Friday, August 24, 2001
[ PREP FOOTBALL ]
Kamehameha hopes Kamehameha will try to complete a Hawaii sweep of Utah football powers tonight when the Warriors meet the Timpview Thunderbirds of Provo at Aloha Stadium.
to finish Utah sweep
The Warriors' coach calls the
game with 1 of the Beehive
State's best 'a real good test'By Jason Kaneshiro
jkaneshiro@starbulletin.comKickoff for the preseason game is set for 7:30 p.m.
A week after Kahuku defeated Skyline High and Kailua knocked off Snow Canyon, Kamehameha takes on a Timpview squad ranked first in the Salt Lake Tribune's latest Division 4-A rankings.
"It'll be a real good test," said Kamehameha coach Kanani Souza. "That's what we need. We need to play against a really solid football program like Timpview. It'll show us where we're at."
The Thunderbirds opened the season with a 42-6 win over Pleasant Grove last Friday. Kamehameha defeated Baldwin 20-6 on Maui last Saturday, but Souza hopes to clean up some of the drive-killing penalties that stymied the Warriors' offense in their opener.
"We did some things pretty decent, but we're not very consistent offensively," Souza said. "We were just a little sloppy at times and our youth showed on that side of the ball."
While the offense develops, Warriors will lean on an experienced defense early in the season. Brandon Ala and Albert Maafala return to anchor the Kamehameha defensive line and defensive backs Preston Lingaton, Tyler Perkins and Keano Noa all earned Interscholastic League of Honolulu all-star honors last season.
Kamehameha feature two returning ILH all-stars on offense in running back Kelena Hookano and offensive lineman Kekoa Vincent. Hookano rushed for 587 yards and 12 touchdowns last season.
Timpview, which won the Utah 4-A state championship in 1997, went 11-1 last season and advanced to the state semifinals. Most of the Thunderbird starters sat out the second half of last week's game after building a 35-0 lead by halftime.
Junior quarterback Mike Affleck completed nine of 10 passes for 179 yards and a touchdown. All but two of his completions went to receiver Regan Russell who finished with seven catches for 156 yards. Senior running back Brady Phillips rushed for 74 yards and three touchdowns for the Thunderbirds.
Kamehameha closes its preseason schedule Sept. 1 with a split-squad trip to the Big Island. Half of the 98-member team plays Konawaena in Kealakehe at 1:30 p.m., while the other half heads north to take on Kohala. Souza said he hasn't decided how the team will be split or the coaching arrangements for the games.
Three other ILH teams face California teams this weekend. Iolani hosts Kearny High today at 3:15 p.m. Pac-Five plays Dana Hills in the first game of a doubleheader at 5 p.m. tomorrow at Aloha Stadium. St. Louis faces San Clemente in the second game at 7:30 p.m. San Clemente went 8-2 last season and was ranked sixth in the California Interscholastic Federation Southern Section Division II poll.
Punahou, which beat Waimea last week, takes on another neighbor island opponent, playing Waiakea of the Big Island.
While the ILH continues its preseason schedule, the Oahu Interscholastic Association kicks off its regular season tonight.
Defending state champion Kahuku hosts Kaimuki. Waianae begins defense of its OIA Red Conference title tomorrow at home against Leilehua.
Kailua hosts Campbell tonight in a game originally scheduled to be played at the Sabers' field. Campbell coach Tumoana Kenessey said the field's grass still needs time to grow in following the installation of a sprinkler system this summer. Next week's scheduled home game against Mililani will also become a road meeting.
Kenessey said the field should be ready by Campbell's homecoming game Sept. 28 against Farrington.
Kaahumanu Hou out of MIL schedule: Kaahumanu Hou Schools of Maui will not be part of the Maui Interscholastic League's football schedule for the next two seasons.
The league's athletic directors voted Wednesday to exclude the Lions this season for failing to meet the league's 21-player minimum. Kaahumanu Hou had 17 players on its roster entering this season.
MIL executive secretary Stephen Kim said Kaahumanu Hou must also sit out next season as a penalty for failing to provide three weeks notice before being taken out of the league schedule. The penalty is for one calendar year and would prevent the Lions from holding practices or preseason games.
League members voted unanimously last year to implement the roster minimum. A team must have at least 21 players who meet academic and medical requirements to play in order to participate in a league game.
Kim said Kaahumanu Hou could schedule games independently if it chooses, but doubts many schools would risk injury to its players or the Lions' players by sanctioning a game.
Prep football this weekend
TodayOIA Regular Season
(Junior varsity games start at 5 p.m. Varsity games to follow)
Kaimuki at Kahuku
Mililani at Castle
Campbell at Kailua
Kalani at Waipahu
Kaiser at Roosevelt
Pearl City at Nanakuli
Kapolei at Waialua (JV only)PRESEASON
Kearny (Calif.) at Iolani, 3:15 p.m.
Honokaa vs. Kapaa at Vidinha Stadium, 7:30 p.m.
Timpview (Utah) vs. Kamehameha, at Aloha Stadium, 7:30 p.m.Tomorrow
OIA REGULAR SEASON
(Junior varsity games start at 5 p.m. Varsity games to follow)
Leilehua at Waianae
Farrington vs. McKinley, at RooseveltRadford at Aiea
Moanalua vs. Kalaheo, at KailuaPreseason
Waiakea at Punahou, noon
Hawaii Prep vs. Kauai, at Vidinha Stadium, 2 p.m.
Hilo vs. Waimea, at Hanapepe Ball Park, 7:30 p.m.
Dana Hills (Calif.) vs. Pac-Five, at Aloha Stadium, 5 p.m.
San Clemente (Calif.) vs. St. Louis, at Aloha Stadium, 7:30 p.m.
Hawaii School Web Sites