For what they meant to their teams and high school soccer in general, Kamehameha senior midfielder Kekoa Osorio and Punahou junior defender Chris Walker are the Advertiser co-State Players of the Year in boys soccer.

Both earned all-Interscholastic League of Honolulu honors — Osorio as the co-Offensive Player of the Year and Walker as the Defensive Player of the Year.

Kamehameha coach Andrew Ah New called Osorio "the best high school midfielder to come out of Hawai'i."

Osorio, a three-time Advertiser first-team All-State selection, "controls the game," Punahou coach Bob Clague said. "He's a very, very solid player, with great skills. He's smart and reads the game well, he could shoot, and has a very good attitude, too."

"He is Kamehameha, as far I was concerned," Kalani coach Myles Arakawa said. "You HAVE to watch out for him."

Walker, the Most Outstanding Player of the state tournament, came up big when his team needed him, scoring in a quarterfinal game on a penalty kick with no time left in regulation to keep Punahou's state championship chances alive. His solid play in the back helped the Buffablu win a second straight state title.

Ah New said Walker is "solid and strong. Without him they would be a different team."

Clague, in his final season at the Buffanblu helm, was named the Coach of the Year. The 13-member first team was picked by a panel of coaches and media.

The forwards selected to the first team, all seniors, are Kapolei's Keoki Haole, Kalani's Carter Kam, Punahou's Nick Love and Leilehua's Syd Tom.

Haole, with his blink-and-you'll-miss-'em moves, "was the most dominant guy from Kapolei," Arakawa said. "He's really creative, and it's hard to shut a guy like that down, because you never know what he wants to do."

Kam scored 13 goals, including one in the 14th minute of the state championship game against Punahou to put the Falcons up 1-0.

Love, dangerous in any situation with his ability to go forward, scored 12 goals and was named the ILH co-Offensive Player of the Year .

"He's everything he was from last year, and even better," Arakawa said.

Clague said Love's game was more well-rounded because of his success last year, when he was chosen the State Player of the Year. This season other teams keyed on him, and it was "not just him shooting and scoring. I think he was a better team player."

Tom's superb footwork helped him score nine goals for the Mules and set up even more.

"He's really, really dangerous," Arakawa said. "He'll get three or four guys on him, and the next thing you know, he's setting someone up."

Five midfielders joined Osorio on the first team: Kapolei senior Curtis Kiyabu, Kalani sophomore Danny Higa, Kapa'a junior Chance Bukoski and Kamehameha-Maui junior Cody Felipe.

Kiyabu, who also spent time as a forward, scored 16 goals in the regular season and four in the postseason to help the Hurricanes win their first O'ahu Interscholastic Association title. "He can change the game in a minute." Arakawa said.

Higa was the playmaker for the Falcons. "Danny is in that mold of up-and-coming Hawai'i players who are really creative," Arakawa said. "He's quiet, but he's a hard worker. Everything that he's good at, he worked at."

Bukoski, the Kaua'i Interscholastic Player of the Year who scored 11 goals, is "a good all-around player," Clague said.

"He's big, strong, and quick with good skill," Ah New said.

The speedy and skillful Felipe "has everything," Ah New said. "He's quick, has good control ... he's a playmaker with good skills."

Punahou's Walker, Buffanblu senior Will Jensen and Leilehua senior Bryant "Mo" Moniz are the first-team defenders.

Jensen was the calm presence in the Punahou backfield.

"He doesn't get upset or excited," Clague said. "He's an imposing player, he made good passes ... and he's a very smart player."

Moniz was 'Mr. Everything,' " Arakawa said. "He's fantastic. What a specimen. You can tell soccer isn't his game, but he's a presence."

Pac-Five sophomore goalkeeper Ian Sutherland completes the first team. "He's quick and he can distribute," Arakawa said. "Those are hard to come by."

Reach Leila Wai at lwai@honoluluadvertiser.com.