[ ARENA FOOTBALL ]
Relentless Aguiar
refuses to moveHe does it all for the Islanders,
playing offense and defense,
and stabilizing the line
Kealii Aguiar is a tough guy to move.
Just as opponents have a difficult time getting the 6-foot-2, 300-pound lineman to budge, it can be equally challenging for the Hawaiian Islanders coaches to get Aguiar to leave his spot on the field for even a few plays.
"Once he's out there it's hard to get him off," Islanders line coach Darren Hernandez said. "Even when it's time to change the offense and defensive groups, he's mad if he has to come out."
Riptide at Islanders
When: Today, 6:30 p.m.Where: Blaisdell Arena
TV: None
Radio: Live, 1500-AM
Internet: hawaiianislanders.com
Tickets: Lower bowl reserved $25, upper bowl sideline reserved $15, upper bowl end zone (general admission $10, Youth (17 and under) $7, handicapped $10.
Parking: $5
Promotion: Fans with a Geico Direct insurance card receive 50 percent off a general admission ticket.
West Division W L T Pct. Bakersfield 6 4 0 .600 Hawaii 6 4 0 .600 San Diego 4 5 0 .444 Central Valley 1 9 0 .100 This week's games
Central Valley at Bakersfield, 4 p.m.
San Diego at Hawaii, 6:30 p.m.
Known as "Moose" to his teammates, Aguiar has been a fixture on the line this season for the Islanders, who face the San Diego Riptide in an arenafootball2 West Division game tonight at Blaisdell Arena.
Where some players struggle with the task of playing both offense and defense, the rules of the indoor game suit both Aguiar's football background and his thirst for action.
"Every single football player wants the opportunity to play as many plays as he can," Aguiar said. "If he doesn't have that feeling or desire then he's not a football player, plain and simple."
The rookie from the University of Hawaii has been a stabilizing member of a line that has four members on injured reserve entering tonight's game.
The latest addition to the list was Andy Ramos, whose streak of 44 consecutive games played will end due to a knee injury. Ramos and Aguiar had split time at center/nose tackle this season.
"Kealii will step it up," said Ramos, who hopes to return by the end of the regular season or the playoffs. "He knows what needs to be done and he'll keep the line together. I have faith in the boys and I know they'll get it done."
Aguiar got experience playing both sides of the line as a starter at Waimea High School, where Kauai Interscholastic Federation championships were abundant even if big bodies were in short supply.
The conditioning and technique he developed with the Menehunes helped him earn all-conference and all-region honors as an offensive lineman at McPherson (Kan.) College and Dixie (Utah) College.
He moved to defense when he transferred to UH and had three tackles in limited action in 2002. He worked his way into the rotation on a line headlined by Isaac Sopoaga, Travis LaBoy, Lance Samuseva and Houston Ala last fall, finishing with nine tackles in 12 games.
Aguiar joined the Islanders in the spring and emerged as one of the team's steadiest performers up front.
"What I like about him is he has a nastiness about him," Hernandez said. "He's tough and physical and he doesn't back down from anybody. ... He has what you look for in a nose tackle, a tough-as-nails attitude.
"He'd play football for free. He'd play in a gravel pit if he had to."
Although he plays both sides of the ball, Aguiar is approaching tonight's game with defense on his mind. The Islanders surrendered a team-record 91 points when San Diego last visited Blaisdell Arena and are looking to redeem themselves in the rematch.
"Coming from a defensive standpoint it's tough," he said of the May 28 defeat. "I know it's arena football and it's an offensive mindset, but to give up 91 points is just horrific. We're just going to try to put out an effort where they don't get 91 points on us again."
As one of the few neighbor-island products to play Division I college football, Aguiar draws motivation from representing Kauai. Aguiar and Robert Kemfort (Maui) are the only Hawaii-born Islanders who played their high school ball off Oahu.
"Most outer-island guys come into the University of Hawaii or the Islanders with a little chip on our shoulder, with something to prove," Aguiar said. "But football is football no matter where you play, whether it's on a neighbor island or it's on Oahu, or it's the University of Hawaii, or arena, or the NFL."
While Aguiar likes to stay busy on the field, he's equally active away from the arena. In addition to working toward graduation in the fall, he and his wife Kisha are raising a 10-month-old daughter.
Although playing for the Islanders occupies a sizable chunk of an already hectic schedule, Aguiar isn't thinking about leaving the game any time soon.
"I just want to ride this football thing until the wheels fall off," he said.