimoto, Moanalua
Mallory Iha, Mililani
Kami Kapaku, Baldwin
Storm Kenui, Moanlaua
Taylor Kipilii, Iolani
Chelsea Miyake, Mililani
TJ Reyno, Mililani
Meleana Shim, Kamehameha
Koren Takeyama, Baldwin
Sarah Yoro, Mililani