KAILUA-KONA — Kealakehe graduate Keoni Yates built up quite the resume in his four years while sporting Waverider blue. He was a four-year starter at Kealakehe and helped lead the program to three consecutive BIIF Division I titles, twice being named the DI Player of the Year.
Now a junior at the University of Redlands — a Division III college in California — the former Big Island standout is adding to his lengthy list of accomplishments, and making some major memories along the way.
Yates earned his second consecutive Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference first-team selection this season, helping lead the Bulldogs to a conference-best goals-against average of .98 from his defensive spot.
The selection was a nice bonus for the backline Bulldog, who doesn’t get the same recognition that is usually reserved for the spotlight seeking goal-scorers. Not that Yates was complaining. He had a heaping helping of compliments to go around for his teammates.
“It’s nice to see that hard work pays off, but I think everyone on our team should have made first team,” Yates said with a laugh.
At the moment, any individual accolades are on the backburner for Yates, as his team is on a historic run at the NCAA DIII tournament. The Bulldogs knocked off top-ranked University of Chicago 3-2 in the Round of 16 on Saturday afternoon, advancing to the quarterfinals of the tourney.
“Every game we are gaining momentum,” Yates said. “All season our coach has talked about believing in ourselves. I think it is starting to sink in. We all know we can do this.”
The Bulldogs have needed that belief to get out of some fairly precarious situations to advance so far. In the first round, Redlands erased a 2-0 second half deficit and eventually won on penalty kicks. Cool and collected, Yates netted the winning PK.
“It can be nerve-wracking taking those kind of kicks, but I didn’t feel pressure,” Yates said. “The whole game was surreal. It wasn’t looking too great for us, but we pulled together and got the win.”
Keeping up with the dramatic theme, the Bulldogs punched their ticket to the Round of 16 with another comeback against DePauw University a day later, winning 2-1 on a late goal. It was the first time since 2011 the team had advanced to that stage of the tournament.
“It feels like everything is falling into place,” Yates said. “And we don’t plan on stopping anytime soon”
Redlands (18-5-1) faces St. Thomas University today in a quarterfinal contest at 8 a.m. HST at Chicago’s Stagg Field.
With another win, the Bulldogs would advance to the semifinals on Dec. 2 in Salem, Virginia. There will surely be more than a few fans cheering back in Kona and at Redlands for the Bulldogs on their championship chase. Yates sees a parallel between the two fanbases, which is probably why he has found such a great second home at the school.
“The weather reminds me of home and it’s a real tight-knit sports community,” Yates said. “Everybody knows everyone, so it feels just like home.”
Other Big Island Grads
• Gabbie Ewing, a Hawaii Preparatory Academy grad, made the All-Great Northwest Athletic Conference second team while playing soccer for Concordia in Portland, Oregon. This was her first time earning the honor.
Ewing, a sophomore, led Concordia with four goals. She added three assists, while appearing in all 17 matches. She picked up two game-winning goals while also earning one Conference Player of the Week honor.
• Lexi Cuaresma, a sophomore forward for Eastern Oregon, recently earned All-Cascade Collegiate Conference recognition by making the second team.
A Kealakehe High School grad, Cuaresma led the team with four goals scored on 13 shots, including two game-winning goals. She also had three assists.
• Bri Vallente, a sophomore for Peninsula College, was named to the Northwest Athletic Conference North Region All-Academic team.
The forward from Hawaii Preparatory Academy was a big part of Peninsula’s historic third NWAC championship victory. After starting 1-1-1 in non-conference play, the Pirates steamrolled their conference with 15 straight wins. After three straight wins in the playoffs, Peninsula claimed the NWAC title. During the 18-game run, the Pirates allowed only two goals against.
•Vallente played a key role, despite missing most of the season with a serve ankle sprain. She stepped up in the playoffs, scoring twice in the semifinals and then the game-winner in the championship, which came in double-overtime. She was named MVP of the tournament.
• Freshman goalkeeper Taiana Tolleson (Konawaena, 2016) played in two matches for Division I Vanderbilt and had a hand in a shutout
•Freshman midfielder Marlie Mandaguit (Hawaii Prep, ‘16) netted eight goals with three assists at Lake Tahoe (Calif.) Community College
•Freshman Starcia DePonte (Waiakea, ‘16) scored five goals with four assists at Columbia Basin College, a two-year school in Pasco, Wash
•Junior Lolly Higa (Hilo, 2014) started 16 matches for NCAA Division III Hamline University in Saint Paul, Minn., and registered an assist
• Senior fullback Daisha Acorda (Honokaa, ‘13) played in 16 matches for NAIA Oregon Tech and posted two assists
• Senior forward Luke Memmer (Hilo, ‘12) scored his first collegiate goal for NCAA Division III Westfield (Mass.) State
•Senior goalkeeper Alyssa McGuire (Kamehameha, ‘13) recorded two shutouts for Division I Northern Colorado, and the Bears went 2-0-1 in three matches she started
•Freshman forward Aidan Alcos (Makua Lani, ‘15) played in 15 matches for Division II Azusa (Calif.) Pacific and scored a goal
•Freshman Cierra Toledo-Muragin (Waiakea, ‘16) got into eight matches for Division II Chaminade and took five shots
•Junior fullback Coran Yamamoto (Konawaena, ‘14) played in 17 matches for Division III Pacific University in Oregon, starting in eight
•Sophomore goalkeeper Kililani Kunitomo (Konawaena, ‘15) had a hand in a shutout for Division III Pacific University in Oregon
•Senior forward Ua Ruedy (Konawaena, ‘13) played in six matches for Division I Eastern Washington
•Freshman Bryana-Marie Ebbers (Kamehameha, ‘16) played in 13 matches for UH-Hilo, starting five
•Senior goalkeeper Cassidy Dixon (HAAS/Honokaa, ‘13) collected two shutouts for UH-Hilo
•Senior fullback Edward Torrison (Hilo, ‘12) tallied two assists for UH-Hilo
•Junior midfielder Andrew Dawrs (Hilo, ‘14) tallied an assist and started 15 matches for UH-Hilo
•Freshman midfielder Nick Carter (Hilo, ‘16), started a match for UH-Hilo, playing in six
•Freshman midfielder Aris Aynessazian (Hilo, ‘16) played in one match for UH-Hilo
On roster, did not play
•Freshman Cyrene Andaya (Kamehameha, ‘16), NAIA Corban in Oregon
•Freshman fullback Brandon Baca (Hilo, ‘16), UH-Hilo
•Freshman midfielder River Brown (Hilo, ‘16), UH-Hilo
Note: Kaui Taylor (Hawaii Prep, ‘16), signed to play soccer at Division I Baylor but decided to compete in the high jump in track and field
Did we miss someone? Is there a local grad excelling in another sport at the next level? Let us know. Email sports@westhawaiitoday.com.