She qualified for a national competition in football in the eighth-grade, and she mastered two other sports in high school while captaining a two-time state champion. ADVERTISING She qualified for a national competition in football in the eighth-grade, and she
She qualified for a national competition in football in the eighth-grade, and she mastered two other sports in high school while captaining a two-time state champion.
In the classroom, she’s a shoe-in for the dean’s list.
But here is something Hawaii Prep’s Gabbie Ewing isn’t so good at: figuring out her goal total during her senior season.
“Seven, maybe,” Ewing said.
No, Gabbie, not even close. Try 14.
With modesty like that, it’s little wonder Ewing said she was surprised to find out Big Island Interscholastic Federation soccer coaches had voted her the Division II Player of the Year.
“I just feel that all my hard work paid off,” she said.
Though she took on more of the scoring load as a senior, goals weren’t necessarily her game. The more important figures to Ewing are four and two, the number of BIIF and state titles, respectively, for Ka Makani during her career.
Ewing is the fourth consecutive Ka Makani to be selected Player of the Year, following in the footsteps of Nanea Tavares, Emily Evans and Katie Case. Prior to that, Leeta Grap in 2011 and Selena Osorio in 2010 earned defensive honors when the BIIF split the awards.
With Ewing earning state Most Outstanding Player for the second consecutive season, HPA poured it on against Mid-Pacific on Feb. 21 to earn a repeat. With the game in hand, coach Stephen Perry witnessed his favorite snapshot of one of his favorite players.
“A couple of times the ball came to her and she just stood there, very composed, feeling no pressure,” Perry said. “It was like she was standing there thinking, “I got this.”
She seemingly always has.
Perry knew the kind of athlete he was getting by watching Ewing play soccer in middle school. Not to mention that she finished fourth at the NFL Punt Pass & Kick National Finals in 2011. He learned all he needed to know about Ewing’s mental makeup during a volleyball match her freshman season.
“You could tell she wanted the ball, and that’s nice to see from a freshman on the female side,” Perry said.
He could have played Ewing at sweeper or striker, but instead she flourished as a playmaker as HPA’s rock in the midfield.
“She’s the total package,” Perry said. “She pretty much gave us all we needed as a presence in the middle of the field to have success.
“She came to practice everyday, never took a day off and always gave her best effort. Very supportive and got everyone else to prepare.”
A nod to her versatility, Ewing holds a rare double honor. She also claimed BIIF Division II Player of the Year in volleyball as a junior at outside hitter after leading Ka Makani to the league title and a runner-up at the state tournament.
“It’s a great accomplishment, but I just feel lucky to have had the opportunity to have played both sports,” she said.
Every starter for HPA (14-1) made all-BIIF in soccer, including forward Bri Vallente, who led Ka Makani with 15 goals, and junior midfielder Marlie Mandaguit, who scored two first-half goals to give HPA the lead for good in the state title game.
“That’s the moment I knew that we could do it,” Ewing said. “I knew that we had a chance to take the title one more time.”
Her second-half goal, which Perry called apropos, left little doubt.
Also honored from HPA were Kaui Taylor, midfielders Teia Knoll and Erin Evans, fullbacks Mailani Neal, Teah Van Bergen, Julia Perry and Jordan Grainger and goalkeeper Taimane Kamaka, who surrendered four goals in 12 BIIF games. Makua Lani had three all-BIIF players in forward Sina Easley, midfielder Akari Shimizu and fullback Hannah Shimizu, and runner-up Kamehameha’s lone representative was Hevani Haunga. Perry was named Coach of the Year.
Ewing, who has a soccer scholarship awaiting her at the University of Concordia in Portland Ore., got in one final high school match Saturday night on Oahu at the Hawaii Youth Soccer Association All-Star Game. She left a lasting impression with a second-half goal in a 1-1 tie.
“It was fun to get to play with new faces and meet new people,” she said. “It was a nice finish. To have one more chance, I feel very lucky.”
