Cousins Kekoa Osorio and Keoki Haole have become so synonymous in soccer's national team circles, when one shows up without the other, it raises questions.

"That's what we're known as," Kekoa said. "Everyone asks, 'Where's your cousin?' "

Their most recent call-up is to the U.S. Under-18 National Team training camp, at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., from Jan. 17 to 24.

"I'm pretty stoked," Keoki said. "Seeing all the other good guys play is a good example (for me)."

Kekoa, a junior midfielder for defending state champion Kamehameha, and Keoki, a junior forward at Kapolei, also are helping their high school teams to undefeated seasons so far. Kamehameha is 3-0 and Kapolei 4-0.

"(Kekoa's) at the top of his class, in my estimation he's the best of his age," Kamehameha coach Andrew Ah New said. "Those guys, they live and breathe soccer. They work together, and train together."

Kapolei coach Bryce Kaneshiro called Keoki an "extreme talent."

"As talented as Keoki is, he plays outstanding team ball," Kaneshiro said. "He loves to make the pass and get the assist, rather than get the goal."

Kaneshiro called it "pretty rare" to have players "this outstanding and from the same bloodlines."

After playing together since they were 6, the best friends have formed a comfort level that makes it easier to travel far from home for national team camps or high-caliber tournaments.

Both are 16, and also have been invited to U.S. Youth Soccer Region IV camps and teams since they were 13. It is a different entity from the U.S. Soccer Federation National team system, but players who do well with USYSA — such as Kekoa and Keoki — are given shots at USSF national team camps.

They already have experience with the U.S. national team: They also attended the under-15 National Team training camp.

That experience was a highlight for both, but it also added undue pressure when time passed and other camps were held, but neither received a call.

"I didn't know if I was dropped or what," said Kekoa, an Advertiser All-State first-team member.

It also was a tough year for Keoki for another reason. He tore the ACL in his right knee just over a year ago, when he played for Pac-Five.

"It was frustrating, because I knew I couldn't play for a long time, and I could only watch," he said. "Rehab was hard and it hurt a lot."

But because of his dedication to his rehabilitation — he says he was going up to four times a week — he returned to soccer in about five months.

It was almost as hard for Kekoa to watch. While both cousins were invited to a U.S. Youth Soccer Olympic Development Program Boys 1989 International Festival in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in February, Keoki couldn't go because of his injury.

"I called him choke when I was up there," said Kekoa, who was named to the tournament's all-star team. "And I bought him plenty of stuff. When I got home, it was after midnight, but I still went over to his house."

Now that both are playing again, they are looking forward to proving themselves against some of the top talent in the nation for their age group. It also will be an adjustment for both because they will have to play against older and bigger players.

"I'm not as big, so I need to get faster, at least," Kekoa said. "I want to see how it is playing against bigger guys."

Kekoa is 5 feet 8 and Keoki is 5-5.

Keoki, who attended Hanalani Schools as a freshman and transferred to Kapolei High from Redemption Academy, will likely play in his first Hawai'i high school state tournament with the Hurricanes, who play in the O'ahu Interscholastic Association, which receives five state tournament berths.

The Interscholastic League of Honolulu receives two.

Keoki, who left Sunday night to play as a guest player in the prestigious Disney Soccer Showcase in Florida, said he and Kekoa "are not really competitive," but when they challenge each other, "it's fun. Whenever we get the ball against each other, we try and mess each other up."

Kapolei and Kamehameha played in a preseason Moanalua tournament, in which Kapolei won, 4-2.

"In the end, neither of us wants the other to lose, and neither of us wants to lose," Kekoa said. "He knows what I'm going to do and I know what he's going to do. We try and outsmart each other."

Cousins get call to national team soccer training camp

Hawai'i soccer players with U.S. National Team experience

PLAYER HOMETOWN NATIONAL TEAM

BRIAN CHING HALE'IWA MEN (CURRENT)

KEOKI HAOLE KAPOLEI UNDER-18 MEN (CURRENT)

NATASHA KAI KAHUKU UNDER-21 WOMEN (2004-05)

Samantha (Obara) Libed Pearl City Under-20 Women (1990)

Kekoa Osorio Makakilo Under-18 Men (current)

Reach Leila Wai at lwai@honoluluadvertiser.com.