'Iolani boys soccer coach Chris Lee insists that it is the way of the program that his players "would give up individual accolades for winning the state championship."

Now they have both.

Five Raiders were named to the first team — including The Advertiser State Player of the Year Brock Granger — after winning the state championship last month, capping off an undefeated season.

Lee was named Coach of the Year after leading the Raiders to their first state title since 2000. The Advertiser All-State team was picked by a panel of coaches and media.

"To his credit, coming into every game, all the teams were probably focused on (Granger), trying to shut him down, and he still had a great season," Lee said. "That's where he understood that getting his teammates involved, and if they were successful, it would create opportunities for him."

Lee praised Granger's composure, vision and knack for isolating open players with his passes.

That, mixed with his ability to strike from long range, made him dangerous.

But his skills weren't limited to offense. Granger, who is headed to UNLV, was recruited as a defender.

"He's had to grow into the position. He was an underclassmen and deferred to the older players, but this year, being his last opportunity, I think he took more of a leadership role," Lee said of Granger, who scored a league-high 13 goals (he added another in the state tournament) and was named the Interscholastic League of Honolulu Offensive Player of the Year.

After a dominant performance for the season — 'Iolani went undefeated through ILH play (11-0-1) and the state tournament (3-0), outscoring opponents 53-13 — five players from the squad were named to the 11-player first team: Granger, junior forward Nick Goo, senior midfielder Keith Lum, senior defender Reid Sakamoto and senior goalkeeper Chris Otani.

Mililani coach Jeff Yamamoto, whose Trojans lost to the Raiders for the state championship, said after that game that 'Iolani was "awesome. If any team deserves to win for quality of play and players, it's them."

Goo was the star of the state tournament, earning Most Outstanding Player honors after scoring four goals in three games, giving him nine for the season.

Lum, who played on the outside, was a crafty midfielder who was a nice complement to Granger. The ILH first-teamer scored four goals and his ability to create opportunities helped the Raiders offensively.

Sakamoto, the ILH Defensive Player of the Year, also received votes for Player of the Year. His defense was nearly impenetratable, and he possessed the ability to quell dangerous attacks, control the ball and distribute from the back.

Otani, an ILH first-team pick, allowed .86 goals per game (13 goals in 15 games), including six shutouts.

Two players from Mililani were named to the first team: senior forward Aaron Yokoyama and senior midfielder Cory Nakagawa. Both are O'ahu Interscholastic Association Red West first-team members who helped the Trojans win their second straight league title.

The opportunistic Yokoyama scored 14 goals and Nakagawa scored seven, and he took most of Mililani's free kicks in its offensive third of the field.

Kapa'a senior forward Ikaika Fuerte was Mr. Everything for the Warriors, even filling in as goalkeeper during penalty kicks in the state tournament, where he was named Most Outstanding Player. He was the Kaua'i Interscholastic Federation Player of the Year and led Kapa'a to the Division II state championship.

Kapolei senior midfielder Justin Malvar was the catalyst for the Hurricanes' offensive attack. Whether scoring goals (he scored eight this season) or setting up teammates with his high-energy style, when the OIA Red West first-teamer was on, he was difficut to stop.

'Aiea senior defender Mason Puckett was named to the All-State first-team for a second straight year. The OIA Red West Player of the Year was a presence in the backfield but could have played anywhere; a player with the ability to score as well as stop others from scoring.

Punahou junior defender Jonathon Cloutier, an ILH first-teamer, helped the Buffanblu hold opponents to 17 goals in 16 games. He was a master of free kicks for Punahou, with his lone goal of the season a free kick to tie 'Iolani — the only non-win on the Raiders' record.

Compiled by Leila Wai, Advertiser Staff Writer