Na Menehune's senior guard and the Cougars' senior forward were stellar last week. ScoringLive photo illustration

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Female Athlete of the Week: Kelcie Leong, Moanalua basketball 
In her four seasons of varsity basketball, Kelcie Leong has certainly come a long way.

Leong, a 5-foot senior guard, has evolved from a role player into a leader for Moanalua and coach Tani Almont-Done.

"She was on the team as a freshman, so she was like the baby and so she always had that excuse, but slowly her role came around as far as leadership and I think this year is the first year she's really grabbing the reins on the leadership part and leading the other girls and demanding more of them. She's finally stepping up and doing that," Almont-Done said.

Leong scored a then-season-high 15 points in a 25-point win over Farrington back on Dec. 22, but just two games later was held scoreless against Kaiser.

Despite that, Almont-Done pointed to the 12-point win over the Cougars as being Leong's most impressive performance this season. That's due to the work she put in on the defensive side of the floor.

"The whole season I was telling the team that I needed somebody to be a shut-down defender, but that game in the locker room she was like, ‘Coach, I'm gonna take care of it,' " Almont-Done said. "She helped us slow down their point guard, who we knew we had to shut down. I know Kelsie was very proud of that game and so was I. I didn't realize she had no points because of the way she was playing. I thought she had 12 (points) she played so big."

Like she had done so many other times this year, Leong played all 32 minutes of the contest.

"Anybody can score a lot of points, but not anybody can play defense like that and shut somebody down and she's been doing that since then. After that game I told her ‘put your offense together with that and complete you game,' " Almont-Done said.

Leong did just that. She posted 13 points in a win over Kailua and followed that up with 12 points in an upset of Kahuku two nights later. Last Tuesday, Leong poured in a season-high 18 points, including three 3-pointers, in a down-to-the-wire victory over Kalani.

"She's the point of our defense, so any steal, she was at the top and it was either being stolen by her, or stolen by the wings and they'd push it up to her at the top, so that was important but she was working for those steals and those points," Almont-Done said.

Leong hit all three of her treys against the Falcons in the second half.

"At halftime I told her that I don't care if she misses them all in warm-up. ‘The only way you're going to make shots is just feel it and shoot in the game,' " Almont-Done said. "She had a rough first half, but I told her that she needed to turn it up. ‘Just fogey the first half, turn it up and just play.' "

In addition to playing tough defense, Almont-Done noted Leong's ability to play smart defense as well.

"To be able to play aggressive defense and not foul and just continue to play at that level for the full game, that's big," Almont-Done said.

With a roster of only 10 players, conditioning has been of utmost importance for Na Menehune and Leong has been the catalyst.

"She's always in shape, but it's different with her because of course she's the fastest girl in sprints, but she's pushing herself to be way ahead of everybody. Any sprints we do in practice, she's running at 100 percent and that's something that I saw from the beginning so I knew she was serious this season," Almont-Done said.

Moanalua (8-3), No. 10 in this week's ScoringLive/Hawaiian Electric Power Rankings, is riding a five-game win streak going into Wednesday's OIA quarterfinal game at Radford.

Male Athlete of the Week: Makana Srivongsana, Kaiser soccer
At first, Layne Abalos wasn't sure what he was getting with Makana Srivongsana.

That was two years ago, when Abalos took over as Kaiser boys soccer coach and Srivongsana was coming off a breakout freshman season.

"When I took the job, people asked me ‘You know you have to deal with Makana, right?' I would say, ‘trust me, I thought it over' but part of me still wondered what I was getting into with him," Abalos said. "They said he was out of control and they were worried that I just wouldn't be able to control him."

But what Abalos found was that Srivongsana just needed a little more guidance and structure to complement his immense talent.

"Sometimes when you have a superstar like that, you take it easy on him and you let him do what he wants. No game plan, just let him get the ball and score and let him run up the score and get five, six goals a game, but I made him understand that it's a team game," Abalos said.

Abalos spoke with his superstar privately, in order to deepen their relationship and get a better understanding of each other.

"I tried to get to know him and what goals he had and one of the things was he wanted to win," Abalos said. "I told him that he can lead the state in scoring goals, but if we don't go to states it doesn't mean anything. If we don't get past the first round, it doesn't mean anything."

Eventually Srivongsana came around. Winning also helped with that.

The Cougars made a memorable run to the Division I state final last February, but lost to perennial powerhouse Punahou in the championship game.

That taste of success has only fueled Srivongsana's competitiveness more this season, his coach said.

"We almost got it; we were one game short, but I really think we have another shot this year to move on and get past and get over that hump. We've just got to get lucky here and there, just like anything else, but I think we'll get there," Abalos said.

If that is to the case, Srivongsana will surely have to play a big part in it. As a freshman two years ago, he burst onto the scene with 27 goals. Srivongsana posted 22 goals as a sophomore last year en route to Player of the Year honors in the Eastern Division of the Oahu Interscholastic Association and a First Team All-Hawaii selection.

However, Srivongsana, who transferred from Iolani prior to entering high school, was re-classified as a senior this season, essentially losing out on one season of high school eligibility.

That hasn't done anything to slow him down. Srivongsana, a 5-foot-9 forward, has already scored 14 goals — the second most in the OIA this season — through the Cougars' first eight games.

"He's so determined. I wish everybody had that determination that he has, the desire, the ‘want to.' I've never seen somebody want to score a goal as much as he does. He's just amazing. He works so hard on and off the field. I don't think people realize how hard he works. People think that he's just a scorer, but he's so much more."

When the book closes on Srivongsana's prep career, Abalos think he could go down among the all-time greats.

"In my opinion, Makana is the most feared striker you'll see. I don't think you'll see anyone like him. I mean, to lead the state in scoring two years in a row and be on pace to do it again, you're looking at one of the best strikers to play the game ever in the state of Hawaii," Abalos said.

Srivongsana and the Cougars (8-0) rolled past Farrington and Roosevelt last week to remain undefeated. He scored a hat trick in the 8-0 win over the Governors Wednesday and followed that up with four goals in Saturday's 7-0 win over the Rough Riders.

Kaiser, No. 5 in the ScoringLive/Hawaiian Electric Power Rankings, will put its perfect record on the line against its rival in fourth-ranked Kalani (8-0) Wednesday night. The winner will assume sole possession of first place in the OIA D1 East standings.

BOYS BASKETBALL
Charles Abe, Le Jardin — Scored 34 points with six rebounds, six steal and three assists in a win over Hanalani

Aaron Ralph Bagaolsan, Farrington — Scored 22 points in a win over Kailua

Kelson Cacalidos, Konawaena — Scored 23 points in a win over Pahoa

Zayne Chong, Punahou — Scored 26 points with three assists, two rebounds, one steal and a block in a win over Kamehameha and scored 21 points with three rebounds, three assists and one steal in a win over Saint Louis

Isiah Gelacio, Maryknoll — Scored 23 points in a win over Mid-Pacific

Justin Genovia, Iolani — Scored 22 points in a win over Saint Louis and scored 24 points with four rebounds, two assists and two steals in a loss to Maryknoll

Cameron Henry, Mililani — Scored 21 points in a win over Pearl City

Josh Hooper, Hanalani — Scored 30 points with two rebounds in a loss to Le Jardin and scored 19 points in a loss to Damien

Larsen Jones, Campbell — Scored 20 points in a win over Waialua

Samuel Kahapea, Kamehameha-Hawaii — Scored 29 points in a win over Hilo

Kila Kamakawiwoole, Saint Louis II — Scored 19 points in a win over Maryknoll II

Andrew Kearney, Kalaheo — Scored 11 points with 11 rebounds, five assists, two steals and a block in a win over Castle

Jaymin Khansmith, Kaiser — Scored 29 points with eight rebounds and a steal in a win over Farrington

Kyle Lagana, Mid-Pacific — Scored 20 points in a win over Saint Louis

Christian Manera, Kauai — Scored 27 points in a  win over Kapaa

Yoshimi Matoba, Christian Academy — Scored 34 points in a win over Assets

Micah Mitchell, Hawaii Baptist — Scored 27 points in a win over University Lab and scored 22 points in a loss to Saint Francis

Kameron Ng, Saint Francis — Scored 29 points in a win over Damien

Bryce Nishida, Saint Francis — Scored 20 points in a win over Hawaii Baptist

Ryan Pardini, Kalaheo — Scored 17 points with 11 rebounds, one assist and a steal in a win over Roosevelt

Colin Ramos, Mid-Pacific — Scored 26 points in a loss to Kamehameha and scored 30 points in a win over Saint Louis

Jalen Smith, Saint Louis — Scored 22 points in a loss to Mid-Pacific

Tolu Smith, Kahuku — Scored 20 points in a win over Castle and scored 32 points with 13 rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block in a win over Kaimuki

Fred Taulung, Kaimuki — Scored 22 points in a loss to Kailua

Everett Torres-Kahapea, Kailua — Scored 25 points in a win over Kaimuki

Ashton-Jared Ulufale, Assets — Scored 29 points in a win over Island Pacific

Kamren Victorino-Kato, Kamehameha — Scored 22 points with four assists, two rebounds and one steal in a loss to Punahou and scored 21 points in a win over Mid-Pacific

Jayden Wyatt, Nanakuli — Scored 22 points in a loss to Aiea and scored 23 points in a loss to Campbell

GIRLS BASKETBALL
Gieani Balino, Campbell — Scored 20 points in a loss to Radford

Braeanna Estabillo, Lahainaluna — Scored 16 points in a win over Kamehameha-Maui

Julia Fisher, Le Jardin — Scored 27 points in a win over Hanalani

Sage Hottendorf, St. Andrew's — Scored 18 points in a win over Lanakila Baptist and scored 18 points in a win over Christian Academy

Khrystyna Kanahele, Christian Academy — Scored 22 points in a win over Hawaiian Mission

Brille Kovaloff, Mid-Pacific — Scored 17 points with 10 rebounds, two steals and an assist in a loss to Sacred Hearts and scored 18 points in a loss to Kamehameha

Lily Lefotu Wahinekapu, Iolani — Scored 16 points in a win over Punahou and scored 10 points with 16 rebounds, two steals and a block in a win over Sacred Hearts

Logan Luke, Kalani — Scored 20 points in a loss to Moanalua

Joy Luna, Christian Academy — Scored 31 points in a loss to St. Andrew's

Elizabeth Lyons-Best, Island Pacific — Scored 16 points in a win over Lanakila Baptist

Tori Lynn Maeda, Iolani — Scored 17 points in a win over Punahou

Jordyn Mantz, Kamehameha-Hawaii — Scored 19 points in a win over Keaau

Dallas Martinez, Sacred Hearts — Scored 22 points with 10 rebounds and two steals in a loss to Iolani

Te'Hiwa Medeiros, Sacred Hearts — Scored 17 points with 13 rebounds, three assists and two steals in a win over Mid-Pacific

Kalina Obrey, Kamehameha — Scored 20 points in a win over Mid-Pacific

Jewel Paaluhi-Caulk, Kamehameha — Scored 16 points in a loss to Iolani

Maya Reed, St. Andrew's — Scored 16 points in a win over Christian Academy

Dannica Roberts, Hawaiian Mission — Scored 16 points in a loss to Christian Academy

Dahlis Sablay, Mililani — Scored 20 points in a win over Nanakuli

Delylah Sanerivi, Moanalua — Scored 16 points in a win over Kalani

Lawren Santana, Island Pacific — Scored 16 points in a win over Hawaiian Mission

Nani Santos, Saint Francis — Scored 19 points in a win over University Lab

Keila Tsutsui, Hanalani — Scored 24 points in a loss to Le Jardin

Ally Wada, Hawaii Baptist — Scored 19 points in a win over Hanalani

Tylee-Kanani Wong, Mid-Pacific — Scored 16 points with two rebounds and two steals in a loss to Sacred Hearts

Taylor Wu, Iolani — Scored 21 points in a win over Kamehameha

BOYS SOCCER
Braddah Arraujo, Kohala — Scored two goals in a win over Pahoa

Ryan Banasihan, Kapaa — Scored the lone goal in a win over Waimea

Buddy Betts, Kamehameha-Hawaii — Scored three goals in a win over Honokaa

Ralph Castillo, Kailua — Scored the lone goal in a win over Roosevelt

Angelo Deloso Flocco, Baldwin — Scored two goals in a win over Seabury Hall

Jacob Harris, Waipahu — Scored three goals in a win over Nanakuli

Zeyz Hughes-Martin, Castle — Scored four goals in a win over McKinley and scored two goals in a win over Kailua

Brison Kim, Kalani — Scored two goals in a win over Moanalua

Ayden Lawes, Mililani — Scored three goals in a win over Aiea

Whitney Lugo, Kauai — Scored the lone goal in a win over Waimea

Thomas Mascaro-Keahi, Kapolei — Scored two goals in a win over Pearl City

Sean Yoshida, Kapolei — Scored two goals in a win over Pearl City

GIRLS SOCCER
Asya Asato-Kahele, Roosevelt — Scored two goals in a win over Kailua

April Barnes, Kapaa — Scored two goals in a win over Island School

Sydney Boyd, Aiea — Scored the lone goal in a win over Mililani

Sharon Cain, Kamehameha — Scored two goals in a win over PAC-5

Kaile Halvorsen, Kaiser — Scored five goals in a win over Farrington and scored four goals in a win over Roosevelt

Shaelyn Kam, Kalaheo — Scored three goals in a win over Kahuku

Pearl Lee, Kalani — Scored two goals in a win over Farrington

Karlee Manding, Waipahu — Scored two goals in a win over Nanakuli

Kylie Minamishin, Kamehameha — Scored the lone goal in a win over Mid-Pacific

Ciana Rivera, Castle — Scored three goals in a win over McKinley

Alena Schenk, Sacred Hearts — Scored three goals in a win over Damien

Kelci Sumida, Kalani — Scored two goals in a win over Kalani

Mia Takekuma, Kauai — Scored three goals in a win over Waimea

Daelenn Tokunaga, Pearl City — Scored three goals in a win over Kapolei

Mya Tolentino, Waipahu — Scored three goals in a win over Radford