BARRY MARKOWITZ / SPECIAL TO THE STAR-BULLETIN
Waianae quarterback Uilau Faliuga couldn't escape the grasp of Kahuku's Shosei Yamauchi during a game earlier this season at Aloha Stadium.
On a mission
Shosei Yamauchi would
like to lead Kahuku to the
state title before going on
a two-year Mormon mission
Kahuku's Shosei Yamauchi didn't become one of the top pass rushers in the state without the proper mental preparation. And part of getting himself to the right mind-set on game night is envisioning himself making a big play -- even if it means succumbing to the temptation to occasionally daydream in school.
"You have to do your (school) work, but it's hard to concentrate in class (on Fridays)," Yamauchi said with a laugh.
The countdown to kickoff is part of the experience of playing football, after all, and for years, Yamauchi was counting down to the time when he would become a Red Raider.
"All I wanted to do was to play for Kahuku," he said. "I went to all the games, including the Prep Bowls, when I was little."
Examples of athletic excellence were all around Yamauchi while growing up. His uncle, Kanoa Yamauchi, was a stellar linebacker for the Red Raiders in the early 1990s; and friend J.T. Mapu, who starred for Kahuku in 2000 and 2001, remains one of his role models and currently starts at defensive end for the University of Tennessee. Yamauchi's mother, Ana, played volleyball and basketball for the Red Raiders.
But not all of Yamauchi's role models are found on the football field. Indeed, his faith is as strong as his 6-foot-2, 225-pound frame. He has dedicated this season to his grandmother, Montez Ottley.
"She's a strong member of the church," he said. "She has the strongest faith of anyone I've known in my life."
After he graduates from Kahuku in May, Yamauchi expects to opt for a two-year Mormon mission before going on to college.
"Being in the church my whole life has been uplifting, and I want to serve the Lord," he said. "If it wasn't for (my faith), I don't think I would be the player that I am."
Football will likely find its proper place in Yamauchi's life when his mission is completed. Rushing the quarterback is his special skill. Entering Friday night's game at Kailua, he already has 12 sacks to his credit, and the Red Raiders are giving up a scant 27.3 yards per game on the ground.
"He's a lot quicker than he was last year, and he has a fairly good nose for the football," said Kahuku defensive line coach Fatu Fiso. "His pass rush is his strength, and that's an area that he wanted to work on more (this season). He's picked up some strength as well. He's a very good kid, very responsible."
Yamauchi has also learned a lot from watching Mapu, who is his elder by two years.
"We were raised together -- he's not exactly a cousin, he's a close friend -- so I always looked up to him," he said. "When I was a freshman here, he was a junior. I always tape the (Tennessee) games and watch them later. He calls now and then, and we talk. I used to watch him practice (at Kahuku) and in the scrimmages, and he always went all out every play. That's what I picked up from watching him. I send him tapes of my games, too. He'll watch them and call me to tell me what I'm doing wrong."
With Mapu anchoring the defensive line, the Red Raiders won back-to-back state championships. This season, the Red Raiders have closely resembled those teams, leaving last year's disappointing 6-3 season in the rearview mirror.
In August, the Red Raiders began fall camp with a week-long overnight occupation of the Malaekahana State Recreation area tabbed "Unity Camp." Yamauchi and his teammates slept in tents and grew closer as a team.
"This year has been different," Yamauchi said. "We don't have groups (within our team). Everyone hangs around with each other, and that's been the difference between this year's team and last year's. Getting knocked out of the playoffs in the first round last year, our work ethic this summer got better.
"Everybody lifted and ran in the summer every day -- Monday through Friday. We really trained hard, and it has shown on the field. I worked hard last year, too, but not as hard as I did this year. There was so much motivation. We're doing good right now, but we can still do better. We have to practice hard every day and play like we practice."
Friday night, the opponent is Kailua, a game that always has special meaning for Yamauchi. His best friend, Derek Mailau, is a defensive back for the Surfriders. They don't figure to cross paths on the field because they both play defense, but they're sure to meet up later.
"We grew up together, and we've been good friends ever since," said Yamauchi. "I try and go to all his games if it's not on the same day as our game. We talk every weekend about our games, and we look forward to our game (against each other) every year."
