Player of the Year Kaleb Abara took flight for ‘Iolani

‘Iolani’s Kaleb Abara missed two consecutive soccer seasons due to a pandemic and a knee injury, so he put in the work to ensure his return to the pitch would be successful.

Abara, a senior midfielder who helped lead the Raiders to the state title, was named the Honolulu Star-Advertiser boys soccer Player of the Year as voted on by a panel of coaches.

“I’m very grateful for this award, very blessed,” said Abara, who suffered a season-ending knee injury during the preseason of his junior year. “Every day was just a grind to be back on the field. To share my senior year with this team was very special.”

Abara scored five of his nine goals during the Motiv8 Foundation/HHSAA Boys Division I Soccer Championships in February en route to being named Most Outstanding Player.

Abara scored twice in ‘Iolani’s 3-2 quarterfinal victory over Waiakea, had an assist and two goals in a semifinal win over Kalani and scored a goal in a 2-1 (4-3 PK) triumph over Mililani in the final.

“I’m just glad I was able to step up and help my team win, but it was really a team effort this season,” Abara said.

‘Iolani had four players on the Stellar Eleven, while state semifinalist Kalani placed three, state finalist Mililani placed two, and Kamehameha-Hawaii and Punahou each had one.

Kamehameha-Hawaii senior midfielder Elijah Dinkel was the only repeat first-team selection. He was named the Division II state tournament’s Most Outstanding Player for the second year in a row after leading the Warriors to back-to-back titles.

In the first preseason game of Abara’s junior year, he suffered a non-contact, season-ending ACL tear in his right knee after slipping and getting his foot caught in a hole at Mililani.“We were really bummed he got hurt in preseason, especially coming off the COVID season,” ‘Iolani co-coach Grant Fukuda said.

Not long after surgery, Abara was training seven days a week in an effort to get back on the field as quickly as possible and to prevent another injury.

On Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays he went to physical therapy. On the other four days of the week his parents took him to the gym to get in additional work.

Abara continued the no-days-off training regimen for the remainder of his junior year, ramped things up during the summer and carried it into his senior year.

“You really don’t want to take anything for granted and everyday I just try and work as hard as I can and make the most out of my time on the field and in the gym,” Abara said.

Abara has been helped along his soccer journey by his father, Flo, an athletic trainer at ‘Iolani, and his mother, Denise (nee Tsukada), a defender for UH from 1994 to 1997.

“She introduced me to the sport at a very young age and I’ve always enjoyed having a ball at my feet,” Abara said. “That’s a great testament to my mom, who played soccer her whole life and now she’s passed it down to me.”

During the season, Abara controlled play in the midfield for ‘Iolani.

“A guy like Kaleb, having him on the field helps calm the team down,” Fukuda said. “We know when he has the ball we will make plays.”

Abara was the designated penalty-kick taker for the Raiders, converting five of six during the season.

He said one of his favorite quotes is, “Pressure is a privilege.”

“I really embrace that and I’m not scared to step up when it really matters,” Abara said.

He is finalizing his college decision, and hopes to continue playing soccer and get into the medical field.

‘Iolani also placed senior forward Keao Kawaakoa, junior defender Michael Kostecki and junior goalkeeper Tanner Shum on the All-State first team.

Kalani senior midfielder Ethan Senter and twin senior defenders Jenson Fuse and Shane Fuse were honored.

Mililani senior forward Andre Estaniqui and junior defender Parker Patterson made the list, as did Punahou senior forward Declan Horio.

‘Iolani co-coaches Fukuda and Travis Watanabe were named All-State Coaches of the Year after leading the Raiders to a 9-1-3 record and state title in their first season in charge.

Fukuda and Watanabe played club soccer together and were teammates on the Raiders’ 2000 state championship team. They served as assistants under Chris Lee from 2013 to 2022.

Fukuda’s son and Watanabe’s daughter are kindergarten classmates at ‘Iolani.

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FIRST TEAM

Forwards

Andre Estaniqui (Mililani, Sr.)

Declan Horio (Punahou, Sr.)

Keao Kawaakoa (‘Iolani, Sr.)

Midfielders

Kaleb Abara (‘Iolani, Sr.)

Elijah Dinkel (Kamehameha-Hawaii, Sr.)

Ethan Senter (Kalani, Sr.)

Defenders

Jenson Fuse (Kalani, Sr.)

Shane Fuse (Kalani, Sr.)

Michael Kostecki (‘Iolani, Jr.)

Parker Patterson (Mililani, Jr.)

Goalkeeper

Tanner Shum (‘Iolani, Jr.)

SECOND TEAM

Forwards

Leha Harman (Hilo, Sr.)

Keaton Hicks (Punahou, Sr.)

Chase Kaetsu (Kalani, Sr.)

Kelly Takara (Aiea, Sr.)

Midfielders

Leo Davies (Kaiser, Sr.)

Keegan McGehee (Mililani, Sr.)

Owen Riecke (King Kekaulike, Sr.)

Defenders

Alexander Haugaard (Mid-Pacific, Sr.)

Kekama Kane (‘Iolani, Fr.)

Justin Tilton (Mililani, Jr.)

Goalkeeper

Robert Pruner (Kalani, Sr.)

HONORABLE MENTION

ILH

‘Iolani: John Butkiewicz, Nathan Li, Brett Nakao, Keane Palmer, Noah Scherman, Ian Yogi

Kamehameha: Kawainui Anderson, Kalaiakea Duncan, Keli Fisher, Bryson Kau, Royal Kekuewa, Tanoa Tinao, Kaeden John Viloria, Logan Zaa

Le Jardin: Hiram Apo, Jon Ellman, Andrew Howell, Noah Munoz, Keenan Ramanlal, Liam White

Mid-Pacific: Ethan Chang, Elliot Hutton, Tyson Norr, Zachary Orr, Akira Robertson-Chambers

Pac-Five: Caleb Corpuz, Keenan Ferry, Micah Lee, Caden Matsumoto, Rylen Ogawa-Lu, Jared Sakai, Mark Spencer, Maxwell Wilkins

Saint Louis: Landon Dimaya, Kekahi Graham, Keahi Meredith

Punahou: Aslan Chong, Stone Chun, Gregory Jackson, Kaimana Newman, Cade Quinto

OIA East

Castle: Nathaniel Medina

Kahuku: Kainoa Carvalho, Kitione Nakauciri

Kailua: Allan Gabriel Donis Sablan, Matthew Mashiba, Connor Reece

Kaiser: Brayden Abalos, Asahi Liu, Ethan Yang

Kalaheo: Davidson Kathman

Kalani: Alexander Andrade Portillo, Kai Van Rijsbergen

McKinley: Noa Akana, Luke Fujioka-Silva

Moanalua: Jaylen Temple, Ethan Zuniga

Roosevelt: Kisei Ikeda, Landen Kalani

OIA West

Aiea: Laakea Fernandez, Sye Sandobal

Campbell: Kjell Ackerman, Dominic Edwards, Cody Mar

Kapolei: Logan Aurio, Aleki Kiesel, Aaron Ohara

Mililani: Trevor Kurasaki, Kai Martin, Xander Tamashiro, Mau Uiagalelei

Radford: Harrison Hoskins, Robert Wilson

Waialua: Zekiel Balmoja, Shane Kelly, Elisha Sheridan

Waianae: Jaceten Schlitzkus

MIL

Baldwin: Kekoa Kiesling, Kaz Kinoshita, Kanata Kuwahara

King Kekaulike: Lorenzo Gonzalez, Rex Riecke, Jai Sternthall

Seabury Hall: James Haynes, Duke Romanchak

BIIF

Kamehameha-Hawaii: Jacob Aiona, Micah Chung, Connor Gonzalez, Lucas Kay-Wong, Everton Kuamoo, Po‘ikeao Roback, Malachi Thornton-Fukui, Reef Vasquez

Hilo: Michael DeCoito II, Logan Ehrenlencher, Owen Fragas-Van Blarcom, Channing Oda, Kani Tolentino-Perry, Noa Quintana

Waiakea: Kaden Aguilar, Tevin Atwal, Aziah Nelson

KIF

Island School: Manoa Knight

Kapaa: Kala Velasco

All-state boys soccer team by Honolulu Star-Advertiser