Last season was a renaissance run for Waiakea boys soccer, and for that coach David Urakami will always have a soft spot in his heart for Isaac Sumera.
Sumera had been playing soccer since the age of 3 – striker, midfielder, fullback, you name it. But never goalkeeper.
That changed, however, when the Warriors’ senior goalkeeper went down in 2017 with a knee injury, and Urakami turned to Sumera, who already had developed soft hands as a receiver in football and a infielder in baseball.
“We were lucky,” Urakami said, “we didn’t really have a backup, but (Isaac) had that mindset that he had to step in to fill the those shoes quickly.
“He did pretty well, he organized the back, he was vocal. His reaction time, he was able to see how plays develop.”
Sumera must have enjoyed the view. The Warriors ended a six-year state tournament drought by beating Hilo in the BIIF Division I semifinals, and they gave eventual co-state Division I champion Hawaii Prep all they could handle in the league final before testing Oahu Interscholastic Association stalwart Mililani in a state quarterfinals loss.
“That was a big step for our program,” said Sumera, one of only two seniors listed on the roster for Waiakea, which would seem to have its best days ahead of it.
Urakami will be the first to admit his program went through a lull from 2013-2017 – always a bit behind Hilo, with Kealakehe hardly in sight. Then HPA arrived on the D-I scene last season.
But the worm began to turn for the Warriors with consecutive strong, club-seasoned freshman classes, giving the 2019 squad a talented nucleus that includes junior John Grover, Kai Biegler and Elijah Carigon and sophomores Riley Tamanaha, Kyson Yamashiro, Ethan Okahara-Olsen and Colby Kerr.
The synergy is real, Urakami said.
“I feel (last season) was good building step,” Sumera said. “It wasn’t surprising, it was more (the younger players) were going to be the ones to get us there. They’re going to be the ones to push us to get us there.”
Waiakea opens league play Wednesday at home against Kealakehe, and it does so hardened by a confidence-building trip to Oahu for a preseason tournament. The Warriors finished 2-1-1, and Urakami and Sumera were most encouraged by a pair of matches against state contenders from the OIA. The Warriors possessed the ball well in a 2-0 loss to Kaiser, and tied Pearl City 2-2.
“We were able to do things that we never did before,” Urakami said. “Attack and defend when they needed to.
“We were upset with the tie, where last year we would have been happy.”
Speaking last week, Sumera said his voice was still trying to recover from the trip.
“It’s kind of like I’m the second coach on the field, and I have to be the eyes for both my players and for the coaches,” Sumera said. “So it’s a big role that I have to take on.”
He has plenty of help in front of him.
Much will be expected of Grover and Biegler, players whom Urakami wants to utilize in the middle of the field, whether it be sweeper, center or striker. Carigon, like Biegler, brings good size to the pitch and can anchor the backline, Tamanaha’s most likely home is center mid and Yamashiro can fill a utility role.
The Warriors think they are ready to break in a third consecutive strong freshman class, and Aidan Santos is one of the headliners.
Ka Makani defeated Waiakea in overtime last season at home in the BIIF final and has to be considered the league, if not state, favorite.
The Warriors only want their revival to end with one result, their first BIIF title since 2006, whether that be this year or the next.
“All the boys, they have unfinished business,” Urakami said. “That is not the way they want to go out. They want to continue the journey.”
Tuesday’s games
Girls
Kamehameha at Ka’u, 2 p.m.
HPA at Makua Lani, 2 p.m.
Boys
Kamehameha at Ka’u, 4 p.m.
Konawana at Makua Lani, 4 p.m.