Kaluka Maiava was the catalyst of Baldwin's defense this year.
Rego and Maiava named
players of the year
Baldwin’s Kaluka Maiava, headed
for Southern California, trains
just as hard as he plays
He's not exactly the outspoken type.
In fact, Kaluka Maiava can barely stand it when postseason honors and recruiting talk surround him. It factored into his early decision to commit to USC, which offered him a scholarship during the summer.
His play on the field, however, was simply too much to ignore. That's why coaches and media selected the Baldwin linebacker as the Star-Bulletin Defensive Player of the Year in Hawaii.
The 6-foot, 215-pound senior was the catalyst of the Baldwin defense. His pure strength and speed, built on a training regimen that literally occupies his life for seven days per week, is probably unmatched in the islands.
Maiava turned in phenomenal statistics in state tournament play last year, and again in a nonconference game against eventual state champion Kamehameha in August. Though his team didn't reach the state tourney, he left a lasting impression with fans both on Maui and across the state.
"He moves side to side really good," King Kekaulike coach Dennis Dias said. "He looked like an all-star against us. At the next level, he'll probably be a better outside linebacker."
Maiava's top honor wasn't automatic by any means. Saint Louis defensive lineman Tyson Alualu, a 6-foot, 275-pound senior, was a close second.
"Tyson is in a class by himself," Damien co-head coach Dean Nakagawa said after seeing the lineman practice for the HUB Goodwill Classic West squad. "He's an outstanding difference-maker."
Castle linebacker Blaze Soares finished third in the voting despite missing some time with injury. The third-year starter was a cornerstone of the Knights' defense with tremendous closing speed and instincts. He also grew over those three years to 6-1, 210 pounds.
Al Afalava, Kahuku's hard-hitting defensive back, placed fourth in the voting.
Mika Kane of Kamehameha, Max Fairclough of Kahuku, Guyes Galdeira of Leilehua, and Landon Patoc of Iolani also garnered votes.
Defensive Line
Alualu was the top vote-getter on the D-line in a landslide. Kamehameha's formidable tackle Kane was second, followed by Aiea's Rocky Savaiigaea and Kahuku's Byron Beatty to round out the first team.The dropoff in votes was significant between the first and second teams. Chaz Barit of Kamehameha led the second team. Aiea's Malo Taumua missed the second team by one vote.
Linebackers
Maiava led the voting, closely followed by Castle's Soares. Leilehua's B.J. Fruean shared the third spot with Pac-Five's Brashton Satele.Maiava is on his way to USC, but it is possible that Soares, Fruean and Satele could play together at UH. Satele committed in early December, while Soares is leaning strongly toward the Warriors.
Cornerbacks
Kamehameha's duo of Travis Uale and Michael Holt swept the votes for first team.Mililani's Chris Dickerson was fairly close in the balloting, and may be the best of the three in deep coverage. Joining Dickerson on the second team was Patoc, a narrow pick over Aiea's C.J. Tausaga.
Safeties
Kahuku's Afalava was a unanimous choice for first-team honors. Campbell's Laupola was a distant second, but collected enough votes to make the first team.Aiea's Aveni Leung-Wai and Roosevelt's La'akea Moikeha also garnered key votes.
Utility
Satele, who played full-time at linebacker, also put in time on offense to help Pac-Five's ailing unit. As a running back, he was a load at 6-2, 240, running for a 71-yard touchdown late in one ILH game.
Punter
No punter had the combination of leg strength, consistency and accuracy of Kamehameha's Kepa Gaison. His feats are more impressive considering he was also one of the top offensive linemen statewide.
|
Kamehameha running back
Jayson Rego helped the Warriors
run down the state title
Oddly enough -- or perhaps, fittingly enough -- the competition for Star-Bulletin Offensive Player of the Year in Hawaii came down to Jayson Rego and five of his closest gridiron pals.
Rego, one of the most durable, hard-nosed running backs in recent memory, beat out his teammates for the award selected by coaches and media.
The Maui native was the spark plug of Kamehameha's state championship run, ending a string of 27 seasons without a postseason title. The 5-foot-9, 185-pound running back combined power, vision and acceleration to produce a standout year.
"He played biggest in the big games," Damien co-head coach Dean Nakagawa said.
Often Rego ran with more authority late in games, well after his 20th or 25th carry. He ran for 1,537 yards and 17 touchdowns. In the state championship game against Leilehua, he finished with 212 yards on a whopping 39 attempts, including a pivotal 79-yard touchdown jaunt.
"He's a big-time player, very reliable," Leilehua coach Nolan Tokuda said. "He's a patient runner, definitely reminds me of Emmitt Smith. "And he takes care of the ball.
"Watching him on video and seeing him live, he's an impressive player. He'll make somebody happy (in college). He's a hard worker."
The runner-up in the voting wasn't another running back, nor was it a quarterback or receiver.
Kamehameha's offensive line received a significant percentage of the votes.
"From start to finish, the offensive line was the best: technique, chemistry, nastiness, and now, a state title," Nakagawa said.
Kailua running back Damien Torres, who led the Oahu Interscholastic Association in rushing, was a close third in the balloting.
"Torres was the back of the OIA East," Castle coach Nelson Maeda said. "He ran hard with power and good vision behind a patchwork O-line."
Torres averaged 149 yards a game on 8.7 yards per carry. The senior also scored 10 touchdowns.
Kahuku wide receiver Spencer Hafoka finished fourth in the voting.
The 6-foot, 180-pound senior averaged 22 yards per reception for the Red Raiders.
Kiran Kepo'o of Iolani, Michael Kopra of Hawaii Prep and Chustin Senas of Leilehua also received votes.
Offensive Line
This is probably the deepest position statewide. From the top of the first team through the second team are players who are drawing serious Division I interest.Kainoa LaCount of Kailua led everyone in the trenches, although he did not get a No. 1 vote from any panelist. The 6-foot-7, 315-pound senior helped pave the way for Torres and Kekoa Sua. LaCount barely outpointed Mililani's Sene Ma'afala and Kamehameha's Tyler Williams.
Ma'afala, a 6-foot-1, 372-pound senior, was peerless in one-on-one matchups, and often found himself pancaking two defenders per play. He was the kind of lineman that teammates enjoyed, and opponents -- especially the ones who got pummeled downfield -- disliked.
Williams, a center, showed tremendous agility on the Warriors' off-tackle plays. His ability to pull was a bonus for a run-first offense and running back Rego.
Iosefa, a tackle from Punahou, is a combination of agility and power. At just 6 feet tall, he has already committed to San Diego State, where line coach Ed White will convert him into a center.
Aaron Kia is a latecomer to football, having competed on the swim team as a freshman. His rapid improvement was undeniable as voters voted the Mililani senior onto the first team ahead of stalwarts such as Shawn Lauvao (Farrington), Raphael Ieru (McKinley), Ikaika Aken-Moleta (Kapolei), Keoni Gomes (Castle) and Daniel Te'o-Nesheim (Hawaii Prep).
Four of the five on second team are being heavily recruited by D-I teams.
Te'o-Nesheim, a remarkable two-way lineman, is leaning toward Hawaii. If not for his relative isolation, voters may have voted him higher.
"In two years, nobody dominated us the way that guy did," Waipahu coach Sean Saturnio said.
Tight End
Lahainaluna's Stanley Malamala was a clear first-team pick ahead of Kamuela Kapanui of Kamehameha. Malamala displayed outstanding blocking skills in Lahainaluna's running attack, and also showed good hands and speed. His ability to outrun linebackers was certainly appealing.Kapanui outpointed Kahuku's Viliami Tilini for the second-team spot.
Andrew Queen of Hawaii Prep and Dylan Rush of Konawaena drew some attention, as well.
Wide Receivers
Hafoka was a constant in the Red Raiders' shuffle of offensive weapons and led all wide receivers in the balloting. Senas, an explosive, acrobatic junior, used his 6-1 height to his advantage against smaller receivers.Jon Santos of Mililani barely missed out on the first team, and finished on the second squad with Campbell's Isaac Laupola.
Saint Louis' Shaun Kauleinamoku, Leilehua's Anthony Palomares, Kamehameha's Ikaika Hardie and Hawaii Prep's Zach Say also drew some votes.
Running Backs
Rego and Torres were head and shoulders above the second team. Kopra just missed the cut, making the first team as a utility, followed by another relentless ballcarrier, Kevin Sullivan of Saint Louis.Mililani's Kekoa Perbera also drew significant votes.
Quarterbacks
Kepo'o was a surprise pick over Leilehua's Bryant Moniz for the first-team honor.Moniz threw for 15 touchdowns and was intercepted just six times in regular-season play, similar to Kepo'o's numbers. Voters may have put more weight on Kepo'o's performance in the ILH, which included an upset win over Saint Louis.
Maka Kahoano of Mililani and Kekoa Crowell of Kauai also collected votes.
Utility
Kopra was the ultimate example of a true utility player. Every defense prepared to stop the 5-10, 180-pound senior, but he always found holes behind an experienced line.Defensively, he led HPA in tackles. And when Ka Makani needed PATs and field goals, he was deadly accurate. Late in the season, fighting the flu, Kopra lined up in the backfield, felt ill and threw up at midfield.
His quarterback, Billy Case, had no idea what Kopra was doing, and continued with his cadence. Kopra pulled his facemask down, took the handoff and ran for 9 yards.
In another series, he lined up on fourth down to kick a 37-yard field goal. Again, he got ill, threw up, pulled the facemask down before the snap and drilled the field goal without a hitch.
That's what a utility man does.
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