JV Girls Soccer Continue 18 Year Streak, OIA Champs

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Chloe Kitsu

MHS’s JV girls soccer team scored again as OIA Champions for the 18th year in a row. After enduring long days of summer leg workouts and core conditioning, various injuries from ACL tears to broken wrists, the team came together to preserve the JV girls soccer team’s win streak on Jan. 20, 2018 at Pearl City High School.

“I am very proud of my team and very excited and I’m overall just really blessed to being playing with these group of girls because they mean a lot to me and I’m just really happy with the final outcome that we had this season,” said outside-mid, goalie, and center back Sophomore Hope Ishizaka.

The overall score of the game was 3-0, with each of the goals being made by different team members. “So we won 3-0, so our center-mid Tiani Oliveira, she scored the first goal outside the 18. Our second goal was made by Kara Morris, she got past the defenders, took a shot and it went in. Then our last goal was made by Kalei Navares she just got the ball and finished.”

However, achieving this win did not go down without a fight, as the girls on the team had faced many challenges. “I think one huge challenge was the amount of injuries that occurred throughout the season. It had gotten so bad to the point where one girl couldn’t play for the entire season because she tore her ACL. There was one game, the first game we played Pearl City, where there were about seven girls who were injured and couldn’t play at all,” said forward Sophomore Danean Wurlitzer. Team members also had to take on positions for injured team members. “So this season was really crazy for me, I actually played outside mid, center back, and I had to play goal too because our goalie got injured, so I had to play in the goal a little bit too,” added Ishizaka.

Keeping the 18 year win streak would have not be achievable without the bond that the team formed throughout the season. “I think we were able to keep that win streak because of the help we gave each other. This team was extremely inclusive and loving, so coming together as a team really helped us out. The sport itself really does depend on the bond of the team and how they are able to work together on and off the field, so that definitely benefited us from the start,” said Wurlitzer.

Some members of the team felt that the pressure to keep the win streak was an asset, while some also felt that it hurt the team at times. “I think the pressure really just fueled us just to keep on going, because 18 years is a long time and you don’t wanna be the one to lose the 18 year streak. But it really just lights a fire underneath your butt just to keep on going and honestly push you to work harder and just do it for yourself, and do it for your teammates, and do it for Mililani and to keep on going,” said Ishizaka. Center-mid Sophomore Mehanaokalani Ortiz added, “I thought it hurt us a little more because the stress and not wanting to be the first year to ruin the streak was a very big thing.”

Even though the season consisted of many challenges, the team was still able to pull a win. “At the beginning of the season I know that we had a lot of hardships and a lot of struggles, especially with a lot of our girls being injured. But after the last game we all came together and almost all of us were completely healed and none of us were injured and I think the last game that we played against Pearl City, the championship game, was the best game that we had, so I’m really proud of the final outcome that we had,” said Ishizaka.

For the future seasons ahead, the MHS JV girls soccer team will continue to fight for another win to continue the streak.

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