SPRING-ing into FB season: Waipahu Marauders

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WAIPAHU MARAUDERS

>> 2015 record and finish: 1-7 (1-6 OIA Red); lost 57-6 to Kailua in the first round of the OIA D-I playoffs
>> Number of returning starters: 5 (3 offense, 2 defense)
>> Number of returning seniors: 16
>> Number of starters lost to graduation: 17
>> Number of seniors lost to graduation: 30
>> Honolulu Star-Advertiser All-State selections lost to graduation: None
>> Honolulu Star-Advertiser All-State selections returning: None
>> OIA Red All-Stars lost to graduation: Andrew Simanu (first-team WR), Dallas Nagaseu (second-team OL), Elijah Taimatuia (second-team DL)
>> OIA Red All-Stars returning: Khaine Viliamu (second-team OL),
>> Among 2016 key offensive players: Khaine Viliamu (OL, Sr.), Braden Amorozo (QB, Jr.), Alika Ahsing (WR, Jr.), Leoncio Ea (WR, Sr.), Ezekiel Kapanui Reyes (WR, Jr.), AJ Contado (WR, Sr.), Isaac Yamashita (WR, Jr.)
>> Among 2016 key defensive players: Cameron Sua (DE, So.), Brent Micua (LB, Sr.), Samson Taito (CB, Sr.), Kobie Russell (S, Sr.)
>> Marauders with Division I FBS college offers: None
>> All-time state championships: None
>> All-time Prep Bowl (1973 to 1999) championships: None
>> All-time OIA championships: 10 (8 D-I —1946, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1957, 1958, 1971; 2 D-II — 2006, 2011)
>> 2016 conference: OIA D-II

Head coach BRYSON CARVALHO on the Marauders’ outlook for 2016:

“For me (in my second year as head coach), I think we’re still in a transition stage, just like rebuilding our culture here. The kids this year are grasping the philosophy. We’re young, but our quarterback, Braden Amorozo, a junior, has been working since March three days a way. He took the initiative to call (informal) practice on Tuesdays and Thursdays for extra work. The work ethic is a lot better, the attitude is a lot better. The kids are real determined. We’ve got camp this week, where we will focus on building the brotherhood and bonding together. But even without camp, I can tell we’re a tight-knit group. I like what I see, and at the same time, we can’t get complacent, can’t be satisfied. That’s when things sneak up on you.

“The teams in our Division (OIA D-II), it’s pretty wide open, so every day our work ethic should be, ‘No one else in the state will outwork us.’

“One of the things we did last year I know now, in hindsight, was a mistake. I wanted to make the culture more inviting, because the numbers were low, but by doing that, we didn’t maintain the proper integrity where the kids were meeting the requirements. (Now I know) you can’t just give a jersey to a kid. We almost lowered our standard a little bit to allow the experience for kids to come out, but in the end, a lot of guys that we had to start the season weren’t with us at end. They experienced grade problems or they weren’t buying into the whole team mentality.

“This year, we’ve made sure we’ve got a standard to be met and the kids are committed to that. We know official tryouts don’t start until July, but the kids know that we start offseason training in February and so we make sure we reward the kids who came out in February and March. It wasn’t an official tryout, but we did tell them that, unless you’re in another sport, you know we’re practicing, so you should make sure you’re here. The ones who show up and don’t wait for the July tryouts get a high grade for attitude and a high grade for effort.

“They know that if they want to be successful, they’ve got to make sure we put in a lot more work. Our numbers didn’t really increase this year, but they stayed solid. We have a solid 50 kids. I’d rather have 50 kids working their butts off since February than have 70 who just want the easy way out.

“We’re making sure we take care of us. We told the kids to not listen to any predictions or anything like that and just worry about ourselves. We want to make sure that at the end of day when they’re evaluating themselves that they can say that nobody in the state outworked them. We’re not perfect, and we want to make sure we get a lot more good days than bad.

“In regard to wins and losses, we haven’t really set goals. I know the kids want to win. I can definitely see the difference by the work they’re putting in that they don’t want to lose.

“Our program is really about doing things the right way. I believe that if you do everything in life the right way, winning is going to be a byproduct, like finishing a drill 100 percent. All this stuff is going to translate to when they get in the workforce. Nobody is going to outwork them and they’ll have the right attitude and be a team player. That’s what we’re preaching here. The wins will come. As long as they make sure they’re doing the right things, these guys won’t have anything to worry about.

“The quarterback, Amorozo, looks promising along with receivers Alika Ahsing, Leoncio Ea, Ezekiel Kapanui Reyes, AJ Contado and Isaac Yamashita.”

2016 Waipahu football schedule
Check here for the latest schedule updates: http://bit.ly/2958rWe
>> July 28: at Mililani (scrimmage only)
>> July 29: at Castle (scrimmage only)
>> Aug. 5: at Nanakuli
>> Aug. 12: vs. Kalaheo, at Aiea High field
>> Aug. 19/20: Bye
>> Aug. 27: at Saint Louis (scrimmage only)
>> Sept. 2: vs. Roosevelt, at Aloha Stadium
>> Sept. 9: vs. Pearl City, at Aiea High field
>> Sept. 16: vs. McKinley, at Aiea High field
>> Sept. 23: at Waialua
>> Sept. 30: vs. Kaimuki, at Aiea High field
>> Oct. 7: vs. Kalani, site TBA

2016 Waipahu varsity football staff
>> Head coach: Bryson Carvalho (1-7, second season)
>> Co-defensive coordinator and cornerbacks: Siva Savini
>> Co-defensive coordinator and defensive line: Jr. Veu
>> Special teams coordinator and wide receivers: Trevor Lau
>> Slotbacks: Justice Kaseli
>> Running backs: Delbert Austria
>> Offensive line: Peter Viliamu
>> Offensive line: Stan Guevara
>> Quarterbacks: Gilchrist Fernandez
>> Safeties: Aaron Cox
>> Linebackers: Matthew Hoapili
>> Defensive line: John Lavatai
>> Defensive line: Aika Makaula