HONOLULU – When the phrase "Chaminade on the Rise" was first coined some two years ago by
Kahala Kabalis Hoke, Chaminade's current women's volleyball coach, the slogan was about the growing success of the athletic department and its teams.
The men's soccer program is one which is certainly on its way to be a serious contender in the Pacific West Conference.
The 2018 squad achieved what no other Silverswords men's soccer squad had ever done in the previous 12 years of the program's existence – finish with a winning record.
Their 6-5-2 finish tied the school record for most wins but their 5-4-2 conference mark also tied the record for PacWest victories while their sixth-place finish was their highest ever. The mark was achieved in part to a three-game winning streak to close the year including just their second-ever win over Hawai'i Pacific University in the season finale. That victory helped the 'Swords capture the men's soccer title in the PacWest Hawai'i Challenge for the first time in the competition's four-year history.
"The success from this past season has been a few years in the making," said third-year head coach
Jayson Abe, whose 14 wins is more than double of the next coach on the school's career list. "It started with bringing in some of the best local players from around the state, creating a culture of accountability and ends with giving ourselves a new identity.
"This identity consists of being the hardest working team while maximizing performance and ability of each student-athlete."
Chaminade's success can be attributed to its defense. Entering the season, there was some uncertainty at goalkeeper particularly with the loss of career wins leader
Bernd Buescherhoff. However, JUCO transfer
Michael Stafford (Honolulu/Iowa Western CC/Kalani HS), who spent 2017 as a redshirt behind Buescherhoff, stepped right in as the team's last line of defense.
The former Hawai'i state player of the year struggled early, allowing seven goals in his first three career starts. But he settled down and allowed just 11 more in the 'Swords' final 10 matches. In the end, Stafford's 1.34 goals against average was a new school record and third-lowest in the PacWest, earning him all-conference third team honors.
But Stafford wasn't alone in the team's defensive prowess.
Curtis Coburn (Huntington Beach, Calif./Huntington Beach),
Tasman Turner (Kailua, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Iolani) and
Lyric De Leon (Kapolei, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Grand Canyon Univ./Kapolei HS) formed one of the conference's top backlines, setting a school record for goals allowed per game at 1.38. Coburn and Turner joined Stafford on the all-conference third team.
Offensively, it was a set of brothers who led the charge for the 'Swords. Freshman
Noah Mokulehua (Waimanalo, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Kaiser) while older sibling junior
Micah Mokulehua (Waimanalo, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Kaiser) led the team in scoring. The Mokulehua brothers accounted for four of the team's six goals in their final four matches of the year. The pair each had three goals while Noah was the sole leader in points due to his two assists.
Tyler Ebisuya (Kaneohe, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Iolani) and
Jamin Fonseca (Mililani, O'ahu, Hawai'i/Mililani) each had two goals while
Reece Hambly (Birmingham, England/Scottsdale CC/Hagley HS) tied the program's single-season assists record (4).
With 10 of the team's 11 points scorers returning for 2019, there will be high expectations for the Silverswords to contend for their first-ever PacWest title. Abe believes the returnees will be up for the task.
"Our players have embraced the opportunity to represent Chaminade," he said. "They continue to be individual success stories for their hometowns, high schools, club teams and communities."
