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Monday
Evening QB
TIMMY Chang Wo is not what University of Hawaii football coach June Jones says when he wants his quarterback to slow down. Can Waimea state
case once more?Timmy Chang Wo is the name of the strong safety for the Waimea Menehunes, the little engine that finds out if it can -- again -- Friday against Kahuku's Red Raiders.
The teams meet at Aloha Stadium in a quarterfinal-round game of the Chevron State Football Championships. On paper, it looks like a monumental mismatch.
If ever a football team lives up to its nickname, it is the Kauai Interscholastic Federation champions.
Chang Wo is a big guy at 160 pounds. He's heavier than two of Waimea's defensive linemen: 145-pound nose guard Brandon Malama and 149-pound end Dwayne Mendonca.
The Menehunes' starting defenders average 157.7 pounds. We know this for fact because Star-Bulletin sportswriter Nick Abramo did the math.
Abramo is an expert on Waimea football, since he covered the KIF for 10 years for The Garden Island newspaper.
He learned long ago what Kailua found out the hard way last year in the state tournament, as did Punahou in this year's preseason: Never underestimate the Menehunes.
"Sometimes for Waimea, it's the bigger they come, the harder they fall. But execution is always the key to the offense, and speed, agility and fundamental tackling skills by 11 attacking piranhas are the keys to the defense," Abramo said.
"Good, big runners can get their yardage against Waimea, but you will rarely see a Waimea player miss a tackle."
Regardless, coach Jon Kobayashi knows taking on Kahuku is a daunting task. The Menehunes already had completed their season last Friday, so Kobayashi was able to watch the Red Raiders roll up 530 yards against one of the state's better defenses -- that of the Waianae Seariders.
Since Waimea often has been described as a miniature Waianae -- sharing the qualities of discipline, ball control, gang tackling and flawless technique -- the outcome of the Oahu Interscholastic Association championship could be perceived as a bad omen for the lads from Kauai.
Kobayashi acknowledges Kahuku's talent and advantage in size. He can add, too. He knows the Red Raiders' offensive line outweighs his entire defense.
"They have great size and speed. They have a complete ballclub," Kobayashi said. "They hit you on defense and they run you over on offense."
YES, he's impressed. But not intimidated. And you know his players won't be either.
"I don't think we have anything to prove. A lot of people know about us now," said Kobayashi, a former Waimea lineman who played on a team that beat Waianae. "We have a lot of fight and we're never going to give up."
Kahuku coach Siuaki Livai certainly isn't taking Waimea, uh, lightly.
"At this time, we have to take everyone seriously. We know they're smaller than us, but they're quicker," Livai said.
Realistically, with talent rivaled only by St. Louis and Kamehameha (which isn't even in the tournament), Kahuku in many ways controls how far it will go.
If the Red Raiders keep their penalties and turnovers to a minimum -- and make an extra point here and there -- they could be playing for the state championship again next month. And possibly against a St. Louis team with three less all-state defensive players than usual.
But looking past the efficient elves from Waimea would be a very dangerous thing to do.
Dave Reardon, who covered sports in Hawaii from 1977 to 1998,
moved to the the Gainesville Sun, then returned to
the Star-Bulletin in Jan. 2000.
E-mail Dave: dreardon@starbulletin.com