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From the moment Kealia Ohai first donned a soccer uniform for Alta, a slate of elevated expectations became her constant companion.
Ohai met and exceeded those expectations in nearly every instance. In her three years starting for the Hawks, Ohai led her team to three consecutive state titles — a first for any 5A school.
Along the way, she displayed an amazing knack for finding the net and finding ways to involve her teammates. Ohai led Alta in scoring during the past two seasons and produced many assists as well.
For these reasons, naming Ohai as the Deseret News' Ms. Soccer for the 2008 season was an easy decision.
"She is a special player," Alta coach Lee Mitchell said. "She has a lot of God-given ability. But, there again, she works hard and she wants to be part of the team. She doesn't want to take the glory for things."
Indeed, Ohai relishes the fact that her presence on the field automatically makes things easier for her teammates.
Many opposing defenses tried to contain her during the season by marking her with two or three defenders at times. Ohai simply shrugged off all sorts of concerted efforts to impede her game by finding open teammates or using her speed and footwork to beat other players on the break.
"I actually like being double-teamed because it helps my teammates get open," Ohai said. "Also, if I do beat them, I feel like more is accomplished."
Seeing Ohai shine on a soccer field shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone. Her older sister Megan also enjoyed a standout career at Alta before signing with USC and helping the Trojans win a national championship.
Ohai has done a lot to model herself after her sister. She said that it hasn't been easy to follow after Megan but noted that her sister has become one of her biggest supporters as she has blossomed into one of the most talented and most heavily recruited soccer players in state history.
"She helps me because she's gone through the same thing," Ohai said. "She helps me to not feel so much pressure and kind of see it as a good thing and helps me feel lucky that I do have these expectations."
Ohai's soccer roots go back to when she first started playing the game at age 4. The junior forward has honed her skills through her time with her Utah Avalanche club team. She also took another leap forward with her recent stint on the U-16 U.S. National team.
Ohai credited her coaches on the club and national levels with teaching her all the little things that make her good on technical level. She credits the Alta coaches with making her a better teammate.
"Alta has helped me so much with being on a team and with how important being unified with your team really is," Ohai said. "It really does make a difference."
For the Hawks, having a player who possesses the sort of skills that come naturally to Ohai is a difference-maker. Opponents have to focus game plans on stopping her, and the Hawks can exploit the advantages she brings them.
"She sees the game very well," Mitchell said. "She understands what's happening before it does. And she's got the speed and the ball control. Even if people are marking her, she's getting strong enough now where she can hold the ball."
Ohai is approaching the time where she will decide where she will continue her soccer career. Her top four choices among the colleges pursuing her are USC, UCLA, North Carolina and Portland.
Ohai looks forward to finally getting that decision out of the way and enjoying her senior season next year. Having accomplished so much already, you may wonder what is left for her to do.
But Ohai already has clear goals she wants to achieve in mind. She wants to cap her high school career with another state title, of course. But she also wants to be a senior leader who mentors younger players — just like the girls she looked up to as a freshman.
"The seniors really do lead the team and we really do follow their example," Ohai said. "Our seniors (were) so awesome this year. I think that's a big one (for me) — being a senior and being able to focus the whole season on winning state again."
Given all that she has done so far, it would be no stretch to see Ohai successfully meet these latest goals on her checklist.
Kealia Ohai, Alta
Simply the best player on the state's best team. Led the state with 36 goals. A three-year starter for the Hawks and the 2007 Deseret News 5A MVP.
E-mail: jcoon@desnews.com