Ohai considers Portland

Super recruit Kealia Ohai has named Portland as one of the schools she is considering in a TopDrawer article today.

Ohai article

She's considered by some to be the top recruit in the nation for 2010. Her sister Megan plays for USC (you may recall Megan as the player that Kelsey stuffed on a 1v1 earlier this year).

I like the descriptions "5th gear" reminds me of Tiff and to a slightly lesser extent, Christine.

Here's my favorite part:

"I really like Portland's style of play," she said when asked about the major factors that will dictate her decision. "I also need to think about where I'd be happy in case I get hurt or something, and I have to like the coach. My high school season ends this weekend so I really haven't gone on any visits yet. I hopefully can get out some after that. Maybe I'll make my decision by January - maybe later."

Geez love the new byline. Chaucer is a fav. My favorite is the quote from her club coach saying she was learning zone defense at age 8! And the part about scoring with 2 or 3 defenders hanging off her sounds like a good fit any DI program.

She wants to play for a Division I champ: Point USC: Point Portland: Point UNC: No point UCLA

I have met all the coaches: Garrett is the best

If she likes the USC neighborhood good luck. UCLA is kind of Hollywood so if she likes that stye maybe. If she likes humidity UNC might be nice. IF she likes friendly people lots of green ferns and trees and water then its Portland I say!

This helps me under stand many things:

Rime of the Ancient Geezer

Her height looks like it might be closer to Milbrett's than Sinclair's in that photo. LOL--It's like comparing the Mercedes with the Beamer...either way its a gem.

I hope we continue to go after great midfielders too...or is Ohai a midfielder? I was guessing that she was a forward...since break away speed is key at that position. Midfielders really win the close matches among the elite teams...but, having a great finisher is always nice too.

This would be a sensational catch. But she needs to go where she is comfortable and where the thought of attending that school makes her excited.

Sounds like you build your offense around this one and then wait for the playoffs.

FANatic wrote:This would be a sensational catch. But she needs to go where she is comfortable and where the thought of attending that school makes her excited.

Sounds like you build your offense around this one and then wait for the playoffs.

Her only chances of seeing the Pilots is probably the SCU game or possibly a tournament game. I don't think you can use tournament games for official visits, but she's a Junior, so any visit would be unofficial.

Sounds like she has already seen the Pilots. Maybe the family was in town for the USC game earlier this year.

Question for you guys, being west coasters. It seems to me that girls on the west coast have a hard time leaving to go play east, most stay on the west coast. On the other hand girls from the east seem to venture to play out west quite often. Also the only program that seems to land a west coaster annually is UNC, and well that is what winning 99.9 percent of the national titles will do for you. What gives?

FSU....its actually a new trend for Portland. Most of the Pilot recruits outside of Oregon....have come from California. The last couple of years we've been signing recruits from neighboring states (WA, UT and CO). I could literally name the gals who came from the East or elsewhere. Michelle Scifo (NY), Michelle Olivier (GA) and Sara Jackman (TX). That's off the top of my head ....so its pretty new thing for us.

GO PILOTS!!!

Yeah, you could count the players from out of region IV on one hand until just a couple years ago.

Scifo was the first from Region I ever, Olivier the first from Region III. Ohai actually is from our region, so in that sense, she's a more typical recruit.

The left coasters try to avoid the humidity if possible.

So... the HS she attends is the same that brought us Hailee DeYoung... Hope they like each other

I'm sure they've got Hailee communicating with her.

Also any Pilots or former Pilots who were on her club team in Utah are probably in contact with her.

In the end, I'm sure the Pilots will make a great run at her. However, she sounds close to her Big Sis and grateful for what Big Sis has taught her, so USC sounds like they might have the inside track. (Although she came off in the interview as having an open mind, and mentioned that she would be looking at colleges from a non-soccer viewpoint as well.)

We can hope. But not get our hopes up too high.

If it wasn't for Pilot Nation, I'd most likely be clueless on anything recruiting-wise....until the athletic dept's "official" release of who they are. This subject is FUN! Particularly with all the sleuthing that goes on. Who is UP interested in? And which recruit is interested in UP?

The BIG names are easy to drool over! The Pilots recently missed on Noyola, Verloo and Lisonbee. But hit right back with Colohan. And then they don't skip a beat if Bennet and Ohai are being considered too. Wow! Those 2 are gems. I don't know Fanatic...I'm having a good feeling about our chances to sign Ohai! The 2010 class is shaping up to be another coup.

The real coup though has always been the Pilot's ability to scout and team-build. Though we do get our share of blue-chips...I think the key to the Pilot's successful recruiting program is finding those diamonds in the rough. Keelin and Jessica come to mind with the current team. Who would've thought they'd be where they are as sophomores. There are other examples of course....but to me Keelin and Jessica has surpassed all expectations. Their thriving. Keeling garnering national team recognition and Jessica ...well...I think she's having an All-WCC season. She's so steady and has contributed so much to the team's success this season. I mean she's taken her game leaps and bounds above her freshman season.

GO PILOTS!!!

I don't think there is a better program that values teaching and growth more than Portland. We usually never get the top rated recruiting class but the program is always in the hunt. That says alot about what goes on with the players and coaches once they arrive.

The Pilots value team chemistry over individual prowess and that is what makes them so formidable. By playoff time its a well oiled machine. Garrett is on record admiring Clive's ability and willingness to adapt to injuries, opponents, training methods and all aspects of the game. There are a few schools out there where an injury to a key player can devistate an entire season. Last year was a good example of Pilot adaptation. We were seriously undermanned (underwomaned) and still managed to take a really talented and deep UCLA to the wire.

It is that intangible and others that cannot be put on paper.

I agree with Phantom that one of the great things about this program is the unheralded players or the recruits who are ranked in the 50-100 levels who turn out to be stars. You mention Keelin last year. This year Kassi has been the one who has surpassed expectations in my mind. She's playing well enough that Garrett can move Michelle O to holding mid. On Saturday the Pilots defensive shakiness was in the second half when Kassi was on the bench.

We've also seen local players turn into very good college players: you mention Jessica. My favorite is Emily Michaelson, who was a walk-on player who started her freshman year because of injuries. She was very shaky her first year but was a very strong player as a senior. Who will ever forget her takedown of Kara Lang in the NCAA game?