[ HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL ]
RICHARD WALKER / RWALKER@STARBULLETIN.COM
Linebacker Lawrence Leovao and the rest of Na Alii's seniors began an offseason weight lifting program that has helped carry them into the playoffs.
Hitting machine
Aiea's Lawrence Leovao
is a hard-nosed, hard-hitting,
intense leader
GIVEN that his nickname is "Banger," an elaborate scouting report isn't needed to know what Aiea middle linebacker Lawrence Leovao's game is all about.
"On every tackle, he wants to punish you," Aiea coach Wendell Say said. "He's hard-nosed, he has real good instincts, and he's a good tackler. We've had a lot of good linebackers in my 24 years here, and he rates among the best."
First Hawaiian Bank
State Football ChampionshipsDivision I
Semifinals
Tonight
Farrington (7-4-1) vs. Kahuku (12-0), at Aloha Stadium, 5 p.m.
Baldwin (10-1) vs. Saint Louis (8-1), at Aloha Stadium, 8 p.m.
Championship
Dec. 5
Semifinal winners, at Aloha Stadium, 8 p.m.
Division II
Semifinals
Tonight
Damien (4-5) vs. Waimea (6-2), at Vidinha Stadium, 7:30 p.m.
Lahainaluna (2-7-1)winner vs. Aiea (8-2), at Kamehameha's Kunuiakea Stadium, 7:30 p.m.
Championship
Dec. 5
Semifinal winners, at Aloha Stadium, 5 p.m.
Like most hard-hitting linebackers, Leovao can soak up a big hit long after the fact. He remembers vividly the biggest hit he ever delivered on a football field (when a sophomore playing against Castle).
"It was on a running play, and I hit the guy and he went flying," Leovao said with evident satisfaction. "When I get on that football field, there's something that just bursts inside of me. I like the intensity of football. I'm thinking about the game all of the time."
For Na Alii (8-2), they don't come much bigger than tonight's First Hawaiian Bank Division II Football Championships semifinal clash with Lahainaluna (2-7-1) at Kamehameha's Kunuiakea Stadium.
The winner earns a trip to next Friday night's state title game at Aloha Stadium opposite the winner of tonight's other semifinal match-up, between Damien and Waimea.
Leovao and his Aiea teammates believe their return to the high-rent district of Hawaii prep football began in the offseason. Coming off a disappointing 2-6 season, Na Alii's 24-member senior class (there are 58 on the team) committed itself to working out in the weight room.
"Last year, we had a good squad," Say said. "We had better athletes (than this season), but we were kind of on the selfish side. This year, we have some young kids and good leaders in Banger and (slotback) Ben Ah Mook Sang -- guys who do what it takes to win. They made the commitment to not repeat last year's record, and the younger kids look up to them."
Added Leovao: "We have good leadership on this team. We got on each other to work hard, and all of that hard work has paid off."
Committing himself to football has never been hard for Leovao. He loved the game before he could play it and he used to watch older brother Alika play.
"I used to watch him (Alika) when he played for Aiea -- I used to be right over there in the stands," Leovao said. "I wanted to be like him. I was 9 when I started playing for Pearl City Highlands and I always liked to play. Football was always my best sport. (During the off months) I can never wait for the season to begin."
Leovao credits linebacker coach Mark Gentry from his Pop Warner League days with helping his development.
"He was the guy who taught me how to play linebacker," Leovao said. "After that, I just liked the position and I continued with it."
Leovao's father, Taiau, played rugby, but encouraged his sons to take up football.
"My dad really pushed me with sports," Lawrence Leovao said. "He always comes to watch me play football -- my mom (Carlene) and my sister (Kisha), too. They all encourage me. I'd like to thank them as well as all my teammates and coaches."
Leovao's presence has also benefited Na Alii's offense this season. Although Aiea has a number of formations in its package, Leovao is brought on at fullback in short-yardage situations, and his size can be a great asset should Na Alii need to try to control the ball and the clock. He scored the game-winning touchdown and played a strong defensive game in Na Alii's 22-15 win over Kapolei in the OIA White Conference championship game.
"I always liked playing defense when I was young," he said. "On offense, you know where you're going (beforehand). There's a challenge to defense -- trying to figure out what they're going to do."
Defensively, the 5-foot-10, 225-pound Leovao has started for Aiea since the beginning of his junior year and has provided a young unit with plenty of leadership.
"He has good physical attributes for a linebacker," Say said. "He moves well laterally. He's a smart player, and he's quick. He's not the biggest that we've ever had, but he's sure one of the toughest. He worked hard in the offseason to get to where he's at. Defensively, he makes a big difference to us, spiritually, whether or not he's in there."
In all, Na Alii will start 15 underclassmen tonight, including eight on the defensive side of the ball.
"Defense has done an outstanding job for us -- they've been consistent," Say said. "There's the old cliché that defense wins championships, and that's the truth. When it comes to games like this, in the playoffs, your defense pretty much has to step it up. They've done it all season long, so we expect nothing less from them."
