[FOOTBALL]

AYUMI NAKANISHI / ANAKANISHI@STARBULLETIN.COM St. Louis School's B.J. Batts, 16, ran the 40-yard dash yesterday in a combine at St. Louis. About 60 high schoolers showed up to record times and reps.

Test against time

Combine gives local high schoolers
a chance to show their stuff

---

By Jason Kaneshiro
jkaneshiro@starbulletin.com

College football recruiting has evolved into its own sport in recent years and it's a game based on numbers.

Every year coaches and recruiting junkies obsess over prospects' times in the 40-yard dash and how much they can bench press.

With that in mind, about 60 high school football players showed up at the St. Louis School football field yesterday for Hawaii Sports Network's Pro Style Football Combine to be tested in the areas college coaches value most.

"High school football has changed over the last 15 to 20 years, the recruiting has changed tremendously," said combine director Darnell Arceneaux, a former St. Louis and Utah quarterback. "The way I look at it, you're giving a kid $150,000 to go to school for five years, so a lot of coaches want to make sure they're getting the total package when they give someone a scholarship."

The combine was modeled after the event held by the National Football League prior to its college draft with Arceneaux, his teammates on the Hawaiian Islanders arena football team and high school coaches guiding the players through the drills.

Players were tested in the 40-yard dash, agility drills, standing long jump, vertical jump and bench press. Skill position players were tested on how many times they could bench press 185 pounds. Linemen did repetitions of 225 pounds.

All of the tests were taped and the results will be used to create player profiles to be sent to college coaches across the country. The profiles will also include the players' SAT and ACT scores, class rank and information on extracurricular activities.

Although the runs were hand-timed and a slight breeze aided the runners, the video documentation provides the type of information coaches crave.

"We have it on tape," Arceneaux said. "It doesn't get any more credible than when you've got actual footage of somebody running."

Returning all-state wide receiver Jason Rivers of St. Louis figures to be among the state's most sought-after prospects this year, regardless of the scores he posted yesterday. But his sub-4.5 second performance in the 40-yard dash could help his stock.

"I never did prepare for my 40, this was really the first time I was timed in the 40," Rivers said. "So this is going to help me in the college level."

Castle junior Ikaika Ho created a stir on the field when he registered a hand-timed 4.3 in the 40.

"If it averages out and it's even close to that, if it's around 4.4, he's going to start to get flooded with mail," Waipahu coach Sean Saturnio said. "Speed sells now."

Waipahu linebacker Rustin Saole was also happy with his performance after recording a 4.7 in the 40, bench pressing 185 pounds 17 times and posting the best times in his group in the agility drills.

"I was just concentrating on my form and staying relaxed," Saole said. "Pretty much everything is based on staying low."

In addition to timing the players, Arceneaux and his staff also taught them techniques to improve their results.

"They give you the little bits of information that can shave a few tenths off your time that can be critical," said Kamehameha defensive lineman Nikolas Soo.

The combine not only provides the players a chance to get some of their times documented, but was also a chance for them to measure themselves against other players around the state.

"Competition brings out your best performances," Saturnio said. "You're competing against yourself, but you get that added pressure. Football's a game that thrives on pressure situations and how you react to it."

Arceneaux said he hopes to hold combines in December following the high-school season and in May when college recruiters make their rounds through the state.

"This can only help the athletes out," Arceneaux said. "This is just to show them what college coaches are looking for. ... This is going to be a good tape for a lot of kids to get the amount of looks they need to get to the next level."

High school players will have another opportunity to be tested on Aug. 10 when Roosevelt hosts the fourth annual Lino Caling Combine.

Roosevelt coach Lester Parrilla will compile the results of the free combine into a booklet that is sent to colleges across the country. Last year, booklets were sent to 33 four-year and junior colleges.