Gabrio wins Gatorade soccer award

Gabrio wins Gatorade soccer award
Jayann Gabrio of Punahou is the Gatorade Hawaii Girls Soccer Player of the Year.

The award distinguishes Gabrio as Hawaii’s best high school girls soccer player. Gabrio is now a finalist for the Gatorade National Girls Soccer Player of the Year award to be announced in May.

The senior defender scored four goals this past season and achored the back line, leading Punahou (13-0-3) to the Division I state title. Gabrio scored the only goal in a 1-0 win over Kamehameha in the state championship game. Gabrio was the leader of a defense that recorded 12 shutouts and allowed just six goals in 16 games.

Gabrio has maintained a 3.72 GPA in the classroom.

Gabrio has signed a National Letter of Intent to play soccer at Cornell University this fall

MIL girls soccer All-Stars

Minkler named years best

Mia Minkler of King Kekaulike High School is something of an Energizer Bunny on the soccer field.

Her ability to keep going resulted in a trip to this year's state semifinals, and the Maui Interscholastic Player of the Year award.

Minkler came back from a year that was plagued by injury to lead her team to the MIL runner-up spot and a tie for third place in the state in 2009.

''I started playing when I was around 8 years old,'' Minkler said. ''I really enjoyed it, kept with it and it's got me pretty far. ''

According to Minkler, she first discovered her ''speed and aggressiveness'' on the field at the age of 12 while playing for Na Kalohe.

''I guess that's when I realized that I was good at it, '' she said.

Minkler has kept playing, despite having undergone surgeries to repair torn anterior cruciate ligaments in each knee.

''The first recovery was really hard because I had never experienced anything like it before,'' Minkler said. ''I want to say it took between five and six months to get through it. Mentally, I was not in it. I wanted to give up. I've been so active my whole life and to spend such a long time not being able to do the things I love was so hard. It was a really horrible experience. Rehabilitation was difficult and painful.''more