Kalani senior forward Danny Higa and Roosevelt senior forward Ryan Pena were 1-2 in scoring for the O'ahu Interscholastic Association Red East, and were rewarded by being named the co-Players of the Year by league coaches.

"Both of them are really good players," Kalaheo coach John Nakagawa said. "Both of them also have outstanding sportsmanship, too. To play against them is a very good thing. Even though they are opponents, you can admire both their leadership qualities and level of skill they bring."

Higa, who was named the division Player of the Year last year as well, scored 11 goals this season. This is his fourth straight year on the first team.

"Danny is kind of the ultimate play maker," Nakagawa said. "For two reasons. On the field: his vision of the game, his speed of play and his decision making.

"The second part I feel he's an outstanding player is because he makes his teammates better. It's not just orchestrating his team's attack and defense, but he elevates the play of his teammates and gets them involved."

Pena tied for second in the league with 10 goals. He has long been one of the league's top attackers: this is his third selection to the first team.

"As an opposing coach, or team, we considered him to be a very dangerous player," Nakagawa said of Pena. "He's very quick and has the ability to strike from anywhere on the field.

"Whether it comes from the midfield or the flank, or right in front of the goal, we have to be aware of him and where he is, and make sure we have him marked."

Kahuku forward Max Hannemann, who also scored 10 goals, rounds out the first-team forwards.

Named to the first-team as midfielders were Moanalua's Kelsey Tsutsui, Kalani's Mason Nakama, Roosevelt's Keenan Seguancia and Kaiser's Beau Stueber. All were among the leading goal-scorers on their teams. Tsutsui scored four goals, Nakama three, Seguancia six and Stueber four.

The first-team defenders are Moanalua's Justin Watanabe, Castle's Kekoa Bonds, Kaiser's Brandon Piriyakarnjanakul, and Kalaheo's Collin Sheppard, the lone Kalaheo representative who led a defense that allowed a division-low 11 goals. Watanabe anchored a defense that allowed 13 goals, Bonds helped the Knights hold opponents to 22, and Piriyakarnjanakul and the Cougars allowed 20.

The first-team goalkeeper is Roosevelt's Jay Tsuruoka, who allowed 12 goals in as many games.

Watanabe is a repeat first-team selection. Nakama, Seguancia, and Tsuruoka all moved up from the 2008 second team.

Nakagawa, who just completed his fourth season as coach of the Mustangs, was named the OIA East Red Coach of the Year after guiding them (8-2-2) to the division title for the first time under him.