High school soccer: Elevated expectations

To see the all 17 previous Deseret News All-State Girls Soccer teams, click here.

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.