It was a different kind of season for Kealakehe, one where the Waveriders finally got a taste of defeat.
Kealakehe suffered its first BIIF loss since 2012, a 6-1 defeated by Hawaii Preparatory Academy that snapped a 61-game streak with no losses.
However, the team rebounded late in the season, playing that same Ka Makani team to a draw before going on to claim another league title. Kealakehe defeated Hilo for the second consecutive year in the Division I championship match, winning 1-0 to claim the school’s sixth straight crown.
The success off the Waveriders has carried over once again into the postseason awards. With five selections, Kealakehe leads the Division I All-BIIF Soccer Team as selected by West Hawaii Today, Hawaii Tribune-Herald and the league’s coaches.
The Waveriders also swept the top awards with Laukoa Santos earning his third straight Player of the Year honor, while first-year head coach Alden Sawada was named Coach of the Year.
Santos capped off a stellar career by leading the state in scoring. He also scored only goal against Hilo in the BIIF championship, shooting down the left flank to bury the game winner with only four minutes remaining
Accustomed to the spotlight, Santos was not surprised to be once again named the BIIF’s top DI soccer standout.
“I kind of expected it, but it shows that hard work and dedication over a high school career produces results,” Santos said. “This is a good way to leave the island and get ready for my college career.”
Santos is heading to San Diego State, where he will become the first soccer player from the Big Island to play for a Pac-12 team.
For the Kealakehe senior, the road has been a long one from when he started playing soccer as a youth to now. But he managed to find the inspiration and motivation to keep training hard, even when he had to create it in his mind.
“I always had this vision of a kid in California or somewhere halfway around the world working harder than me. I had to work harder than that kid,” Santos said. “That mindset is what got me to where I am today and it will get me to wherever I want to go in life.”
This past season was not an easy one for the Kealakehe standout as he adjusted to a new scheme, put in place that did not completely fit his style of play.
“We had a new coach coming in and a lot of things were different, but the game evolved and our playing style got a little bit better as the season progressed,” Santos said. “We held on to the ball a little more, and scored less, but it was a more beautiful game and an enjoyable game to watch. I loved every moment of it.”
For Sawada, Santos was the “heart and soul” of the team he took over, being promoted from JV coach before the start of the season.
“He was a natural leader and pretty much the playmaker,” Sawada said. “He is what most coaches look for in a player and he deserves this award. Soccer is his passion and he works hard every day, at home and at practice.”
Santos was joined on the All-BIIF list by Kealakehe defenders James Caudell, Jon Takahashi and Yuki Lavoie.
Caudell was the anchor on defense and a captain of the backline.
“He is a dangerous weapon to have out there because he can also be a weapon on offense,” Sawada said. “He can run the ball through the front or take it up himself. He is a catalyst on attacks.”
Both Lavoie and Takahashi worked the sidelines alongside Caudell.
“Jon could also go on the attack and was a player who was hard for other teams to defend,” Sawada said. “He could play midfield and striker. He is a very versatile player, who is very likable and team-oriented. He works very hard.
“Yuki is another captain, he is a quiet one on the field but effective,” Sawada added. “He makes very good reads and understands the mechanics of the game.”
Kealakehe midfielder Hunter Olaso wrapped up the Kealakehe entries on the All-BIIF team.
“Hunter does the little things that may not show up in the stats,” Sawada said. “He is a very unselfish player and does the dirty work on the field most people don’t recognize.”
As for Sawada’s Coach of the Year honor, the first year varsity skipper gives all the credit in the world to his players and coaching staff.
“For myself, I don’t feel I should take too much credit,” Sawada said. “The players do the job on the field and they made me look good this year.”
