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Wednesday, October 11, 2000
B.J. Bernard is one of the quietest players in the Oahu Interscholastic Association. But he's making a lot of noise tearing up pages of the record book.
The 5-foot-7 senior holds the
OIA record for TD passes thrown,
completions in a seasonBy Tim Crouse
Special to the Star-BulletinBernard, the Kaiser starter since the beginning of his junior year, plays his final game in a Cougar uniform Friday at Nanakuli in an Oahu Interscholastic Association contest.
The 5-7, 135-pound senior has shattered OIA passing records for two seasons, and Kaiser coach Tony Gayer plans for Bernard to go out in appropriate style.
"We're probably going to throw the ball 60 times," Gayer said with a broad grin on his face.
And in the process, Bernard may knock down a few more passing records.
Bernard set an OIA mark with 20 touchdown passes last year, broke the record two weeks ago and extended it to 24 against Pearl City last Saturday.
He holds the mark for completions in a season and is 68 yards shy of the league's single-season record of 2,017.
He has also averaged 24 completions the past three games -- including 27 against Kalaheo -- so the league record of 28 in a game isn't out of reach.
But it isn't these numbers that set him apart, and it's not the records that his coaches, teammates and opponents will remember.
"The (biggest) thing is his mental and physical toughness," Gayer said. "No matter what happens from play to play he won't let it affect him. He'll just get up and try to make the best possible play the next time."
Repeatedly over the past two seasons, Bernard has taken a heavy hit only to bounce up, ready to fire away again.
"Every time he gets hit, no matter what, he gets right back up," receiver Marc Esteban said. "He's a tough player."
Bernard proved his mettle against Pearl City. He twisted an ankle on an option play in the second quarter, but stayed in the game. He threw for 239 yards and ran for 28, including a fourth quarter touchdown that nearly spurred a successful Cougars comeback.
Gayer said Bernard didn't miss a single down or practice last year, even though he took hits from teams like Kaimuki and Aiea, who are playing in the Red Division this year.
"He's the toughest player -- not just quarterback, but player -- I've ever coached or played with," said Gayer, who played at Punahou and was a member of the University of Hawaii team.
Kaiser opened the season with McKinley, and Tigers coach David Tanuvasa came away with a lasting impression.
"That kid is all heart. He's the one quarterback that really stands out as being a leader," Tanuvasa said. "He has no fear. We unloaded on him with two or three guys and he just stood up and came back again."
Gayer said that toughness is a way that Bernard shows leadership on the field, and inspires his teammates.
"When he makes a big play after a bad play or being hit hard or sacked, even the defense feeds off it because they can appreciate that toughness," Gayer said.
Even though Bernard doesn't make a lot of noise vocally, his teammates look up to him."He shows by example," receiver Landon Beers said. "He does his best and keeps pushing us."
Bernard isn't content with simply taking hits on the football field -- he can inflict them, too.
"He likes to tackle the best," Gayer said. "He keeps asking me to play defensive back or get him in on special teams. He'd be a great safety or corner.
"I think he gets more satisfaction out of making a tackle after a fumble. He prefers to dish out the contact rather than receive it. He has done his share of dishing out contact on his runs and scrambles. If you ask coaches around the league they'll tell you he's put some of their bigger lineman on their behinds."
When he has the football, Bernard is capable of throwing deep, throwing a rope in traffic, or executing his favorite play, a fade pattern.
"He's on target and our timing is good," Esteban said. "His ball is right there. I don't really have to slow down. If he needs to throw it in a small hole between defensive backs, he can get the ball there."
Tanuvasa said Bernard is also an intelligent quarterback.
"He knows how to read defenses," Tanuvasa said. "That's a lot of credit to Coach Gayer. This kid learned quick."
Esteban has been Bernard's favorite target this year, and the junior receiver is on the verge of breaking several OIA records, including single-season receptions and touchdowns.
Esteban already broke the mark of 11 catches in a game, hauling in 13 passes against Pearl City.
Esteban isn't the only receiver benefitting from Bernard's passing.
Six Kaiser receivers have at least 10 receptions, and six more have caught at least one pass.
Bernard has clearly improved as the season has progressed.
Through the first two games, he threw seven interceptions and six touchdowns -- including a four-interception game against Waialua.
Since then, Bernard has tossed 18 scoring passes and just three interceptions.
Gayer feels his star player will continue slinging the ball at the college level.
"His size takes him away from Division I," Gayer said. "His skill, and just the fact that he is a football player, lends itself to playing well at the Division II level or NAIA."
Gayer said he could also see Bernard succeeding on the college level as a defensive back -- but the main thing is that he continues playing the game.
"He needs to play football. Not only will he benefit, but the new teammates he has at the next level will benefit from him too," Gayer said.
