Kapolei’s winning soccer tradition is fully intact under first-year head coach Keoki Haole.
And the team also got an added boost for 2022, simply by the presence of one family. Five members of the Anderson ohana, including three players, are part of the varsity squad. The other two are assistant coach Stephen Anderson and his wife, the team manager Robin.
The five Andersons from the Kapolei Hurricanes are, from left to right, Noah, Jesse, Stephen, Robin and Ethan.
As usual, Kapolei (11-2) has been getting extremely solid defensive play, with just five goals allowed in 13 games. And those Andersons have two contributing members to that defensive unit, including starting center back and captain Noah Anderson.
“Noah makes the players push hard, work harder and try their best, a good leader and very solid in the back,” Haole said. “He’s been holding it down for us all season.”
So far, the Hurricanes have shown major resilience, as evidenced in their 3-2 victory on penalty kicks after double overtime in the league semifinals against Aiea.
That type of effort in the clutch may be needed a few more times — and soon. The Hurricanes play at home against Pearl City in the Division I first round of the NIU Health Urgent Care/Hawaii High School Athletic Association Boys Soccer State Championships on Monday.
After winning OIA championships in 2011, 2017, 2019 and 2020 and having solid teams nearly every year, Kapolei has never won a state title.
“The whole theme this season is that we’ve won the OIA enough times,” said Haole, who played for the Hurricanes before graduating in 2007. “The state tournament title, that’s where we’re looking. My whole goal (and) why I came back to coach in high school after coaching in college (a Chaminade assistant) is to bring that state title to the school. Every year, we will try to make that push and the younger players have bought in.”
Two of those younger players are Noah’s brothers Ethan, a sophomore defender, and Jesse, a freshman center midfielder.
“Ethan played a lot of minutes in the first part of the season,” Haole said. “We’ve been working him into the lineup sometimes and getting him ready to take over his brother’s role next season. And Jesse is a very good player and going to be one of the main guys next season. Good foot skills and distribution. Very calm on the ball. He was supposed to be on the JV team, but became part of an expanded varsity team due to COVID. Forming a JV team didn’t pan out this year.”
Of course Noah and Ethan don’t let Jesse get away with much.
“They’re very aggressive with him,” Haole added. “He’s the younger brother so they push him around. But he doesn’t back down and does pretty well on his own.”
For Stephen Anderson, this was supposed to be a JV year, too — as head coach. Instead, he gladly helps where he’s needed on the varsity.
“Steve’s been doing a great job with the players who get less playing time and works with all the players on the side,” Haole said. “He also helps organizing stuff, like senior night.”
It’s not often a dad gets to coach his own kid in a varsity sport. Stephen is fortunate to have three at one time.
“To be around it, it’s a blessing, totally,” he said.
And he gave his assessment of his three offspring.
“Noah, the oldest, is technically good and it’s his passion,” the dad said. “But we used to call him ‘fringe’ because he was always staying on the outside, not getting in the mix. But because of some great club coaches, he blossomed, going from an average player in the state to one of the best center backs. At mainland events where he wasn’t really a player being scouted, the coaches there noticed his leadership, his voice, his passion.
“Jesse is a quiet force, and Ethan is in between. He’s technically good, not as aggressive as Noah, but I think you’ll start to see those traits evolve as Noah leaves and he’ll come into that role a little more.”
Two of Noah Anderson’s highlights this season came on the offensive end. He scored a goal in a 4-0 OIA quarterfinal win over Kailua and scored in the PK-winning portion against AIea. Pretty memorable stuff for a senior who missed his whole junior season because of COVID-19.
But Noah’s overall high school highlight was winning the OIA championship during his sophomore year, when he went from a role player early in the season to a starter.
“I remember how much talent and work ethic that team had and saying to myself, ‘Wow, this is what a real team looks like.’ I looked up to guys like Tommy Mascaro, Joe Wren, Cypress Navarr-Acio and Hunter Hoogenwerf.”
That 2020 Hurricanes team was a powerhouse that many soccer people around the state thought the Hurricanes had a good chance to win the D-I state title.
“We had just come off the win in the OIA and our heads were a little bit in the clouds,” Noah said. “We got caught off guard. This year, we took a hard loss in the OIA finals (2-1). As much as I hate to lose, especially against our rivals, the Mililani Trojans, that was a good wake-up call. We don’t have a ton of those super-skilled seniors like we did when I was a sophomore. We’re younger, but we’re ready to battle.”
During the height (so far) of the pandemic, the family bonded by playing 3 vs. 2 (along with sister Bella) at the park.
“That was such a stress relief,” Stephen said. “It got us through.”
Noah added that it helped them from feeling overwhelmed.
“When COVID first hit and there was no soccer, our family took it hard,” he said. “It was a big change for us from being at the field every day. So, we really made the most of it, the five of us and my mom. It brought back some of the enjoyment of AYSO days and gave us a renewed sense of why we play soccer. It was a good rest period, and it got pretty competitive, too. Someone would always be coming home a little sore that they lost.”
And Noah made sure to mention how much his mom, Robin, does for the teams that he’s been on.
“She’s been my team manager since AYSO days and she really stepped it up when I started club (Whitfield SC),” he said. “A lot of people don’t see it, but she really works hard. They don’t see the paperwork, the rosters she does every week, the uniforms she orders, the loaner jerseys she gives out, contacting people, calling people. It gets really stressful sometimes and I’m really proud of her and thankful for all of her dedication.”
