[ HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL ]
RONEN ZILBERMAN / RZILBERMAN@STARBULLETIN.COM
Saint Louis coach Darnell Arceneaux and Baldwin coach Chad Kauhaahaa chatted during yesterday's press conference.
Prep coaches
gearing up for
state football tourney
Head coaches of the 14 teams in the upcoming First Hawaiian Bank State Football Championships were reminded yesterday of their busy week ahead.
Instead of taking a Sunday breather and tuning into some televised NFL matchups, all but one of the coaches attended a tournament press conference at Aloha Stadium.
It was an interesting mix of coaches from the eight Division I and six Division II participating schools -- six from the neighbor islands, two in their first year on the job and four who are leading their teams to their first state-tournament appearance.
"There are some awfully good teams -- Kahuku, Kailua, Mililani," said Darnell Arceneaux, the rookie coach of Interscholastic League of Honolulu champion Saint Louis. "So this won't be a walk in the park."
And even though this is Arceneaux's first foray into the states as a coach, his defending state champion Crusaders (7-1) must also be considered one of those "awfully good teams." They play Oahu Interscholastic Association fourth-place Mililani in a first-round game Friday at Aloha Stadium and are also one of the favorites to make it back to the title game. This is the first state-tournament appearance for coach James Millwood and his Trojans (9-2).
Kahuku coach Siuaki Livai was the only no-show yesterday. The OIA champion Red Raiders (11-0) -- the only undefeated team in the state and another favorite to make it to the D-I championship game -- were represented by athletic director Joe Whitford.
"They're athletic and big, but we see some opportunities," said Kauai coach Kelii Morgado, whose team meets Kahuku in the first round Friday at Aloha Stadium. "We're a lot smaller, but we believe we're faster and you know what they say -- speed kills."
That game is a battle of teams with the same nickname, and the Kauai Interscholastic Federation champion Red Raiders (5-3) are decided underdogs.
The Kailua (8-2-1) vs. Baldwin (9-1) game at War Memorial Stadium on Maui is one of the most attractive first-round D-I matchups. The Bears held off hard-charging Maui and King Kekaulike to win the Maui Interscholastic League championship, and they avoided a playoff in the process. The Surfriders were the only team to give Kahuku a serious challenge -- losing a 6-0 OIA championship-game thriller when Kahuku broke a scoreless tie with 20 seconds left.
This is Kailua's fourth state appearance and Baldwin's third, but coaches Darren Johnson of the Surfriders and Chad Kauhaahaa of Baldwin say their players know the importance of tournament success.
"We're competing for the state title, not just happy to be here, and all of our kids are in that frame of mind," Kauhaahaa said. "We're going up against a great, big, explosive Kailua football team."
Said Johnson: "We're ready to make the next step. We've been getting there, but we want to win our share, too. Baldwin brings a lot to the table. They're not as physical as Kahuku -- which is the most physical team in the state besides us -- but they're physical in their own way."
Big Island Interscholastic Federation champion Hilo (8-2) upset regular-season title-winner Kealakehe last Friday to qualify for its first state-tournament appearance since 2000. The Vikings host OIA third-place Farrington (6-4-1) on Friday at Keaau High School.
"That was a big win for us to get us over the hump," Hilo coach Albert Kawelu said. "Our senior class hadn't beaten Kealakehe until then."
Kawelu hasn't seen the Governors play, but he knows which key player to stop.
"Everybody tells me about Matt Bell," he said. "We gotta watch him."
Bell, a dangerous running back and slotback, scored both of Farrington's touchdowns in an OIA third-place-game victory over Mililani. The Governors are making their third state tournament appearance and second in a row under coach Randall Okimoto.
Waimea's Liko Pereira and Aiea's Wendell Say have more time to prepare than any of the other tournament coaches. That's because the KIF runner-up Menehunes (6-2) and OIA White Conference champion Na Alii (8-2) have a first-round bye in the Division II tournament.
Co-head coaches Dean Nakagawa and Rudy Alejo of ILH D-II champion Damien know the Monarchs (3-5) will have their hands full against OIA White runner-up Kapolei (9-1) in Friday's first-round game at Aiea High School. Under coach Darren Hernandez, the Hurricanes lost for the only time this season in the White title game Friday and are hungry to get back in form.
"We have a much smaller roster, so we'll have to maximize the play from our key players," Alejo said. "We've been fortunate to have solid senior leadership this year from guys who have also given us great team play."
Both Damien and Kapolei are in the states for the first time.
Lahainaluna (1-7-1) hosts Hawaii Prep (7-4) on Saturday at War Memorial Stadium. Coach Tom Goodspeed and his Ka Makani qualified for the D-I tourney a year ago and beat Konawaena last Saturday to get into this year's D-II loop.
"The kids are ecstatic," Goodspeed said. "They've come a lot further from the beginning to end of the season than last year. We really kicked it in and did a great job after a slow start."
Waimea is the only team other than Saint Louis to qualify for the state tournament all five years since it began in 1999. The Menehunes were beaten by Kauai for the KIF title after a string of 11 championships in a row, but qualified because they are the only D-II team on the Garden Isle.
"The kids are ready to make a statement and give everything they have," Waimea's Pereira said. "They'll be playing with pride and hustle against one of two great teams, Kapolei or Damien."
Aiea and Lahainaluna are making their first state appearance since 2001.
First Hawaiian Bank State
Football ChampionshipsDivision I
Quarterfinals
Friday, Nov. 21
Kauai (5-3) vs. Kahuku (11-0), at Aloha Stadium, 5 p.m.
Farrington (6-4-1) vs. Hilo (8-2), at Keaau High School, 7:30 p.m.
Kailua (8-2-1) vs. Baldwin (9-1), at War Memorial Stadium, 7:30 p.m.
Mililani (9-2) vs. Saint Louis (7-1), at Aloha Stadium, 8 p.m.Semifinals
Friday, Nov. 28
Kauai/Kahuku winner vs. Hilo/Farrington winner, at Aloha Stadium, 5 p.m.
Kailua/Baldwin winner vs. Mililani/Saint Louis winner, at Aloha Stadium, 8 p.m.Championship
Friday, Dec. 5
Semifinal winners, at Aloha Stadium, 8 p.m.
Division II
First round
Friday, Nov. 21
Damien (3-5) vs. Kapolei (9-1), at Aiea High School, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 22
Hawaii Prep (7-4) vs. Lahainaluna (1-7-1), 7:30 p.m.Semifinals
Friday, Nov. 28
Damien/Kapolei winner vs. Waimea (6-2), at Vidinha Stadium, 7:30 p.m.
Hawaii Prep/Lahainaluna winner vs. Aiea (8-2), site TBD, 7:30 p.m.Championship
Friday, Dec. 5
Semifinal winners, at Aloha Stadium, 5 p.m.
