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If you think arena football is offense only, think again. Offensive Islanders look
to set the tone on defenseHawaii wants to excel in the
Islanders schedule
forgotten part of arenafootball2By Nick Abramo
nabramo@starbulletin.comFor all the back-and-forth, high-flying action and loads of scoring, there's just as much knocking of heads and crunching on the boards. For every yard gained, a price is paid in pain.
Take the determined, pumped-up Hawaiian Islanders' defensive unit two weeks ago in the season-opening 50-47 win over the Fresno Frenzy.
"They (Fresno) had a pretty good quarterback (Ricky Ray)," Islanders defensive coordinator Al Noga said. "But on the first two plays, he got hit, and that put the fear into him."
The Islanders kept the Frenzy off the scoreboard on five of 12 possessions, while the Fresno defense halted just three of Hawaii's 11 possessions.
As the season progresses, look for that statistic to remain important.
Noga and head coach Guy Benjamin are looking for continued defensive success tonight as the Islanders (1-0) host the Bakersfield Blitz.
The Blitz opened their season last week with a come-from-behind 49-43 overtime victory over the San Diego Riptide. Steve Wofford caught the game-winning 19-yard touchdown pass from Chad Elliott with 4:22 left.
Tonight's 7 p.m. game at Blaisdell Arena is for first place in the arenafootball2 league West Division.
Noga wants to see more consistency in the level of emotion and effort at practice.
"Different guys show up each night," Noga said. "You can't just turn it on and turn it off like that, because one game you'll be playing at your highest level and then the next game, you'll be loafing or doing something you're not supposed to do.
"We can't afford that. I want this defense to be No. 1."
Miles Garner, who made four tackles and had the only sack of the game against Fresno, was impressed that the Islanders' defensive unit never gave up in the face of steep adversity near game's end.
"As a team, it showed that we came together and kept playing no matter what happened," Garner said. "It will be a big test this week, a test of how far we've come along.
"Coverage and rushing the passer, it's all relative. If we're rushing good, coverages should be good, and if coverages are good, we should be able to get to the quarterback. It's not about what areas we're weak and strong in, it's all about operating as a team."
Garner, one of a handful of Islanders with experience at the next level --the Arena Football League -- believes the Islanders are headed in the right direction.
"Positionwise, we have some good players, but overall it doesn't quite compare to Arena 1," he said. "For Arena 2, we can dominate anyone we play. I really believe that. Plus, players from Hawaii want to play more and show more attitude and earn respect of the opponents who go home with a loss."
The Paogofie brothers -- Chris and Sae --also showed their penchant for hitting against the Frenzy, with Sae making five tackles and Chris adding four.
Bakersfield head coach James Fuller thinks special teams might turn out to be the deciding factor.
"Both teams look like they know what they're doing and are very well coached, so special teams will be a big part," he said.
Fuller also emphasized the importance of avoiding the slow start that plagued the Blitz in their opener, when they rallied from a 24-point early third-quarter deficit.
Offensively, the Islanders clicked against Fresno, especially when it counted, as the teams traded touchdowns all the way until the end, when quarterback Darnell Arceneaux sealed it with 9.8 seconds left.
Arceneaux scored three rushing touchdowns and passed for three TDs, and he found his go-to guy in Darrell Jones, who caught 12 passes for 131 yards.
Pass protection was a key to Arceneaux's success.
"Darnell probably got hit one time in the backfield," Noga said. "And I rarely saw him hit the ground."
Isaac White and Robert Kemfort are among Arceneaux's other downfield targets.
Notes: The Islanders will wear their home red jerseys with yellow and black trim. The Blitz wear white with light orange and light blue trim. ... Tickets at the Blaisdell start at $10 per person and $20 for a family of four. Season tickets for the remaining seven home games start at $75. ... The game is $6.95 live on Oceanic Cable pay-per-view and will be replayed at no charge Monday at 8 p.m. on OC-16. KCCN 1420-AM will broadcast on a tape-delayed basis.
Starting Lineups
Hawaiian Islanders
Offense
No. Pos. Name Ht. Wt. 4 QB Darnell Arceneaux 6-2 220 1 OS Darrell Jones 5-7 165 8 WR Isaac White 6-2 235 15 WR Chris Paogofie 6-0 220 42 FB Derek Zoller 6-2 285 44 TE Morrie Roe 6-2 285 95 C Tiki Sagapolutele 6-4 270 58 G Jerry Leano 6-2 290 Defense
No. Pos. Name Ht. Wt. 5 DS Robert Kemfort 6-2 230 3 DS Kenny Harper 5-10 180 8 DB Isaac White 6-2 235 15 LB Chris Paogofie 6-0 220 42 LB Derek Zoller 6-2 285 44 DE Morrie Roe 6-2 285 95 NG Tiki Sagapolutele 6-4 270 77 DT Miles Garner 6-2 300 Head coach: Guy Benjamin
Assistant coaches: Al Noga, Chad Carlson, Doug Semones, Jon Fia, Darren Hernandez
Bakersfield Blitz
Offense
No. Pos. Name Ht. Wt. 7 QB Chad Elliott 6-2 215 15 OS Steve Wofford 5-9 185 2 WR Eric Jennings 6-3 225 8 WR Ryan Sloth 5-10 185 42 FB Julian Yearwood 6-2 268 72 TE James Heimuli 6-2 295 41 C Noah Drucker 6-3 290 75 G Kenney Williamson 6-2 295 Defense
No. Pos. Name Ht. Wt. 20 DS Delvin Myles 5-10 185 1 DS J'Sharlon Jones 5-9 183 8 DB Ryan Sloth 5-10 185 42 LB Julian Yearwood 6-2 268 2 LB Eric Jennings 6-3 225 41 DE Noah Drucker 6-3 290 75 NT Kenney Williamson 6-2 295 DE 72 James Heimuli 6-2 295 Coaches: James Fuller
Assistant coaches: Dennis Manning, Steven Folmar, Steve Fickert
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All times HST Islanders schedule
Home games in caps at Blaisdell Arena
Date Opponent Time March 30 FRESNO (W, 50-47) 7 p.m. April 13 BAKERSFIELD 7 p.m. April 20 at Quad City 2 p.m. April 27 at Wichita 2:30 p.m. May 4 TULSA 7 p.m. May 11 SAN DIEGO 7 p.m. May 18 at Tulsa 2:30 p.m. May 25 at Fresno 4:30 pm. June 1 at San Diego 4 p.m. June 8 PEORIA 7 p.m. June 15 SAN DIEGO 7 p.m. June 22 at Bakersfield 4 p.m. June 29 BAKERSFIELD 7 p.m. July 12 at Arkansas 2 p.m. July 20 QUAD CITY 7 p.m. July 27 at Fresno 4:30 p.m.