Soccer has always been her No. 1 sport, but Stephen Perry noticed Gabbie Ewing’s game face while she was playing volleyball during her freshman season at Hawaii Prep. ADVERTISING Soccer has always been her No. 1 sport, but Stephen Perry
Soccer has always been her No. 1 sport, but Stephen Perry noticed Gabbie Ewing’s game face while she was playing volleyball during her freshman season at Hawaii Prep.
Ewing was friendly before the match, and everyone’s friend after it — but watch out while the ball was in play.
“When the game rolled around, she wanted the ball, even as a freshman,” said Perry, Ka Makani’s soccer coach and athletic director. “She didn’t shy away from competition.”
The two-sport star hasn’t yet during three-plus years in the Big Island Interscholastic Federation.
Ewing might not have scored any goals during Ka Makani’s state championship soccer run on Oahu last winter. But the midfielder made a lot of those goals possible and was named Hawaii High School Athletic Association Division II tournament most outstanding player.
“I’m not worried about how many goals I score,” the senior said. “I’m worried about how my team plays.
“I just feel like I create a lot of opportunities for my teammates.”
And, in the end, one for herself.
Ewing made a visit to the University of Concordia in late August and called it a perfect fit. Whether it be the city (Portland, Ore.), her future teammates, her coaches, the small campus (enrollment 2,500) or its sports medicine program, she liked everything about Concordia.
“There were so many things I loved, I evened liked the dorms,” she said. “Concordia kept with me and kept pushing it. Why not go for it?”
She committed to the Cavaliers earlier this month to play soccer and will receive a financial aid package covering 75 percent of her college costs, turning down an offer from Southern Utah.
The Concordia coaching staff had seen highlight videos of Ewing — including time spent with her club team, the Honolulu Bulls — and she also practiced with the Cavaliers on her visit.
“We really jelled,” said Ewing, who lives in Kailua-Kona. “Instead of four or five players being good, everyone was good.”
Asked what the coaches told her they liked about her game, Ewing rattled off a list similar to Perry’s.
“Mainly athleticism, vision, I can see the field well and I’m aggressive attacking,” Ewing said.
Ka Makani have played in the last three state Division II finals, and Ewing is set to become the fourth player during that time to move on to college soccer. She’s the second to snag a scholarship, joining Nanea Tavares.
Katie Case (seven matches, one assists) is a junior midfielder at Division I Air Force, freshman Emily Evans has played in three matches for the Division II University of San Diego and Tavares has delivered six goals and seven assists in her first season at Highline Community College near Seattle.
Concordia is in its first year playing in Division II after winning the NAIA champion last season.
“Honestly, I wasn’t worried about what division, I just wanted a school that would give me everything that I wanted,” Ewing said. “I can play soccer and it will be affordable for my parents (Peter and Kathy).”
Ewing said Concordia’s coaches have talked with her about staying in the midfield, but they also like her as a target forward.
Her college decision made, the reigning Division II player of the year can focus on carrying HPA’s 6-2 volleyball team at outside hitter, and she may just see some time at striker as the soccer team vies for its six straight BIIF title.
“It’s been tempting every year to slide her up because she has a knack for the goal,” Perry said. “This year, who knows?”
