[ ARENA FOOTBALL ]
Islanders holding the line
This spring, Darren Hernandez has shuffled the deck as much as a Las Vegas dealer.
As the Hawaiian Islanders assistant coach overseeing the team's linemen, Hernandez repeatedly altered the lineup along the offensive and defensive front as injuries piled up early in the arenafootball2 season.
"It's a good thing we have so many guys, because we've had a revolving door," Hernandez said.
arenafootball2
Who: Central Valley Coyotes vs. Hawaiian IslandersWhen: Tomorrow, 6:30 p.m.
Where: Blaisdell Arena
TV: None
Radio: Live, KUMU2 1500-AM
Tickets: $25 lower level adult, $15 upper level sideline, $10 upper level end zone (general admission), $7 youth (ages 17 and under). Convenience fees apply.
Promotion: Military Appreciation Day. Those with military ID receive 50 percent off general admission tickets (at the Blaisdell box office only).
But after scrambling to find six healthy linemen for recent games, the Islanders (4-2) are close to being back at full strength entering tomorrow's arenafootball2 West Division game against the Central Valley Coyotes (1-5) at Blaisdell Arena.
Consequently, Hernandez's task now is to meld the talents of the Islanders' stable of linemen.
"They all have different styles," Hernandez said. "Some are more natural O-linemen, some are more natural D-linemen, so they bring their different strengths and weaknesses. ... You kind of take what you've got and game-plan around it."
Arena football requires linemen to play on both sides of the ball, meaning players who once specialized in rushing the passer must also prove adept at protecting the quarterback.
Joe Correia, a defensive end at the University of Hawaii, gained an appreciation for the demands on linemen in the indoor game after making his Islanders debut two weeks ago.
"I give a lot of respect to these players," Correia said. "I never realized how tough it was. You have to be in cardiovascular shape.
"Not everybody can play this, I don't even know if I can play it yet. I'm still giving it a shot."
The Islanders are tied for fourth in the league in sacks allowed with three totaling 14 yards, due in part to quarterback Darnell Arceneaux's ability to elude the rush and the work of a sometimes patchwork Islanders line.
Andy Ramos and Kealii Aguiar have anchored the middle of the offensive and defensive lines this season and James Davis and Mose Tuia have proved solid up front for the Islanders.
Morrie Roe and Antoine Simpson were activated off the injured-reserve list this week and are expected to be back in action tomorrow.
Correia and Shayne Kajioka were pressed into action in the Islanders' last two games. Both had just one week of practice before being sent onto the field.
While Kajioka is nursing injuries this week, Correia is expected to see playing time tomorrow.
Former Saint Louis and Utah lineman Sean Souza has attended recent practices, and Derek Zoller, who played for the Islanders two years ago, may soon return from a knee injury.
Although the increase in numbers means a bump in competition for the six spots on the 19-man gameday roster, the veterans have taken on the role as mentors for the newcomers.
"We welcome everybody," said Ramos, the only Islander to play in every game in franchise history. "It makes everybody work harder and we all get to compete for that next game."
Roster moves: The Islanders still have a couple of linemen on the shelf this week. Evile Puna was placed on the short-term injured-reserve list and Tiki Sagapolutele is caught between teams.
Sagapolutele was reassigned to the league last month and was claimed by Bakersfield. When he elected to stay in Honolulu, the Blitz placed him on the "refused to report" list and continue to hold his rights. The Islanders are making an appeal to have him released.
Along with Roe, the Islanders activated receiver/defensive back Anthony Arceneaux for tomorrow's game. Arceneaux missed the San Diego game with bruised ribs.
The Islanders released offensive specialist Mike Miller and receiver/defensive back Channon Harris.