Kim-Bustillos is a striker with a beautiful game

Kylee Kim-Bustillos, an ‘Iolani senior striker, is the runaway choice as the Honolulu Star-Advertiser’s girls soccer player of the year.

Kim-Bustillos leads four Raiders on to the 2017 Stellar Eleven, which was voted on by coaches from around the state. In addition, ‘Iolani’s Kristin Masunaga is the coach of the year after delivering an undefeated season and the Division I state championship.

“Kylee has been a captain for us since her sophomore year and it definitely has not been a walk in the park, as we have had our ups and downs,” Masunaga said. “But she has always been respectful, worked hard, and made everyone else around her a better player. I could not have imagined her ending her high school career any better. The goals she scored were beautiful goals that took a lot of composure to finish. Technically, Kylee is very good; she can beat anyone one vs. one, has speed, and a deadly shot from either foot.”

Kim-Bustillos scored 21 goals this season, none bigger than the two she netted in the first half for a 2-0 lead over Punahou in a 2-1 victory in the state final.

At the other end of the field, the ‘Iolani defense gets two nods in the Stellar Eleven — goalkeeper Kawai Scanlan and 5-foot-1 fullback Cambrie Motooka. Scanlan, who played intermediate football for three years, allowed just one goal all season.

“Kawai always has a positive attitude and Cambrie mentored (three underclassmen in the starting backfield),” Masunaga said. “Cambrie makes up for the lack of size by anticipating and playing smart.”

Mia Watanabe, a fast freshman striker for ‘Iolani, is part of the Stellar Eleven as well. She scored all three goals, including two in spectacular fashion, in a 3-0 win over Mililani in the state semifinals.

“People told me they heard (Punahou fans) talking in the stands that they have to contain Mia (in the final), so this may have taken a little attention away from Kylee and she punished them for that,” Masunaga said.

Kim-Bustillos, who signed to play for Sacramento State, is one of five repeat selections to the Stellar Eleven. The others are Pearl City forwards Sunshine Fontes — who was the 2016 player of the year — and Daelenn Tokunaga, Punahou midfielder True Dydasco and Baldwin midfielder Skylar Littlefield.

Fontes and Tokunaga are extremely speedy players with powerful shots, and Littlefield is the field leader for the Bears.

“True has a great tactical understanding of the game and is resilient while dealing with tough situations,” Buffanblu coach Starr Johnson said of Dydasco, who will play for the University of Oregon next year.

A newcomer to the Stellar Eleven, Kamehameha forward Makamae Gomera-Stevens scored 27 goals with seven assists in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu regular season.

Punahou’s Johnson calls Gomera-Stevens “probably the most dangerous striker in the state.”

Mililani fullback Karlin Wurlitzer, who helped the Trojans to the state semifinals, and Lauren Mukaigawa, a clutch Punahou forward, are also first-time Stellar Eleven choices.

The voting this year swayed toward the striker position. Of the 22 players who make up the Stellar Eleven and the Second Eleven, half are forwards and half are seniors.

Four-time D-II state champion Hawaii Prep didn’t place a player in the top 11, but striker Emi Higgins was a second-tier selection.