If you’re looking for razzle-dazzle, don’t call on Lincoln Oishi.
But if you want a hard-nosed defender who dangerously joins the attack and is an unquestioned team leader, the ‘Iolani senior is your man.
Oishi, a center back, clutched up and scored five goals in the Division I state tournament to lead the Raiders into the final, where they pushed Punahou in an eventual 1-0 overtime loss.
“He showed mental toughness, grit and determination by playing the state final and breaking his hand during the game,” ‘Iolani coach Chris Lee said about Oishi, who was voted on by coaches from around Hawaii as the Honolulu Star-Advertiser’s player of the year.
Oishi, who scored two goals in a 3-2 upset of Kapolei in the semifinals, drew raves from opposing coaches.
“He carried the team, solidified the defense and did the scoring and I think ‘Iolani was in a rebuilding year,” said Kalani coach Mike Ching, whose team lost in the state quarters.
Oishi narrowly beat out the Buffanblu’s Max Moonier for the top honor. Moonier, the glue and playmaker in the middle for the state champions, scored the game-winning goal in overtime of the state final, a boomer from the top of the box after a failed Raiders clearing attempt.
“He was the quarterback, the catalyst in maintaining position and creating goal-scoring opportunities for Punahou,” Kapolei co-head coach Ryan Lau said about Moonier, who, like Oishi, was a second-team pick a year ago.
Skyler Goo, a striker who provided the offensive juice for Saint Louis in its run to a Division II runner-up finish, easily made the first team after being picked to the second team last year.
Two others from the championship Punahou team made the top 11 — attacking midfielder Dominic Gusman and goalkeeper Nicholas Shor.
“He almost single-handedly beat us offensively at states,” Kalani’s Ching said about Gusman.
Shor was by far the biggest vote-getter among goalkeepers.
“Very well rounded and skilled,” Kapolei’s Lau said about Shor. “Had a good command of his box and organizing a backline with new starters in the lineup.”
‘Iolani’s Lee barely beat out Buffanblu coach David Trifonovitch for coach of the year honors.
“Took a team to the state title game after losing Gatorade player of the year Alex Liu to graduation and their best returning attacking player Cole Motooka to the IMG Academy,” Lau said about Lee. “Of the final eight teams at states, they made the biggest improvement from the start of the year to the postseason. Kudos to Chris and his staff to get the team peaking at the end.”
Trifonovitch has led Punahou to three of the past four D-I state crowns.
Two Hawaii Prep players — defender Sihkea Jim and striker Jack Schneider — are the only repeat selections to the Stellar Eleven. Schneider, who tallied 43 goals this season, finished second in voting for player of the year in 2018.
Four midfielders round out the first team — Kapolei’s Sam Wren and Tommy Mascaro-Keahi (15 goals), Kalani’s Brison Kim (25 goals) and Mililani’s Liam McGehee.
All first-team players are seniors, except for juniors Gusman, McGehee and Mascaro-Keahi.
Three other players who made the second team got one player of the year vote each — defenders Kobi Saito of Punahou and Nick LaManna of Saint Louis, and striker Riley Patterson (41 goals) of Hilo. It’s LaManna’s second straight appearance on the second eleven.
All told, the breakdown by position of the 24 players on the first and second teams is: six defenders, eight midfielders, six strikers and two goalkeepers.
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