A couple of Warriors were named as this year’s best from soccer.
The lists for the 2017-18 Kauai Interscholastic Federation Soccer All-Stars were released by the league Tuesday. All-stars are voted for by the coaches.
Kapaa High School senior forward Gabe Franklin was named Boys Player of the Year, and senior forward April Barnes was named Girls Player of the Year.
“It’s pretty cool. I’m stoked,” Franklin said on Tuesday. “I couldn’t have done anything without my teammates.”
Franklin, who is 5-feet-11 and weighs 200 pounds, said he uses his stature as an advantage on the field.
“I’m big, and I think that helps me — using my physicality,” he said. “I’ve been playing my whole life. A lot of other kids might not have been playing for as long as me, so that helps me do good, too.”
The Warrior boys were 7-2-3 in the KIF season as the team won it’s first league championship since 2015.
Kapaa was 2-1 at The Queen’s Medical Center 2018 Boys Soccer Championships–Division II state tournament. The Warriors reached the D2 championship match but lost to Kamehameha Schools-Hawaii of the Big Island.
Franklin led the KIF in scoring with 11 goals in the season, which is also fourth best in the state among Division II, according to ScoringLive.
“I’m super happy we made it as far as we did,” Franklin said. “At the beginning of the season, I realistically didn’t think we would make it that far. So, I’m super happy we made it that far. Our team just really pulled together. We didn’t do that good at the beginning of the season, but then we just worked hard and we did it.”
Kapaa has four players on the all-star list this year. Island School has four, Waimea has two and Kauai High has four. Warriors head coach Kevin Cram was named Coach of the Year.
The Warrior wahine were 10-1-1 in the regular season en route to winning its fourth straight KIF title.
“I was feeling mixed emotions. I was surprised but filled with gratitude,” Barnes said of winning the award. “I was really excited.”
Barnes said being named Player of the Year was the culmination of her high school career after overcoming injury. During her freshman and junior years, she suffered two separate ACL injuries.
“It means so much to me. My injuries, it was such a long recovery process,” she said. “I went up and down throughout my years of soccer, but I’ve had such a strong support system backing me. My coaches definitely helped me get back to what I used to be. That’s why it means so much to me, because of all the work put in, time and dedication.”
Kapaa was 2-1 at The Queen’s Medical Center 2018 Girls Soccer Championships–Division II state tournament and defeated on-
island rival Kauai High School in the tournament third-place match.
Barnes scored 26 goals in the year, only trailing teammate and fellow KIF all-star Brianna Binder who totaled 28, according to ScoringLive.
“It was a privilege to work with the girls on my team,” Barnes said. “I’ve been playing with them for so long. It was great to finish the season off with them. It’s been really fun. I gel well with them. We connect well, and it was just a memorable season.”
Kapaa has six all-star girls. Kauai has three, Island School has two and Waimea has two. Kapaa head coach Mytra McKeague was named Coach of the Year.
2017-18 KIF Soccer All-Stars
Boys
Forward: Brandon Beydoun, Island, senior; Shayden Duldulao, Waimea, junior; Joshua Layaoen, Kapaa, senior; Logan Noice, Kauai, junior
Midfielder: Ryan Yavinsky, Island, senior; Kody Gardner, Waimea, senior; Emi De La Mora, Island, senior; Dodger Middlebrook, Kauai, junior
Defender: Kiran Costa, Kapaa, junior; Kyle Leibow, Island, senior; Keegan Bukoski, Kauai, senior
Goalkeeper: Chysen Lagunes-Rapozo, Kapaa, junior
Utility: Gabriel Cayetano, Kauai, senior
Player of the Year: Gabriel Franklin, Kapaa, senior
Coach of the Year: Kevin Cram, Kapaa
Girls
Forward: Kehela Ventura, Kauai, junior; Brianna Binder, Kapaa, senior; Jenessa Freitas, Waimea, freshman
Midfielder: Mia Takekuma, Kauai, sophomore; Kyla Bandsma, Kapaa, senior; Talia Washington, Kapaa, sophomore
Defender: Cienna Caires, Kauai, junior; Kaylee Overmyer, Kapaa, senior; McKenzie Hubbard, Island, senior; Leiko Yamauchi, Waimea, junior
Goalkeeper: Bernadette Lindsey, Kapaa, junior
Utility: Emma Kelekoma, Island, senior
Player of the Year: April Barnes, Kapaa, senior
Coach of the Year: Mytra McKeague, Kapaa
