Wednesday, August 22, 2001
OIA WHITE PREVIEW
Beers an ace KAISER'S Landon Beers isn't the biggest football player in the Oahu Interscholastic Association White Conference. But he may be the busiest.
of all trades
Versatility is a strength in the
Team-by-team look
OIA White as athletes multitask
Gayer to leave KaiserBy Jason Kaneshiro
jkaneshiro@starbulletin.comThe 5-foot-4, 130-pound senior will seldom leave the field for the Cougars this season, as he is slated to start at cornerback on defense and play slotback and running back on offense. He will also return kickoffs and punts and handle place-kicker duties. The only unit of the team Beers isn't involved with at the moment is the kickoff coverage team.
"I have to get more in shape right now," Beers said after a practice session this week. "I know I'm going to get tired, but I'll just play my hardest."
Players like Beers and Radford's Justin Rellin (5-6, 150 pounds) may not possess the size college recruiters drool over, but their versatility makes them invaluable members of White Conference programs without the luxury of lengthy rosters.
Radford coach Kelly Sur calls Rellin, a running back, linebacker and kick-returner, the team's best football player. Likewise, Kaiser coach Tony Gayer said Beers could be an all-conference candidate if he were able to concentrate on a single position. But the senior agreed to help the team by contributing in several areas.
Beers spent the weeks leading up to this weekend's season opener practicing primarily at cornerback, but will see considerable action at slotback, as well.
"We made a conscious effort this year to try to supplement our defense with as many good athletes as possible," Gayer said. "He already knows the offense, he knows how to run his routes and he knows what we're trying to accomplish, so he can afford to practice on defense."
Beers joined the varsity squad as a running back his sophomore year. He began last season as a cornerback, but was switched to slotback at midseason and caught 17 passes for 211 yards and four touchdowns. When he plays offense this season, he will complement returnees Marc Esteban and Keoni Doo, the top two receivers in the OIA White last season.
And his experience as a receiver helped Beers adjust to playing cornerback.
"He's played offense so much and he's been so coachable on offense that he understands what other offenses are trying to do," Gayer said. "He's always talking on defense and letting the safeties know what to look for and the linebackers on his side what to look for."
Although Beers is willing to help the team on offense and defense, he wishes he could perfect his skills at one position.
"It's kind of hard to switch back and forth," he said. "Sometimes I'll need more practice at one thing, but then I'll go do something else."
And despite being one of the smallest players of the field, Beers doesn't shy away from contact. He relies on technique in battling bigger opponents.
"He's always on the move, he knows what's going on around him and he's just a smart football player," Gayer said. "He loves contact, he loves to mix it up. That's why as a sophomore he was playing running back and blocking defensive ends from Kaimuki and McKinley and Aiea. He never complained about it. He just went out and did the job."
The Cougars open the season at Roosevelt on Friday night. The Rough Riders, along with Aiea and Waipahu, move to the OIA White this season after enduring rough seasons in the Red Conference last year, and are considered the early favorites in the conference title chase. But the conference's coaches anticipate a wide-open race for the title.
The following is a team-by-team look at the OIA White Conference:
Aiea Na Alii
Coach: Wendell Say2000 record: 2-7, tied for seventh, OIA Red.
Players to watch: WR Chris Antonio, DB Bryan Tucker-Salas, QB Lole Laolagi, LB Warren Tauanuu.
Outlook: Na Alii are hoping last season's growing pains in the Red Conference translates into a White championship this season. Aiea welcomes back 45 returnees to the varsity roster, including 10 on offense. Laolagi brings experience at quarterback and will have an all-conference receiver in Antonio. Tucker-Salas will play on both sides of the ball, while Tauanuu spearheads the defense.
Kaiser Cougars
Coach: Tony Gayer2000 record: 4-5, tied for seventh, OIA White.
Players to watch: WR Marc Esteban, OL Jesse Glover, DT Brandon Ching, LB Aaron Ward, LB Paa Leslie.
Outlook: The Cougars are probably one of the smallest teams in the state, with only four players exceeding 200 pounds. David Chu, who played cornerback last year, takes over at quarterback and will throw to an experienced corps of receivers led by record-setting Marc Esteban. The defense will try to counter its lack of size with speed and aggressiveness.
Kalaheo Mustangs
Coach: Mike Akiu2000 record: 5-4, tied for fifth, OIA White.
Players to watch: OL Tom Crowley, LB Leo Suiaonoa, LB Jeremy Neufeldt, DB Grant Shiroma.
Outlook: Akiu begins his second season as head coach with only eight seniors on the roster, but is optimistic the Mustangs will continue to improve. The Kalaheo defense, led by junior linebackers Suianoa and Neufeldt, figures to be the strength of the team. Mike Garcia returns at quarterback and will be protected by an offensive line led by Crowley, a 6-foot-4, 275-pound senior.
Kalani Falcons
Coach: Ron Dement2000 record: 3-6, ninth, OIA White.
Players to watch: LB Travis Cananizado, DL Dane Souza, OL Marc Shirai, OL Waylan Kenolio.
Outlook: The Falcons are in a rebuilding phase with just two starters back on offense and defense. Cananizado, Souza, Zachary Gregory and Keaka Lee lead a defense that will have to carry the Falcons while the offense jells. Shirai and Kenolio bring experience to the offensive line. Senior Chris Putt and sophomore Stephen Travis are battling for the quarterback job. A quick start will be a key for the Falcons, as they open the season against Waipahu and Aiea.
Moanalua Menehunes
Coach: Jose Guevara2000 record: 5-4, tied for fifth, OIA White.
Players to watch: WR/DB James Strombach, QB Ric Fukushima, LB Noah Palmerton, DL Ronald DeLeon Guerrero.
Outlook: Among Strombach, Fukushima and Jaime Rego, the Menehunes have three capable quarterbacks. Fukushima will start the season under center, with Strombach at receiver and Rego at cornerback. Shalomar Silva is another weapon at receiver. Palmerton and DeLeon Guerrero, both juniors, anchor the defensive front, along with senior James Westbrook.
Nanakuli Golden Hawks
Coach: Al Beaver2000 record: 6-3, fourth, OIA White.
Players to watch: QB Rusty Lawson, P Ikaika Asinsin, DB Kaleo Enos.
Outlook: The Golden Hawks, who just missed a promotion to the Red last year, were battered by St. Louis in their preseason game last week, but took some good lessons away from the experience. "It's going to help us more than St. Louis," Beaver said. The second-year coach was encouraged by the effort of Lawson and the play of the special teams, especially Asinsin's punting.
Pearl City Chargers
Coach: Ernest Otake2000 record: 3-6, seventh, OIA White.
Players to watch: QB Kiko Riego de Dios, OL Chaz Aranita, DB Rueben Sabog, LB Manny Ramalho.
Outlook: After losing to Mililani last week, Otake is looking for swift improvement on both sides of the ball. Riego De Dios returns to operate the Chargers' option attack and will be joined in the backfield by William Vaana and Daylan Lii. The secondary may be the strength of the defense, led by Sabog and Richard Shinn.
Radford Rams
Coach: Kelly Sur2000 record: 1-8, 10th, OIA White.
Players to watch: RB/LB Justin Rellin, WR/DB Mat Failauga, Alberto Gilroy OL/LB, Keoni Tawata TE/DB.
Outlook: With sophomore Dennis Medina getting comfortable at quarterback, Rellin and the Rams' running backs will need to carry the offensive load this season. Khoury Shanklin (6 feet 4 inches, 340 pounds) is the team's top lineman. Gilroy and Tawata are hard hitters on defense.
Roosevelt Rough Riders
Coach: Lester Parrilla2000 record: 0-9, 10th, OIA Red.
Players to watch: QB Chris Mols, SB Corey Higa, OL/DL Justin Popoalii, LB Liana Wong.
Outlook: The Rough Riders are deep at the skill positions, but the offensive and defensive lines must hold strong against bigger opponents for Roosevelt to contend. Mols is playing catch-up after missing all of last season with a broken collarbone, but has reliable targets in Higa, Matt Terukina and Shown Francis. Wong and the Kahooilihala brothers, Jonah and Hercules, headline the defense.
Waialua Bulldogs
Coach: Donald Capello2000 record: 0-9, 11th, OIA White.
Players to watch: QB Daniel Nacario, QB Pookela Gasper, LB Ikaika Soares, LB Brent Claunan.
Outlook: The Bulldogs' practices are noticeably more lively this year, as the team is able to field full units on both sides of the ball, unlike previous years when the school struggled to field a team. The school also opened a new weight room to help the players prepare for the season. Nacario and Gasper will both contribute at quarterback and Capello may employ a rotation system. Soares and Claunan are the leaders of the defense.
Waipahu Marauders
Coach: Todd Fujimori2000 record: 2-7, tied for seventh, OIA Red.
Players to watch: QB Paulo Aga, FB Avei Moevao, DL Tafa Samuela, DL Bruce Tivao.
Outlook: Like Aiea, the Marauders were a young team last year and took their lumps in the OIA Red, but are looking for redemption in the White. An experienced defensive front, led by Samuela and Tivao, may be the team's strongest unit. The offense struggled to score last season, but should improve behind the leadership of Moevao and Aga.
This will be Tony Gayer's final season as head football coach at Kaiser High School. Gayer steps down as
head coach at KaiserGayer told the Star-Bulletin yesterday that he will step down after the season, but will likely remain in coaching as an assistant at another high school. The Cougars open the season Friday against Roosevelt in an Oahu Interscholastic Association White Conference game.
This is Gayer's seventh season.
"This is a great place to coach, I have a great (athletic director)," he said. "But I think seven seasons in one place is enough for me.
"I'm hoping we make it to the Red (Conference) and make it really tough on the next coach."
Gayer led Kaiser to the OIA Blue championship in 1996, when the league was split into three conferences, and the Cougars have consistently ranked among the top passing teams in the OIA during his tenure.
Jason Kaneshiro
Star-Bulletin
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