Kamehameha senior Kalia Kalua, a fast and quick-striking forward, was picked as the Honolulu Star-Advertiser’s Player of the Year in girls soccer.
Right behind in the voting by coaches and media around the state was smooth and dynamic midfielder Teani Arakawa of King Kekaulike.
Kalua led her team to the Division I state championship, and the team was loaded. Three other Warriors made the first team on the Stellar Eleven.
For a story on the All-State team and a full list of first-team, second-team and honorable-mention players, click here.
Arakawa, who is joined by two other Na Alii on the first team, helped lead King Kekaulike into the state final.
Here are some other facts and figures about the 2020 Honolulu Star-Advertiser All-State selections:
>> Kalua is the first Kamehameha girl to be named Player of the Year since Kiani Halushka in 2014. Other Warriors to earn the top spot were Carly Neal, Meleana Shim, Kanani Taaca, Mari Punzal and Markee Nobriga.
>> Gundi Dancil of King Kekaulike is the first neighbor island coach to be named coach of the year since Steve Perry of Hawaii Prep in 2014 and the first from Maui since Kawika Keator of Baldwin in 2001.
>> Jourdyn Curran is the first Campbell girl to repeat as first-team All-State and she is only a junior. Her selection gives the school a representative in successive years for the first time in school history.
>> Anuhea Aluli is the first Kamehameha sophomore forward to be named first-team All-State since Caprice Dydasco in 2009. The Warriors have had a sophomore on the last three teams with Carley Park last year and Tausani Tavale in 2018.
>> Caly Ah Soon is the first Kamehameha midfielder named first-team All-State since junior Shaney Sakamoto in 2012.
>> Tavale is the first Kamehameha defender to repeat as a first-team selection since Tarra Gabriel in 2009.
>> King Kekaulike was rewarded with three players on the first team in midfielders Arakawa and Kaehukai Kaaihue and defender Zoe Asue. The only other time Na Alii had an All-State first-team selection was 2006 when Melissa Abellanida made the Star-Bulletin’s list.
>> Kyanah Blas is the first Konawaena girl to repeat as a first-team choice and is the first goalkeeper to repeat since Punahou’s Anu Kahele-Manners in 2011. Other repeaters at the position include Taaca of Kamehameha in 2009, Punahou’s Allison Lipsher in 2004, and Baldwin’s Mahie Atay in 2002. The only other time the Big Island had the best goalkeeper was 2015 when Konawaena’s Tiana Tolleson wore the crown.
Jacey Jicha gives Mililani a first-teamer for the sixth straight year and a defender on the list for the third straight year after Karli Wurlitzer made it the last two years.
>> Caylie Uyema gives Pearl City an All-state first-teamer for the fifth straight year, second only to a six-year run from 1998 to 2003 for longest streak in school history.
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