RONEN ZILBERMAN / RZILBERMAN@STARBULLETIN.COM
Kapolei Warren Simanu stopped Pearl City quarterback Jensen Cabanero during yesterday's West practice.
West after rare
Goodwill win
It's been a week of fun -- and more hard work -- for 100 of the best senior football players from across Oahu.
They're preparing for the 13th annual Hawaii Union Builders Goodwill Classic tomorrow night at 7:30 at Aloha Stadium.
Hawaii Union Builders
Who: Hawaii's top high school football players
Goodwill Classic
When: Tomorrow, 7:30 p.m.
Where:Aloha Stadium
History: East leads series 10-1-2
The West team will be trying to pull off a rare feat by beating the East, which leads the series 10-1-2.
"I've been reminded constantly that I was the head coach for those two ties," said East coach Wendell Look of Iolani. "But I kid them back by saying those two ties only add up to one loss."
Division I state champion Kahuku and runner-up Saint Louis (the state's most prestigious football programs) are both in the East, and that's part of the reason for the one-sidedness of past contests.
"It's going to be an uphill climb," said West coach Darren Hernandez of Kapolei. "We'll show up and compete and hopefully come out on top, but that doesn't happen often."
The game gives kids a chance to be teammates with some of the players they've been competing against all year.
"They're having a great time and it's wonderful to see what a sense of humor they all have," Look said. "But they know when to turn it on and stop fooling around."
Abel Werner, a quarterback for the East, is part of the fun-making machine.
"Abel scrambles around and has the defensive line all yelling at him, trying to intimidate him, but he keeps running all over the place and they can't catch him," Look said.
"Defensively, (Kailua lineman) Sione Tuifua is the ringleader, a clown, a comedian, but he's a heckuva ballplayer, too. It's amazing to see how quick he is, for being such a big kid."
Hernandez enjoys watching some of the beefier players show their stuff, including 6-foot-4, 310-pound Nanakuli two-way lineman Keala Watson.
"He's a big boy and a very good player," Hernandez said. "They're all really good kids."
Hernandez's Hurricanes started off 9-0, but lost two straight to Aiea and Damien to finish the season.
"It's a lot of fun coaching some of the boys that were a thorn in our side -- (Ben) Ah Mook Sang and (Lawrence) Leovao from Aiea, the Sevelo cousins (Soane and Fehi) and (Ranson) DeCosta from Damien," Hernandez said.
Wendell Say, who led Na Alii to the state Division II championship over the Monarchs, and Dean Nakagawa of D-II runner-up Damien, are two of Hernandez's assistants.
Saint Louis' Darnell Arceneaux and Castle's Nelson Maeda -- who led the Knights to the state title game a year ago -- are among the East's assistants.
"It's a good time for all of the players to spend an extended period of time and interact with players they know, have heard of or played against," Look said. "And it's a great thing to see the Saint Louis and Kahuku players all have a lot of respect for each other. That was a battle (the Red Raiders' 27-26 come-from-behind victory last Friday in the D-I state title game) they had."
Bulldogs' Oyama out: Ron Oyama, who is an East assistant in the all-star game, is leaving his post as Kaimuki football coach.
He coached five seasons after taking over for Fred Lee, the school's athletic director, and wants to continue his education.
"We'll miss him," Lee said. "He was my defensive coordinator (1996 to '98), so I knew that with him as coach, we wouldn't have to worry about anything. He was always ready with plans and practices and he came out and did the job."
The Bulldogs went 0-8 this fall. Oyama's best season was 1999, when Kaimuki made it to the state semifinals.
Among the players on that team were Kila Kamakawiwo'ole, Matt Faga and Daniel Tautofi, all of whom now play for the University of Hawaii.
"I fulfilled my dream," Oyama said. "In 13 years as an assistant and head coach for JV and varsity teams, football became my life. I'll miss the players and watching them make such good friends and form an unreal bond."
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Rosters
West
1 Lino Kavika LB Radford 2 Albert Distajo DB Nanakuli 3 Nathaniel Nasca SB Pearl City 4 Jensen Cabanero QB Pearl City 5 Aren Bisho SB Mililani 6 Ranson DeCosta RB Damien 7 Raymond Tauala RB Aiea 8 Jimmy Afamasaga WR Nanakuli 9 John Morris QB Punahou 10 Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada QB Kapolei 12 Christopher Duncan WR Punahou 14 Blake Furtado DB Leilehua 15 Roland Mason DB Kapolei 20 Bronson Pieper DB Kapolei 21 Ben Ah Mook Sang SB Aiea 22 Chris Shiramizu DB Punahou 28 Gabriel Spencer DB Kamehameha 30 John Dela Rama RB Kapolei 31 Chris Lave RB Waianae 33 Carlo Raneses RB Mililani 34 Fehi Sevelo DB Damien 40 Tamatoa Silva DB Kamehameha 41 Justin Barit LB Waialua 42 Ronald Jimenez DB Waianae 43 Peter Raneses RB Mililani 44 Mikhail Mabry LB Mililani 45 Lawrence Leovao LB Aiea 46 Keola Kaluhiokalani DL Kamehameha 47 Jake Ingram DL Mililani 50 Maifala La'a OL Waipahu 51 Nainoa Nu'uhiwa DL Kamehameha 54 Bryan Padayao LB Kapolei 55 Drake Kula LB Kapolei 56 Pio Malagaoma DL Leilehua 60 Lincoln Kawika OL Radford 62 Brennen Carvalho OL Kamehameha 64 Sterling Ohia OL Aiea 68 Elwen Freitas OL Kamehameha 70 Keala Watson DL Nanakuli 74 Curtis Masaniai OL Waipahu 75 Chris Medeiros DL Waianae 77 Keoni Steinhoff OL Damien 78 Rob Mason OL Mililani 80 Brandon Pieper WR Kapolei 84 Darren Smith WR Mililani 88 Brandon Green WR Pearl City 90 Warren Simanu DL Kapolei 94 Soane Sevelo DL Damien 95 David Veikune DL Campbell 98 Robert Brown DL Punahou
East
1 Shawn Agustin DB Iolani 2 Raynold Stowers RB Iolani 3 Ikaika Ho SB Castle 4 Travis Tyler WR Pac-Five 5 Kainoa Tauotaha SB Kaiser 6 Chris Assily DB Kaiser 7 Derek Mailau DB Kailua 8 Iakopo Taumua WR McKinley 9 Dylan Kuratsu DB Kaimuki 10 Brandon Shimomura SB Castle 11 C.J Santiago P/K Saint Louis 12 Abel Werner QB McKinley 13 Tony Sefo LB McKinley 14 Kealii Perbera QB Saint Louis 15 Jarred Suzui SB Castle 16 Jermaine See LB Kailua 20 Afa Garrigan DB Kahuku 21 Andrew Rutherford U Pac-Five 22 Matt Bell RB Farrington 23 Toriano Taulogo DB Kahuku 25 Antone Watanabe LB Castle 28 Shane Lawrence DB Pac-Five 31 Keoki McCabe LB Kailua 32 Paea Vaimoui RB Kahuku 33 Nigel Ross DB Moanalua 40 Ricky Eusebio LB Roosevelt 42 Walker Vave LB Kahuku 43 Jeremiah Mata LB McKinley 44 Josaia Milo DL Farrington 45 Sione Tuifua DL Kailua 47 Pono Vierra DB Saint Louis 50 Dylan Moss LB Saint Louis 51 Kalae Meagher DL Kailua 57 Fale Laeli DL Saint Louis 61 T.J Meyers DL Kalaheo 62 Alex Why OL Iolani 63 Jeremy Perry OL Kahuku 64 Jason DeGuzman OL Kalani 66 Bronson Carvalho OL Saint Louis 71 Kea Crowell OL Kailua 72 Keone Nakoa DL Iolani 73 Makana Mardonada OL Saint Louis 75 Daniel Paileulu OL Pac-Five 77 Jayson Quon OL Iolani 78 Dustin Pilialoha OL Pac-Five 79 Ernest Reid OL Kahuku 81 Paul Kaohu-Nishimura WR Pac-Five 82 Dylan Linkner WR Kailua 98 Randy Faletoi DL McKinley 99 Shosei Yamauchi DL Kahuku
