DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM
St. Louis defensive back Timo Paepule hasn't made a name for himself, but has made a big impact for the Crusaders.
On a team that lives in the spotlight, St. Louis defensive back Timo Paepule thrives in the shadows. In the shadows
St. Louis safety Timo Paepule doesn’t
ILH Statistics
get the recognition he deserves
By Jason Kaneshiro
jkaneshiro@starbulletin.comWhile quarterback Bobby George and receiver Jason Rivers sparkle on offense and lineman Tolifili Liufau draws the focus of opponents, fans and college recruiters on defense, Paepule is content to patrol the Crusaders' secondary without the name recognition his teammates enjoy.
"I know I'm not No. 1, I'm just out there to play," said the senior strong safety.
However, in three years as a starter, Paepule's play and work ethic certainly have not gone unnoticed by the St. Louis coaches who selected him as the team's defensive captain this season.
And Paepule is prepared to lead the Crusaders into Saturday's Interscholastic League of Honolulu opener against Punahou at Aloha Stadium.
"The guys that are steady players usually get overlooked," St. Louis coach Delbert Tengan said. "Timo doesn't do anything that's flashy, he's steady and does his job."
Paepule (6-feet, 200 pounds) started at free safety as a sophomore and played a mix of linebacker and safety as the SAM backer last year. He earned all-state honors as a junior after recording 40 tackles, 11 for losses, four sacks and four interceptions.
This season the Crusader coaches increased his role in the defense by nudging him even closer to the line of scrimmage to bolster the team's run defense.
"We're trying to utilize his talents," Tengan said. "He's athletic enough to cover people in the secondary, but he's physical enough to come up and play against the run. We're going to try to see if we can blitz him a little bit more and hopefully he'll have some outstanding plays."
Paepule turned in one of the key plays of last season in an early season matchup with Kamehameha.
The Warriors jumped out to a 17-0 lead, but the Crusaders battled back to tie the game.
Early in the third quarter, Paepule blitzed from the left side and blindsided Kamehameha quarterback Caleb Spencer, who fumbled the ball into the end zone. The Crusaders recovered for the go-ahead touchdown.
The game ended in a 24-24 tie, but it set up the winner-take-all rematch between the teams at the end of the season, which St. Louis won 38-14 to capture its 16th consecutive league championship.
"That definitely was a turning point in that game and possibly the season," Tengan said of Paepule's hit.
"Anybody could have come in and got a sack, but when we looked at the film the one thing we noticed was he went for the strip. Those are the types of intangibles he brings to the field. He's smart enough and savvy enough to not only go for the sack, but to go for the turnover."
Paepule's role on the football team is similar to his function on the Crusader basketball team.
As a starting forward, Paepule didn't show up among the ILH's scoring or rebounding leaders, but was conspicuous by his absence anytime he left the floor.
"People don't think of him as a basketball player, but he was kind of the glue for us," said Tengan, who doubles as the St. Louis basketball coach.
"I compare to him to a Rick Fox type of guy. On the Lakers you have Shaq, you have Kobe, you have all these spectacular players, but if you actually sat down and watched Rick Fox play, he does all the little things that makes that team successful, and that's basically how Timo was on our basketball team."
Paepule actually entered St. Louis as a freshman without a shred of football experience, envisioning himself as a basketball star.
But after a coach invited him to try out for the intermediate team, he quickly developed into a menacing figure on the Crusader defense. And as the coaches honed his football technique, Paepule fashioned his leadership skills by watching how former Crusaders Ikaika Curnan and T.J. Moe carried themselves.
"You have to support guys," Paepule said. "If someone messes up you can't yell at them, you have to just encourage them. That's the way you get the team together.
"I'll say something if people are not doing what they're supposed to be doing, but ... I try to show them instead of talking to them. If you're talking and you don't do it people just think you're a hypocrite."
Paepule will be a key figure in St. Louis' plans to win yet another ILH championship this fall, but the Crusaders will again have to fend off challenges from the rest of the league to return to the state tournament.
For the second year in a row, the ILH will be split into two divisions. If the Division II champion finishes with a record equal to or better than the Division I champion, those teams will meet for the overall title.
BACK TO TOP |
INTERSCHOLASTIC LEAGUE OF HONOLULU
Division I
Kamehameha Warriors
Coach: Kanani Souza
2001 record: 5-1-1 ILH, 8-1-1 overallPlayers to watch: QB Caleb Spencer, WR Keoni Ruth, DL J.P. Kennedy, LB Kaeo Drummondo.
Outlook: The Warriors have the longest preseason in the state as they don't open ILH play until Sept. 20 against Punahou, and Souza is using that time to fill the holes left by the graduation of five first-team all-state picks of a year ago.
The Warriors will look to Spencer and Ruth to lead the team offensively. Spencer matured into a quality quarterback last season, finishing second in the ILH in passing with 909 yards and eight touchdowns. Ruth led the team in receiving with 21 catches for 265 yards.
The departure of Brandon Ala and Abu Maafala left big gaps on the defensive line, but the Warriors return a solid player in tackle J.P Kennedy. Drummondo sat out last year with a viral infection, but Souza said he is showing signs of developing into a force on defense. The development of a green secondary will be a key to the Warriors' title hopes.
Punahou Buffanblu
Coach: Kale Ane
2001 record: 2-5 ILH, 4-5 overallPlayers to watch: QB Drew Monahan, WR/DB Jason Sakata, DB Stan Fisher, LB Andrew Hata.
Outlook: The Buffanblu have ditched the single-wing in favor of the West Coast offense this season under new offensive coordinator Darryl Kan. Ane is pleased with Monahan's progress in the offense, but is even more encouraged by the team's ability to run the ball in its preseason wins over Aiea and Kealakehe.
The defense must find a way to replace senior defensive back Matthew Culver, who was lost for the season with a knee injury. Fisher showed flashes of promise last year and has stepped up his play in the preseason, picking off three passes. Hata has emerged as a leader for a young linebacker corps.
St. Louis Crusaders
Coach: Delbert Tengan
2001 record: 6-0-1 ILH, 10-1-1 overall
2001 postseason: ILH champion, lost to Kahuku in state championship game.Players to watch: QB Bobby George, WR Jason Rivers, DL Tolifili Liufau, DB Timo Paepule.
Outlook: Cal Lee left Tengan with a fully stocked cupboard when he retired last year. George returns for his third season as a starter after passing for 1,405 yards and 17 touchdowns as a junior. Running backs Justin Cabansag and B.J. Batts finished second and third in the league in rushing last season, combining for 590 yards and six touchdowns. Rivers averaged 22.6 yards per catch last season. Frank Fernandez and Jeremy Inferrera are solid blockers up front.
Liufau, a returning all-state pick, could be the state's most coveted college recruit this year. Paepule and Jonah Lakatani lead a typically hard-hitting secondary.
Division II
Damien Monarchs
Coaches: Rudy Alejo and Dean Nakagawa
2001 record: 0-7 ILH, 0-8 overallPlayers to watch: RB/DB Ranson DeCosta, WR Andrew Canoy, DB Daniel Chaves, DB Fehi Sevelo.
Outlook: The Monarchs broke a nine-game losing streak with their preseason victory over Kaimuki and are looking to build on their momentum when they open ILH play against Iolani next week.
Alejo and Nakagawa inherit a young team from Chris Bisho, now an assistant at Pac-Five, as Damien has just eight seniors on its roster. DeCosta is a talented athlete who can make an impact on offense, defense and special teams. Canoy showed his potential as a big-play threat with a 79-yard touchdown run and an 88-yard kickoff return against Kaimuki.
Iolani Raiders
Coach: Wendell Look
2001 record: 5-2 ILH, 7-2 overallPlayers to watch: LB Kala Ka'aihue, DB Blake Wong, RB Raynold Stowers, RB Kelly Teramoto.
Outlook: The Raiders feature one of the top rushing tandems in the state in Stowers and Teramoto. Stowers, at 6-foot-1, 205 pounds, can play the power game and has the speed to break off long runs. Teramoto (5-7, 155) isn't as big as Stowers, but proved he can grind out the tough yards. Robert Mageo will start the season at quarterback.
The defense will revolve around seniors Wong and Ka'aihue. Wong, a returning all-state performer who averaged a take-away per game last year, provides leadership for a young defensive backfield. Ka'aihue (6-1, 228) can be a disruptive force at linebacker.
Pac-Five Wolfpack
Coach: Don Botelho
2001 record: 2-5 ILH, 3-8 overallPlayers to watch: QB McShane Dator, LB Sualata Siva Savini, DB Ryan Leong, K Darci Hata.
Outlook: Botelho has his biggest team since Pac-Five's glory days in the 1980s with five players at 295 pounds or heavier. But it may take the Wolfpack some time to jell as most of the big boys are underclassmen. "They've got some good potential," Botelho said. "They're big but they're young and with time they'll get better."
Dator led ILH Division II with 828 yards passing last year despite missing several games with injuries. Travis Tyler returns as one of his favorite targets. Savini is a hidden talent in the middle of the Pac-Five defense and Leong is one of the league's most versatile players.
Botelho is entering his 29th year as Pac-Five's coach. The coaches at the other five ILH programs combine for 22 seasons.
