Waiting doesn’t necessarily mean remaining idle.

Tyler Ohata spent his first two years on Punahou’s varsity soccer team sitting behind two standout goalkeepers ahead of him on the depth chart.

All the while, he stayed ready, preparing for his opportunity.

“Waiting my turn was kind of hard, taught me a lot of patience,” Ohata said. “This year I just wanted to prove I could play.”

His time arrived in his senior year and he’s spent much of this season waiting, again, for those moments when the Buffanblu need him to protect the net. In the meantime, he stays engaged in directing the Punahou defense from his post.

“What he does so well is he doesn’t just sit back there and play goalkeeper,” Punahou coach David Trifonovich said. “He organizes his defense, he tells his players where to go, he tells them who’s open, who needs to be picked up, so he can prevent a lot of shots before he even has to make a save.”

The combination of Ohata’s play in goal and the effectiveness of Punahou’s defense in front of him led to 10 shutouts during the Interscholastic League of Honolulu season, with just two goals slipping into the net in 11 matches.

Punahou hasn’t allowed a goal in more than a month as the Buffanblu head into The Queen’s Medical Center/Hawaii High School Athletic Association Boys Soccer State Championships at Waipio Peninsula Soccer Complex.

The second seed in the Division I bracket, Punahou opens its tournament run Thursday in the quarterfinals against Hilo or Radford.

Ohata gravitated to goalie a couple of years after starting soccer early in elementary school. Training in goal from a young age developed the instincts to react to a shot and the vision to help prevent others from being taken.

“Our defense is really good,” Ohata said. “I’m always talking to them and if I get no shots, that’s a great game for me. If I direct my defense well, I shouldn’t be getting any shots. That’s what I hope to do every game.”

When they do come, he’s proven ready to make the stops needed to help the Buffanblu claim the league title.

“The last few games he showed it big time,” Trifonovich said, noting tough saves he made in a 2-0 win over ‘Iolani and in a scoreless tie with Mid-Pacific on Feb. 12 to clinch the ILH crown.

“He’s not afraid to come out and play the ball hard. He’s aggressive. He’s good in the air, he can catch balls really high and hold on to them.”

Ohata made the varsity roster as a sophomore and spent his first year behind Henry Engle. He sat again most of last year while Connor Goo earned ILH defensive player of the year and second-team All-State honors.

“He paid his dues the last two years,” Trifonovich said. “Really worked hard and didn’t get a lot of playing time behind those other goalkeepers and this year he’s getting what he worked for.”

Whether he’s called upon to make a save or not, Ohata tends to be a focal point for the Buffanblu — even if he wasn’t wearing a bright pink shirt in goal — as a team captain along with senior midfielder Christopher Brubaker and one of their emotional leaders.

While Ohata’s intensity from the back line motivates his teammates, Trifonovich said his presence provides a calming influence as well.

“There’s a whole psychological factor of having him back there that everyone just feels a lot more comfortable, a lot more safe,” Trifonovich said. “If something happens to get through there’s a good chance he’s going to make a save on it.”

Ohata occasionally gets to experience the game on the other end of the field and scored two goals early in the season. But stopping shots remains his first duty and his passion.

“That’s always fun; I enjoy playing in the field when I can,” he said. “But if it’s a big game I’ll stay in there and do my job. That’s what I love to do.”

The High School Top 10

Voted on by coaches and media statewide. First-place votes in parentheses. Ten points for first-place votes, nine for second, etc.

Also receiving votes: University 24,
Lahainaluna 20, McKinley 17, Seabury Hall 3, Mid-Pacific 2, Waiakea 1, Honokaa 1.

Top Performers

Hugh Hogland, ‘Iolani basketball

The 6-foot-9 junior had 28 points and eight rebounds in Friday’s 61-42 win over Kaiser. In the state final, Hogland neutralized Punahou’s outstanding center, ‘Akahi Troske, and tallied 16 points, 12 rebounds and six blocked shots as the Raiders outlasted Punahou 45-40.

Hogland was part of a true “one team” effort, bonding with unselfish, balanced teammates.

Hogland also had four points, six boards and eight swats in a 43-27 quarterfinal win over Baldwin. His efforts were rewarded with the all-tournament most outstanding player honor.

Teshya Alo, Kamehameha wrestling

The senior warmed up for the Olympic trials by winning her fourth straight state wrestling championship on Saturday. Alo, a national champion, pinned Kahuku’s Viviana Barcina in 36 seconds in the 132-pound final.

That wrapped up an undefeated career, pinning each of her opponents in under a minute. Alo also led Kamehameha to the girls team title. She joins Moanalua’s Caylene Valdez (2000-03), Kamehameha’s Randolyn Nohara (2004-07) and Lahainaluna’s Lalelei Mataafa (2013-16) as Hawaii’s only female champions over four consecutive years.

Alo will compete in the Olympic Trials in April with a trip to Rio on the line.