Menehunes The Cinderella story no longer applies to the Waimea football team.
to take on state’s
giants once again
Smallish Waimea wants to go
The matchups
beyond the usual final 4 finishBy Jason Kaneshiro
jkaneshiro@starbulletin.comAfter advancing to the state semifinals for the third time in four years, the Menehunes don't qualify for the "sleeper" tag as the tournament's surprise team anymore.
Instead, the 11-time Kauai Interscholastic Federation champions have established themselves as regulars among the state's final four.
"We're no surprise to anyone anymore," Waimea coach Jon Kobayashi said. "I don't think anyone's going to take us lightly."
Waimea (8-1), which has just six players who weigh 200 pounds or more on its 40-man roster, earned a spot in tomorrow's Chevron State Football Championship semifinals with a 24-21 win over Kailua last week, setting up a meeting with St. Louis (9-2), the 17-time Interscholastic League of Honolulu champion.
Kickoff for the first game of the semifinal doubleheader at Aloha Stadium is set for 5 p.m. McKinley (9-4) and Castle (9-4) meet in the second game, scheduled for 8 p.m. The winners advance to the state championship game on Dec. 6.
Waimea and St. Louis are the only teams to have qualified for all four state tournaments since the event began in 1999, and the Menehunes have shown a knack for knocking off bigger and deeper teams in the tournament.
Twice before Waimea beat Oahu teams in the state quarterfinals. Both times the Menehunes lost to the eventual state champion the following week.
Waimea and St. Louis last met in the 1999 semifinals, with the Crusaders winning 56-0. Last year, the Menehunes again moved within a game of the state final and stayed close in a defensive battle with Kahuku before losing 21-7.
"They've been here and they've done that and now they want to take the next step of getting to the finals," St. Louis coach Delbert Tengan said. "So they're going to come here even hungrier than they were the last few times. They're not going to come here and play under the bright lights and be wide-eyed, they're going to be ready to go."
Kobayashi said the previous trips to Aloha Stadium have helped the Waimea coaching staff better understand how to ready their players to face an Oahu powerhouse.
"The best thing is we gained experience," Kobayashi said. "We're a little more prepared as coaches and some of our players have had the opportunity to be in this situation. We're still relatively young as a team and I think it's great we were able to get this opportunity to play in a big game."
But taking on nationally-ranked St. Louis remains a daunting task for the Menehunes.
The Crusaders have hit their stride on offense with a brawny line opening up both the run and the pass. St. Louis' defensive front is equally imposing, as the Crusaders feature fierce pass rushers and stubborn run stoppers.
A key will be the Waimea offensive line's ability to open holes for running back Jordon Dizon, the Menehunes' primary offensive weapon. The Menehunes will need a solid effort at the line of scrimmage to grind out first downs and control the clock against the Crusaders.
"It comes down to good fundamentals and techniques," Kobayashi said. "We tell the guys, 'they're the same age, they're just a little bigger.' ... There's no secret potion or magic we can use. We just have to go out there and play."
Despite their physical advantage, the Crusaders know better than to look past Waimea.
Tengan said the Menehunes remind him of top-ranked De La Salle (Concord, Calif.) -- which beat St. Louis 31-21 on Sept. 21 -- with their emphasis on precise execution to make up for their lack of size and their ability to thrive despite having most of their starters playing both ways.
"We've seen that in De La Salle," Tengan said. "Size doesn't matter, just execution. They have a solid program, they've been running the system for years. Basically, they're the De La Salle of Kauai."
The second semifinal features a matchup of teams that can be classified as two of the season's surprise stories.
After Castle lost All-State quarterback Joel Botelho to graduation last year, few expected teh Knights to contend for a championship. But they have won six games in a row and captured their first Oahu Interscholastic Association championship.
Defense has keyed Castle's postseason success, as the Knights have given up more than nine points just once in the last five games and have shut out their last two opponents.
Castle beat McKinley 26-22 on Oct. 5 in one of the best games of the regular season. The Tigers will seek revenge led by quarterback Abel Werner and a balanced offensive attack.
McKinley, which finished fourth in its conference, is looking to reach the state final in its first year as a state tournament qualifier.
Holiday cheer: The Waimea team arrives in Honolulu this afternoon, meaning the Menehunes won't be home for Thanksgiving dinner. But thanks to WHS alum Roy Shimonishi, the players won't have to go without their turkey and pumpkin pie.
Shimonishi, owner of the Hungry Lion restaurant in Nuuanu and a 1959 Waimea graduate, will provide the Menehunes' group of 60 players, coaches and support staff with a Thanksgiving meal today. He said the restaurant is providing the team with five turkeys and the trimmings, which they'll eat together at their hotel.
Shimonishi will also provide the team with lunch at Aloha Stadium before tomorrow's game.
"They're a really good bunch," Shimonishi said. "I'm really proud of the job (the coaches) have done with what they've got."
BACK TO TOP
|
WAIMEA VS. ST. LOUIS
RecordsWaimea Menehunes (KIF champion): 8-1.
St. Louis Crusaders (ILH champion): 9-2.
Where and When
Aloha Stadium, 5 p.m.
Last Meeting
Nov. 26, 1999: St. Louis 56, Waimea 0 (state tournament semifinal).
Last week
Waimea used six turnovers to hold off Kailua 24-21 at Vidinha Stadium. An interception in the end zone by Tyson Fernandez with 32 seconds left preserved the win for the Menehunes. The victory evened Waimea's record in state tournaments to 3-3, with all three wins coming on Kauai.
St. Louis scored on its first four possessions of the second half to rally from a 17-14 halftime deficit and defeat Farrington 41-23 at Aloha Stadium. After throwing three interceptions in the first half, Crusader quarterback Bobby George completed 20 of 28 passes for 225 yards. St. Louis is 8-2 in state tournament play.
Outlook
Waimea advanced to the state semifinals for the third time thanks to its defense, and the Menehunes will need a similar performance against the Crusaders.
Three of Waimea's takeaways against Kailua led to scores. Linebacker Gary Mata, the heart of the Waimea defense, set up the Menehunes' first score with a fumble recovery. Dane Koga returned an interception 25 yards for a touchdown and his second pick set up a 1-yard touchdown run by Jordon Dizon.
Dizon, who ran for a KIF-record 1,157 yards during the regular season, was held to 64 last week, but quarterback Jon Palacio helped pick up the slack with several clutch throws in key situations.
The Menehunes will need other members of their offense to step forward again to keep the St. Louis defense from ganging up on Dizon.
The Crusaders have surrendered just 635 rushing yards this season, an average of 57.7 per game.
Defensive end Wilson Afoa has emerged as a force for St. Louis up front. He recorded three tackles for losses and a sack and hurried the quarterback nine times against Farrington.
On offense, St. Louis receivers Jason Rivers and Shane Butcher can stretch the defense, but the key will be the Crusaders' ability to run the ball. When running backs B.J. Batts and Justin Cabansag get rolling, the Crusaders are tough to stop.
CASTLE VS. MCKINLEY
RecordsCastle Knights (OIA champion): 9-4.
McKinley Tigers (OIA third-place): 9-4.
Where and When
Aloha Stadium, 8 p.m.
Last Meeting
Oct. 5: Castle 26, McKinley 22.
Last week
Castle recorded its second shutout in as many weeks with a 35-0 win over Hawaii Prep at Aloha Stadium to pick up its first state tournament win. Castle quarterback Jacob Ramos passed for a touchdown and rushed for another. Jared Suzui broke the game open with a 74-yard punt return for a score.
McKinley enjoyed a successful state tournament debut with a 28-14 win over Baldwin at War Memorial Stadium. Abel Werner passed for 248 yards and ran for a touchdown. Tiger receiver Isaiah Iaea caught seven passes for 94 yards.
Outlook
Both teams are looking to move on the state championship for the first time. Neither school has ever appeared in a Prep Bowl or state championship game.
The teams traded big plays throughout their first meeting this season, with Castle rallying for two fourth-quarter touchdowns to pull out a dramatic win.
The Castle defense has gone nine quarters without giving up a point, shutting out Kailua and HPA the last two weeks. Linebackers Cory Daniel and Blaze Soares continue to spearhead the defense along with lineman Soli Lefiti.
The Knights will need tight coverage from their secondary to contain an explosive McKinley passing attack. Iaea caught five passes for 182 yards and a touchdown in the teams' first meeting.
Werner is one of the state's top passers and a dangerous runner when he leaves the pocket. But the quality that makes him especially tough to defend is his ability to read defenses and make adjustments at the line of scrimmage.
The Castle offense has shown different facets the last two weeks. In the rain against Kailua, the Knights ran the ball on all but two plays. Last week, they went to a no-huddle look with Ramos completing 14 of 22 passes.
McKinley linemen Jacob Talamoa and Randy Faletoi are the main playmakers on the Tiger defense.
Special teams could determine which team plays for the state title. Castle's Jared Suzui has returned punts for touchdowns in both of the last two games. Both teams have solid kickers, Ethan Gonsalves for Castle and John Mai for McKinley, who can provide scoring threats.
Hawaii School Web Sites