Seniors might boast the best talent ever

The Star-Advertiser’s state player of the year nearly didn’t suit up this season.

Taylor Kipilii, an ‘Iolani defender who helped the Raiders to their first state title since 1999, felt that she desperately needed a soccer scholarship. She figured that the best way to earn one was to skip her senior season and attend camps on the mainland, where more recruiters could see her. A couple of days before ‘Iolani began practicing she received her appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy, but Kipilii still intended on sticking to her decision. Then tryouts began, and she blinked.

She ran into coach Kristin Masunaga’s office five minutes before the coach was to leave for the field, asking if it would be all right for an All-State first teamer twice over to try out. She didn’t expect any favors.

"It was really a last-minute decision," Kipilii said. "Luckily I had soccer stuff in my locker because I always have soccer stuff. I practice in the morning or if I have free time."

Kipilii made the team, obviously, and joined Dana Lim and Emily Tanaka in ‘Iolani’s back line to protect new keeper Courtney Overland, who stepped in to replace possibly the best keeper in program history in Lexi Felix. Overland grew better with each game and the Raiders capped the season with a win over Punahou in the state final.

"I’m glad I came back," Kipilii said. "I don’t know what it was, but our team seemed more relaxed this year — we weren’t so uptight about winning or perfection. It’s not like the standards were lower, but it wasn’t as tense. (The championship) wasn’t what I expected it to be, just the feeling of being a champion. It was great."

Kipilii was far from alone. Take anyone off the team, down to freshman keeper Katie Yuu, and next year’s team would have had to endure coaches telling them about the ancient times when ‘Iolani last ruled the state. But what if Kipilii had not decided to join the family business and given the Navy permission to chop her long hair off after graduation?

"I honestly think the team would have been fine," Kipilii said. "We have a lot of great talent on the team."

Forwards Alyssa Kim and Kama Pascua, the ILH’s leading scorer, join Kipilii on the first team, as does midfielder Jill Shimabuku joining them. Masunaga edged Punahou’s Starr Johnson for coach of the year.

Two years ago, the Star-Advertiser’s All-State team had six sophomores on the first team, and five of them earned the honor as seniors. Mililani striker TJ Reyno and Moanalua’s Storm Kenui join Kipilii on the first team for the third straight year. Add in Pascua and Punahou’s Dempsey Banks, Jensen Toner and Kylie Chun, all of whom have been honored on the first team previously, and this might be the best class of local talent ever.

"I say we haven’t had a graduating senior class like this since the kids who were born in 1991 like Rachel Domingo and Meleana Shim, all of those kids who played at Saint Mary’s, UCLA, Santa Clara and LMU," University of Hawaii coach Michele Nagamine said.

Nagamine went all in on the class, inking Reyno, Kenui, Pascua and Mililani’s Madison Reed for her program this year.