FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARBULLETIN.COM
The Islanders' Robert Kemfort, center, tackled a San Diego runner in a game on April 26 at the Blaisdell Arena. The Islanders are 5-0 at the Blaisdell this season.
Maafala, Islanders hungry
to stay perfect at Blaisdell
Don't be fooled by his mammoth proportions, Roy Maafala is starving.
Maafala has missed all but one of the Hawaiian Islanders' road games this season, including last week's 58-39 loss at Arkansas, due to work commitments. So the 6-foot-4, 330-pound center enters tonight's home game against defending arenafootball2 champion Peoria hungry to help the team get back on track.
"I really feel bad that I'm not able to be there to contribute because the team means a lot to me, the camaraderie, the love we have for one another," Maafala said. "I kind of feel like part of me is there, not physically, but in spirit and in my thoughts.
"It means a lot to get an opportunity to play with my teammates, knowing some of the games I'm not able to make it. Every game I get a chance to play, I give it all I've got."
The Islanders (7-3) return to the Blaisdell Arena -- where they are 5-0 this season -- still protecting a one-game lead over Wichita for first place in the National Conference West Division.
Peoria has struggled to a 3-6 mark this season in the National Midwest Division and is 1-4 on the road.
Maafala rejoins the team tonight after staying home for last week's loss at Arkansas. He missed four of the Islanders' five road games this season, and stays away from the radio broadcasts of the games he can't attend.
"I try not to listen, because I believe in them that they'll do OK," said Maafala, who works in-house security at the Waikiki Banyan hotel. "If I do listen, I get kind of anxious because I wish I was there. There might be some plays and I kind of wish, 'That could have been me, I could have done something different.' "
The only road game Maafala was able to attend was the Islanders' trip to Bakersfield on April 19, but he hopes to make it to next week's division contest at San Diego.
By avoiding reports of last week's game, Maafala didn't have to endure the Islanders' sluggish start that resulted in a 35-7 halftime deficit. The Islanders were blanked in the first quarter, marking only the third time in team history that they failed to score in a quarter.
Hawaii outscored Arkansas 32-23 in the second half, but it wasn't enough to climb out of the hole. Fortunately for the Islanders, Wichita lost as well, keeping them in first place in the division.
Mike Tillis is scheduled to start his third straight game at quarterback in place of Darnell Arceneaux, who remains on the injured reserve list with a fracture in his right hand.
Tillis has passed for 481 yards and 11 touchdowns in his two games as the starter.
"Our organization and our coaching staff are holding us to high standards and we don't want to disappoint them," Tillis said. "We want to go for the championship and we want to be there at the end."
The Islanders face a Peoria team that struggled to replace the main weapons of last year's ArenaCup champion squad and is recovering from a 63-57 loss at Tulsa last week.
But the Pirates feature the league's leading scorer in Jack Walker, who has scored 13 touchdowns over Peoria's last three games. Walker leads af2 with 166 points and 27 touchdowns and is on pace to break the league's single-season scoring record (284 points set by Shon King in 2000).
Pirates quarterback Charlie Peterson has completed 60 percent of his passes and has thrown for 48 touchdowns this season.
Peterson's production is due in part to a beefy offensive line anchored by center/nose guard Tyshaun Whitson (6-foot-6, 305 pounds). He is flanked by guard Antonio Brown (6-8, 340) and tight end Michael Cunningham (6-3, 290).
"They look awfully good on film," Islanders coach Cal Lee said. "They're big, they're physical, you wouldn't think they've lost six games.
"These teams that somehow have bad records they play us pretty good."
Notes: The Islanders are trying out a new quarterback this week. John Carnevali last played for Oklahoma of the National Indoor Football League and was a backup at UTEP. ... Peterson played his college ball at Brigham Young and threw for 284 yards and two touchdowns in the Cougars' 72-45 loss to Hawaii in 2001. ... Wichita's pursuit of the Islanders has been hampered by the loss of its top two players. Michael Dritlein, the Stealth's leading scorer, suffered a season-ending knee injury two weeks ago. The team's top defender, Lee Vaughn, also went down with a knee injury last week. Wichita (6-4) plays at San Diego (4-6) today.
arenafootball2
Who: Peoria Pirates vs. Hawaiian Islanders
When: Today, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Blaisdell Arena
TV: None
Radio: KUMU2 1500-AM
Tickets: Lower Level and loge sold out. Upper level adult $10, children (ages 4-17) $7.
Parking: $3
National West Division
Team W L T Pct Streak Hawaiian Islanders 7 3 0 .700 L1 Wichita Stealth 6 4 0 .600 L1 San Diego Riptide 4 6 0 .400 L3 Bakersfield Blitz 4 6 0 .400 W3
