Preview: Farrington-Kahuku, OIA final

November 4, 2011 by  
Filed under Football

Farrington (10-0, 8-0 OIA) vs. Kahuku (9-1, 7-1)

On paper: Their last meeting, a 14-13 win by Farrington before a full house, had as much to do with Farrington’s defensive prowess as Kahuku’s kicking game. Bad long snaps led to a botched field-goal opportunity in the first half, and a blown PAT in the second.

Despite the loss, that game marked the comeback of Aofaga Wily, who rushed for 136 yards on 24 carries after enduring injury issues through the first half of the season.

Though Wily was an All-State first-team pick last year, his counterpart in maroon has garnered more headlines this fall. Tyler Taumua is on pace for a 2,000-yard season. The junior, who had injury issues of his own last season, has accumulated 1,605 yards and 16 touchdowns. His one-cut-and-explode ability is a perfect fit for the Govs’ offensive line, a.k.a. the “Bamboolas,” who specialize in power blocking with rarely a toss sweep or screen pass to meddle with.

Farrington averages an eye-popping 275 rushing yards per game, but the connection between first-year starting quarterback Travis Tamapua and receiver Toma Barrett has only gotten better since midseason.

The skinny: Barrett is practically the lone target in Farrington’s West Coast offense and play-action schemes, going up against a talented Kahuku secondary that limited explosive Leilehua to seven points last week.

Kahuku’s devotion to smashmouth football worked well against the rest of the OIA Red East, but it may have come at the cost of developing the passing game. Viliami Livai was 3-for-14 with two picks in the loss to Farrington, but there is a wealth of athletic receivers to work with.

As for the kicking-game issues, Torres believes they’re a thing of the past.

“Our snapper took it hard. I told him, ‘You can finish your career only thinking of that snap or work hard on it. Get back on the saddle.’

“He hasn’t had a bad snap since.”

X factor: Kawehena Johnson scored on a 92-yard pick-6, and on a 2-yard bootleg in the first meeting.

“No. 7, they had him on both sides of the ball,” Okimoto recalle

Paul Honda, Star-Advertiser

Kamehameha-Punahou: Extra (updated Friday)

November 4, 2011 by  
Filed under Football

(This is the rest of the story I wrote last night for today’s game report. Space limitations and I usually overwrite, but thankfully, there’s our blog here.)

Another Kamehameha three-and-out led to a 37-yard field goal by Kaimi Fairbairn. The drive was set up by Steven Lakalaka’s 51-yard jaunt out of a Wildcat formation, and Punahou led 17-7 with 2:50 to go in the half.

Kamehameha’s offense finally regained some mojo in the final 3 minutes before the break. Thirty yards in penalties against Punahou helped the Warriors, who got a 36-yard field goal from Kanekoa Pawn-White as time expired, and it was 17-10.

Punahou pushed its lead to 14 points on a ground-oriented 66-yard drive to paydirt. Behind a mix of offset-I and three-back sets in the pistol, Lakalaka’s offensive line plowed forward until the senior scored on a 2-yard blast with 6:31 to go in the third quarter.

Kamehameha finally got back on the scoreboard on a 6-yard run by Barretto, and it was 24-17 with 11:54 remaining.

Update Friday, 4:45 p.m. Jason Kaneshiro has tackle stats.

Punahou
Ryan Tuiasoa, 10 tackles (seven solo)
Zachary Hernandez, nine tackles (five solo), deflection
Timothy Kamana, five tackles, deflection, interception (TD)

Kamehameha
Kory Rasmussen, 4 tackles (two for loss), fumble recovery
Caelan Grugier-Hill, forced fumble, sack

Paul Honda, Star-Advertiser

Photo Tour, Day 1: McKinley

July 31, 2011 by  
Filed under Football

The annual prep football photo tour is underway. Yup, the annual … the annual what?

OK, let me back up a step or two. Every season, football teams put on the gear and endure preseason training. Used to be two- and three-a-days in August. School begins much earlier now, so July is when teams start suiting up and cracking heads.

Go back to 1990 and that’s when I began covering high school sports. It was on the Big Island, a place completely alien to me, but there I was, on the road with our photographer(s). Konawaena, the closest school to our office, was 12 miles away. Hawaii Prep, 40 miles out. Kohala? 58 miles. Honokaa, well, that was 55 miles. And those were the “nearby” schools.

All in all, getting out to preseason camps and getting individual and team photos of all the teams in the area got to be pretty fun. Occasionally, struggling teams didn’t show up. The organized teams were punctual and prepared both for photo shoot/media day as well as the game on the gridiron. In fact, I’m not alone — talk with commercial photographers Burr Cox of Cox Photography or Bryan Simmons of Pictureman of Hawaii — in the belief that a team that is successful at the smaller things like team photos often finds victory easier to come by on the field.

It’s not a guarantee. It’s just what I’ve seen in 20-plus years. One of the most capable of leaders was then-Waiakea coach Tim Lino. He didn’t speak often, but it was enough to keep the ship moving forward at all times. Behind his words were pure conviction and expectation, and the boys followed suit. It was refreshing to see for those of us who drove two-plus hours to meet up with those Warriors. I always appreciated coaches like him, not that he needed any media support. He took a downtrodden program from 2-8 to 4-6, then 6-4 (almost winning a title). That set up a run of four BIIF crowns, establishing a new powerhouse in a league once dominated by Konawaena.

But I digress. Photo tour 2011 began a few days ago with a stop at McKinley, where Joseph Cho is in his second season. After 30 years away from home, he’s still got that glow, the one you get when you return to a place you hold dear to your heart. The Tigers aren’t large in numbers and they aren’t big across the roster, but they have the one thing that gives them a chance to be successful: they’re highly coachable. That’s what I came away with after spending the morning with them next to William McKinley’s statue.

Here are some photos from Thursday morning. Coach Cho has high expectations of his team, and he’s a big fan of his two top linemen: Mackenzie Togafau (55) and Jason Malaga (77). Togafau is 6-foot-5, 320 pounds, one of the former Word of Life players who dispersed to various new schools when the Firebrands program disbanded last year. Malaga is 6-4, 325.

The Tigers lost talent across the line and versatile playmaker Solomon Dixon is heading to the University of Idaho soon. Still, Cho says the team has a multitude of playmakers this season, and new offensive coordinator Pohai Lee (yes, that Pohai Lee, one of the brainchilds of Saint Louis’ run-and-shoot attack) has brought his playbook.

You may have noticed the all-whites that the Tiger will wear this fall. I’m old enough to remember the golden yellow pants with thick black piping, black jersey and black helmets — identical to the Pittsburgh Steelers. More recently, they wore all black top to bottom. But white tops and bottoms?

Coach Cho clearly has his own style. I like the look. The helmets have a profile similar to the Missouri Tigers. The uniforms are almost identical to Georgia Tech. The style is actually (close to?) what they wore at the US Army All-American Game, coach said.

But we both agreed that there might be some sentimental backlash to some degree from old-time Tigers. Cho was a standout linebacker for the black and gold and enjoys tradition, but it was his call to try something new. Even athletic director Neal Takamori — an outstanding Tigers football coach not so long ago — says it’s good to embrace or accept change.

What do you think? Black pants are better? Gold pants?

I think whoever does the laundry will be thankful that the Tigers’ home field (at Roosevelt) is no longer a mud bog. Then again, McKinley opens the regular season at Castle and it rains there a whole lot, so …

Paul Honda, Star-Advertiser

LOI day notebook, photos

February 3, 2011 by  
Filed under Football, Photos, Recruiting

Farrington linebacker Justin Vele enjoys the fit of his new Hawaii cap after signing with the Warriors on Wednesday. (photo: Paul Honda)

Some lingering thoughts on yesterday’s LOI signings.

Super Group: Watching the signees waiting in the ballroom of the Sheraton Waikiki early yesterday morning, I couldn’t help but think this: How good would these players (football) be if they were all on one team? There were quarterbacks, linemen, linebackers, defensive backs, receivers and, certainly, running backs — all of excellent quality. How good would they be together? Takes more than a few dozen to make a Top 25 powerhouse, but this wouldn’t be a bad starting point.

Add to this group at the PIAA event the signees at Kahuku, Tigi Hill and Ben Mamea. Assuming they qualify academically at UH, that makes for a class that would easily make for a powerful freshman class at almost any university.

Batterin’ Joe: Among the coaches and friends on hand at 6 a.m. to enjoy the event at the Sheraton was Pastor Joe Onosai, assistant coach at Pac-Five. He was the head coach at Word of Life, where Juda Parker and Paulay Asiata started their high school careers before moving on to Saint Louis when WOLA closed its doors. Coach Joe was in great spirits, as usual, but I flashed back to 1983 and wondered, what would a 6-foot-3, 240-pound running back from Pac-Five, via Kuhio Park Terrace, experience now?

Joe went to UH back then and became a sterling offensive lineman, later drafted by the Dallas Cowboys. Today, he believes he would’ve become a fullback at the college level, probably in a spread option offense like the one at Georgia Tech or Navy. That would’ve been something else. But I’m sure there are plenty of middle-agers who can remember trying to tackle Joe back in the day. Even now, a 240-pound running back is rare to see, even rarer to bring down.

He’s working on a book now. Promised me an autographed copy. I don’t read a lot of books, but this one is on my must-have list.

The call: T.J. Cuaresma, the executive director of PIAA, was one of two “guest” speakers at the PIAA event, following former Farrington and Arizona State lineman Shawn Lauvao (now in the NFL). Cuaresma, who took over for Doris Sullivan last year, has seen the ups and downs of running a nonprofit organization. PIAA, which continues to connect local prospects of all sports to mainland coaches, is a barebones organization that generations a huge amount of material for recruiters at no cost to local student-athletes.

That’s why it was timely for T.J. to ask for help yesterday. Not easy, but necessary. If former PIAA student-athletes all chipped in, the deficit that the organization faces would be wiped out easily, and carry PIAA forward for years to come. PIAA has organized fundraisers before, and those funds have helped immensely, but if T.J. has to ask for help publicly, that means things are getting really tough.

She asked families and former PIAA student-athletes to help with donations, but companies have helped in the past and will continue in the future. It might be one of the best investment in our state’s future that our hard-earned dollars will see.

Peni Vea, right, poses with Mayor Peter Carlisle. (photo: Paul Honda)

First come, first serve: Seeing Kealakehe’s hard-hitting safety, Peni Vea, sign with Utah State, took me back a couple of years. Like Vea, Robert Siavii of Leilehua was loyal to early recruiters.

Like Siavii, Vea got a late offer from Hawaii.

Like Siavii, Vea paid no mind to the latecomers and stuck with a bottom feeder in the WAC. I wish the best for Peni, who was outstanding when I saw his Kealakehe team play Waianae at the state tourney last fall. He returned kicks and inflicted pain. He was an aggressive safety who will likely find a home at OLB at the college level. (I like him better at safety.)

But when young players carry that bitterness of being ignored by UH, it bothers me as a Warrior fan. It’s all a numbers game, from available (limited) scholarships to basic vitals (height, weight, etc.). Me? I’d rather walk on at UH rather than take a scholarship to Auburn, Oregon, Boise State, wherever.

But, to each his own. Any young man who can go to college without paying a dime is wiser for it, and his parents should be ecstatic.

Paul Honda, Star-Advertiser

2008 football

August 13, 2009 by  
Filed under Football

Division I state championship

Punahou 38, Leilehua 7

At Aloha Stadium

Leilehua (11-3) 0 7 0 0 7
Punahou (12-1) 14 7 3 14 38

Pun—Mark Silverstein 28 pass from Cayman Shutter (Robert Izuta kick)

Pun—Shutter 6 run (Izuta kick)

Pun—Dalton Hilliard 38 run (Izuta kick)

Lei—Rico Newman 5 pass from Andrew Manley (Maika Kunioka kick)

Pun—FG Izuta 33

Pun—Robby Toma 15 pass from Shutter (Izuta kick)

Pun—Galen Arakawa 7 run (Izuta kick)

RUSHINGLeilehua: Newman 3-15, Marcus Breakfield 1-11, Blaine Furtado 1-6, Austin Schmidt 4-4, Greg Frazier 1-0, Cheves Aberilla-Ramento 1-(-9), Manley 6-(-21). Punahou: Hilliard 17-98, Arakawa 1-7, Toma 1-4, Stabren Caires 4-4, Shutter 5-4, Manti Te’o 3-1.

PASSINGLeilehua: Manley 30-54-4-205, Newman 1-1-0-(-1). Punahou: Shutter 24-41-2-400.

RECEIVINGLeilehua: Edieson Dumlao 9-45, Newman 7-44, Aberilla-Ramento 4-47, Kaimana Akagi 3-26, Frazier 3-5, Matt Reyes 2-29, Furtado 2-9, Manley 1-(-1). Punahou: Silverstein 9-146, Toma 7-147, Hilliard 5-59, Kimo Makaula 3-48. A—25,571

Semifinals

Punahou 35, Farrington 28

Leilehua 17, Kahuku 10

First round

Farrington 30, Kealakehe 13

Leilehua 34, Baldwin 15

OIA Red first round

Kaimuki 21, Waipahu 14

Mililani 21, Kailua 12

OIA Red second round

Farrington 37, Kapolei 20

Leilehua 38, Kaimuki 7

Kahuku 42, Mililani 13

Waianae 25, Castle 13

OIA Red semifinals

Kahuku 12, Waianae 7

Farrington 26, Leilehua 24

OIA Red Championship

Kahuku 22, Farrington 19

Division II state tournament

Championship

Iolani 35, Radford 20

Semifinals

Iolani 24, Campbell 6

Radford 33, Lahainaluna 27

First round

Campbell 25, Konawaena 15

Radford 17, Kauai 7

OIA White first round

Radford 25, Aiea 14

Campbell 42, Kalaheo 14

OIA White championship

Campbell 28, Radford 14

ILH

Standings

Division I
Team W L T PF PA W L T PF PA
Punahou 5 1 0 235 78 8 1 0 355 132
Saint Louis 4 1 0 199 81 7 1 0 271 111
Kamehameha 3 2 0 130 63 6 3 0 218 110
Division II

OIA Red East

Kahuku

OIA Red West

OIA White

Team W L T PF PA W L T PF PA
‘Iolani 6 2 0 216 140 8 3 0 277 181
Damien 3 4 0 124 200 6 4 0 186 253
Pac-Five 2 6 0 161 301 3 8 0 238 381
Word of Life 0 7 0 53 252 2 7 0 104 295
Team W L T PF PA W L T PF PA
6 0 0 144 53 7 1 0 160 102
Farrington 5 1 0 149 39 6 2 0 179 70
Kaimuki 3 3 0 105 90 4 4 0 133 124
Castle 3 3 0 124 99 4 4 0 166 167
Kailua 2 4 0 95 114 2 5 0 110 135
McKinley 1 5 0 47 196 1 7 0 52 251
Roosevelt 1 5 0 59 131 2 6 0 97 164
Team W L T PF PA W L T PF PA
Leilehua 5 1 0 171 92 7 1 0 227 106
Waianae 4 2 0 154 97 4 4 0 181 148
Kapolei 4 2 0 134 92 5 3 0 195 118
Mililani 4 2 0 215 89 4 4 0 156 155
Waipahu 3 3 0 159 106 5 3 0 239 120
Nanakuli 1 5 0 46 169 2 6 0 94 208
Pearl City 0 6 0 61 204 0 7 0 88 257
Team W L T PF PA W L T PF PA
Campbell 7 1 0 249 121 8 1 0 262 128
Kalaheo 6 2 0 223 81 7 2 0 267 81
Radford 7 1 0 181 84 7 2 0 181 107
Moanalua 5 3 0 149 117 6 3 0 174 123
Aiea 5 3 0 83 101 6 3 0 110 107
Kaiser 3 4 0 110 130 3 5 0 113 150
Waialua 2 6 0 42 159 2 6 0 49 209
Kalani 0 8 0 30 165 0 8 0 30 165
Anuenue 1 7 0 119 219 1 8 0 134 239

Star-Bulletin all state team

First team offense

Player of the Year

Andrew Manley, Leilehua

  • OL: Stan Hasiak, Kapolei
  • OL: Chauncey Winchester-Makainai, Kailua
  • OL: Mana Greig, Saint Louis
  • OL: Tytan Timoteo, Saint Louis
  • OL: Benson Ma’afala, Mililani
  • WR: Robby Toma, Punahou
  • WR: Edieson Dumlao, Leilehua
  • WR: Billy Ray Stutzmann, Saint Louis
  • RB: Apelu So’oalo, Farrington
  • RB: Troy Matautia, Waipahu
  • QB: Andrew Manley, Leilehua
  • AP: Dalton Hilliard, Punahou
  • K: Maika Kunioka, Leilehua
  • R: Rico Newman, Leilehua

First team defense

  • DT: Wade Keliikipi, Waianae
  • DT: Sealii Epenesa, ‘Iolani
  • DE: V.J. Fehoko, Farrington
  • DE: Mana Rosa, Baldwin
  • LB: Manti Te’o, Punahou
  • LB: Isaiah Iuta, Farrington
  • LB: Simione Vehikite, Kapolei
  • CB: Kela Marciel, ‘Iolani
  • CB: Jray Galeai, Kahuku
  • S: Aulola Tonga, Kahuku
  • S: James Smith, Farrington
  • P: Rico Newman, Leilehua

2007 football

July 25, 2009 by  
Filed under Football

Championship game

Leilehua 20, Saint Louis 16

At Aloha Stadium

Leilehua (10-4) 6 0 0 14 20
Saint Louis (11-1) 0 9 7 0 16

Lei–Allan Macam 28 interception return (kick failed)

StL–Micah Mamiya 6 run (kick failed)

StL–FG Warren Spencer 32

StL–Lucas Gonsalves 18 pass from Mamiya (Spencer kick)

Lei–Bronson Pausa 1 run (Garrison Garma kick)

Lei–Edieson Dumlao 15 pass from Andrew Manley (Garma kick)

RUSHING
Leilehua
Rico Newman 7-15
Kaipo Ke-a 3-12
Pausa 1-1
Zaire Macapagal 4-(-3)
Manley 5-(-12)

Saint Louis
Keani Nishigaya 14-164
Mamiya 16-43
Vonn Feao 4-14
Austin Wakinekona 3-13
Gonsalves 2-(-2)
Tamatoa DeMello 1-(-14)

PASSING
Leilehua
Manley 18-42-2-181.

Saint Louis
Mamiya 11-23-3-155

RECEIVING
Leilehua
Macam 7-77
Dumlao 6-72
Elijah Manaea 3-12
Marcus Breakfield 1-11
Ke-a 1-9

Saint Louis
Billy Stutzmann 3-50
DeMello 3-43
Gonsalves 2-31
Ryan Iaea 2-26
Calvin Lum 1-5

State tournament first round

Waianae 21, Kealakehe 17

Baldwin 26, Farrington 14

State tournament semifinals

Saint Louis 44, Waianae 6

Leilehua 41, Baldwin 34

Division II state tournament

First round

Kaimuki 22, Kamehameha-Hawaii 0

Kauai 40, Roosevelt 9

Semifinals

Iolani 35, Kauai 21

Lahainaluna 52, Kaimuki 20

Championship

Iolani 28, Lahainaluna 21

OIA Red championship

Leilehua 12, Waianae 3

Semifinals

Leilehua 7, Farrington 3

Waianae 14, Kapolei 13

Quarterfinals

Leilehua 27, Mililani 21

Kapolei 14, Kahuku 7

Waianae 12, Kalaheo 6

Farrington 30, Campbell 7

First round

Leilehua 36, Castle 13

Kapolei 14, Kaiua 7

OIA White championship

Kaimuki 21, Roosevelt 12

Semifinals

Roosevelt 37, Waipahu 18

Kaimuki 21, Pearl City 7

Standings

ILH

Final division standings

Division I League Overall
Team W L T PF PA W L T PF PA
Saint Louis 7 0 0 232 99 10 0 0 342 124
Punahou 5 2 0 220 139 7 2 0 304 176
Kamehameha 3 4 0 146 131 4 4 1 181 171
Division II League Overall
Team W L T PF PA W L T PF PA
Iolani 3 4 0 184 205 4 6 0 172 255
Damien 2 5 0 198 262 3 6 1 239 313
Pac-Five 1 6 0 130 269 2 8 0 172 338

OIA Red east

Final division standings

Conference Overall
Team W L T PF PA W L T PF PA
Kahuku 6 1 0 149 70 6 2 0 155 118
Farrington 4 1 1 120 97 4 2 2 141 132
Kalaheo 3 3 0 145 147 5 3 0 209 172
Castle 3 3 0 76 95 3 5 0 107 160
Kailua 3 3 0 119 88 3 5 0 129 142
Moanalua 1 5 0 91 141 2 5 1 133 162
McKinley 0 5 1 87 155 0 7 1 132 253

OIA RED WEST

Final division standings

Conference Overall
Team W L T PF PA W L T PF PA
Mililani 5 1 0 119 61 7 1 0 191 79
Waianae 4 2 0 87 61 6 2 0 130 87
Campbell 3 3 0 95 94 3 3 1 116 115
Kapolei 3 3 0 83 90 5 3 0 139 117
Leilehua 3 3 0 105 65 4 4 0 130 96
Aiea 3 3 0 113 105 4 4 0 146 153
Radford 0 6 0 64 190 0 7 0 94 238

OIA WHITE

Final division standings

Conference Overall
Team W L T PF PA W L T PF PA
Kaimuki 8 0 0 249 64 9 1 0 256 85
Waipahu 7 1 0 241 124 7 3 0 241 145
Roosevelt 5 2 1 221 123 5 3 1 221 123
Pearl City 5 2 1 211 172 5 2 2 225 186
Kaiser 3 5 0 119 135 3 6 0 119 179
Anuenue 3 5 0 95 134 4 5 0 125 134
Nanakuli 2 6 0 129 153 2 7 0 129 196
Waialua 2 6 0 141 186 3 6 0 176 207
Kalani 0 8 0 38 353 0 8 0 38 353

Star-Bulletin all state team

QB: Micah Mamiya, Saint Louis, Sr.
RB: Kama Bailey, Damien, Sr.
RB: Justin Paderes, Kaimuki, Jr.
WR: Robbie Toma, Punahou, Jr.
WR: Edieson Dumlao, Leilehua, Jr.
WR: Lionel Fujioka, Iolani, Sr.
OL: Tui Tuiasasopo, Saint Louis, Sr.
OL: Mykenna Ikehara, Kamehameha, Sr.
OL: Benji Kemoeatu, Kahuku, Sr.
OL: Mana Greig, Saint Louis, Jr.
OL: Solomon Koehler, Castle, Jr.
AP: Lake Casco, Lahainaluna, Sr.
K: Colin Lund, Mililani, Sr.
DE: Aaron Tipoti, Pac-Five, SR.
DT: Ryan Eastman, Saint Louis, Sr.
DT: Geordon Hanohano, Saint Louis, Sr.
DL: J.J. Autele, Punahou, Sr.
LB: Manti Te’o, Punahou, Jr.
LB: Robert Siavii, Leilehua, Sr.
LB: Paipai Falemalu, Kahuku, Sr.
CB: Christian Vasconcellos, Damien, Sr.
S: Shiloah Te’o, Kahuku, Sr.
S: Manoa Latu, Saint Louis, Sr.
CB: Jordan Gomes, Kamehameha, Sr.
P: Rico Newman, Leilehua, Jr.
Ret: Tamatoa DeMello, Saint Louis, Sr.

Honolulu Advertiser all state team

QB: Micah Mamiya, Saint Louis PLAYER OF THE YEAR
RB: Kama Bailey, Damien
Rec: Tamatoa DeMello, Saint Louis
Rec: Edieson Dumlao, Leilehua
Rec: Kalei Kamahele, Baldwin
Rec: Taz Stevenson, Mililani
OL: Mana Greig, Saint Louis
OL: Mykenna Ikehara, Kamehameha
OL: Benji Kemoeatu, Kahuku
OL: Sean Tesoro, Baldwin
OL: Tui Tuiasasopo, Saint Louis

Defense
DL: Ryan Eastman, Saint Louis
DL: Geordon Hanohano, Saint Louis
DL: Solomon Koelher, Castle
DL: Paipai Falemalu, Kahuku
LB: Art Laurel, Leilehua
LB: Robert Siavii, Leilehua PLAYER OF THE YEAR
LB: Manti Teo, Punahou
DB: Jordan Gomes, Kamehameha
DB: Manoa Latu, Saint Louis
DB: Sia Tafuna, Punahou
DB: Shiloah Teo, Kahuku

Special teams
K: Lanakila Ynigues, Kealakehe
P: Rico Newman, Leilehua
AP: Bruce Andrews, Kalaheo
AP: Skyler Cabacungan, Baldwin
AP: Lake Casco, Lahainaluna