Campbell's Asia Canon advances the ball up the field against Kapolei. Sylvia Lee | SL

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The Campbell girls' soccer team is off to a 7-0 start and sitting pretty in first place atop the Oahu Interscholastic Association Western Division standings, which may come as a surprise to some, but not to head coach Brett Kagawa.

In just his second season at the reigns of the Sabers' program, Kagawa has helped propel the squad to its best start in school history.

"It's exciting for me to see them perform so well, because they work so hard in practice," said Kagawa, a 2003 graduate of Mililani. "It's good to see them as a team growing together and to be in a good position like this. They knew what they were capable of and they're just going out and showing it."

Campbell opened the season with a 5-1 win over Aiea on Dec. 3 and followed that with a 2-1 win over Waianae three days later. Since then, the Sabers have posted five consecutive shutouts, including a 1-0 win at Kapolei on Dec. 27.

"It was a really good win for us," Kagawa said of the win over the Hurricanes. "Both teams played really well. It was a hard-fought win and to come out with that result was really good for us morale-wise because we are doing something that no Campbell team has done before, so it just adds to the excitement."

Sabers' athletic director Sam Delos Reyes echoed Kagawa's sentiments.

"In my 10 years of being here, our soccer team has never been in the situation that they're in right now and I know with our coach on board it's been a lot more fun for our girls," Delos Reyes said. "He's made the game more challenging and fun and his relationship with the girls is probably the reason why they're as successful as they are."

Campbell leads the Western Division in goals scored (35) and has allowed just two goals so far. Five players have scored at least four goals this season, led by junior forward Kiley Haraguchi's seven. Jaelynn Chargualaf and Jaselyn Gonsalves have netted six goals apiece, Shatres Ah Nee five and Aliani Lorenzo four. Eleven different players have scored a goal through the Sabers' first seven league games.

"We definitely have multiple options when it comes to scoring goals," Kagawa said. "Our forwards are definitely some of the most athletic in the OIA. Our midfield, we have players that can maintain possession of the ball and distribute it to our forwards and our defense in stout in the way they allow our midfielders to attack a little more because they can cover the back end for them."

Delos Reyes said that Kagawa's tactical knowledge and accessibility (he teaches physical science at the school) have been a big reason for the Sabers' hot start.

"I knew that he was a soccer player and a good one and being that he is a teacher at Campbell really goes hand-in-hand," Delos Reyes said. "It makes it a lot easier for him to communicate with the players in school and he's a good teacher to begin with so as far as his relationship with the players, I think that's his strength; how he is able to relate to our student-athletes and also his knowledge of the game really gives our student-athletes a better chance of being successful."

Kagawa, who played on three state championship teams while at Mililani, went on to play collegiately at Whitworth (Wash.) for four years after high school. He points to his time as a Trojan under coach Jeff Yamamoto as a big reason why he decided to give back to the soccer community.

"I had a great experience at Mililani underneath (Yamamoto) and I really appreciated the way he treated the players and how he got us to work hard and perform," Kagawa said. "It was definitely inspiring and I learned a lot from playing for him."

Yamamoto said that Kagawa has always been a smart soccer player, which has translated into his young coaching career.

"He's a quiet guy, but he's very, very knowledgeable of the game so he understands the game and understands the tactics," Yamamoto said. "He's the kind of coach that will utilize the players that he has to their maximum extent and it seems like he has some special players."

Kagawa has asked his players to be selfless and buy into a team-first mentality.

"The main thing I want to emphasize is the concept of team — that if they work together and for each other they can do amazing things," Kagawa said.

Yamamoto said Kagawa has done a "tremendous job" in a place where soccer is not a rich tradition.

"For me, coaching at Mililani is pretty easy because Mililani has a strong soccer community, but Campbell is probably a tough place to coach and for him to be doing so well speaks a lot of him," Yamamoto said. "I think he's doing a great job and I'm very, very proud of him. I have to be bias toward Mililani because that's where I coach, but I want him to do well, too."

Despite their early success, Kagawa is determined to keep his team focused solely on their next opponent.

"Every game is important and the players, they know that," Kagawa said. "They're taking the approach that every game is just as important and that the next game is the most important game. We're definitely not looking forward, but taking it one step at a time."

Kagawa said he avoids talking to his team about other squads or the need to go out and "earn respect," but rather redirects their focus to execution of their game plan.

"I don't feel like we had to come out and earn other team's respect as much as it's more intrinsic — we needed to respect ourselves and our ability," Kagawa said. "It doesn't matter what other people are saying as long as we go out and do our best and as a team they're working together. We really haven't set any kind of concrete goals as much as it's just an underlying thing now where we are looking to be recognized for our talents."

Campbell faces another test Friday when they host Mililani (5-1) Friday. Kickoff between the Sabers and Trojans is set for 5:30 p.m.