[ ARENA FOOTBALL ]
Withy-Allen gets the
call for Islanders
Hawaiian Islanders quarterback Shawn Withy-Allen will make his first start since his senior year of high school when the Islanders face the San Diego Riptide in an arenafootball2 game on Saturday.
Withy-Allen replaces Darnell Arceneaux, who is in American Samoa to help with the Joe Salave'a Foundation Youth Football Camp.
"It'll be different, definitely, I'm sure there will be a little bit of nerves, but I'm very confident," Withy-Allen said before yesterday's practice at Aloha Stadium. "I've been waiting for this opportunity for quite a long time and I feel quite prepared and ready to go."
Arceneaux, who has started every game this season, will be eligible to return to the lineup for the Islanders' home game against West Division leader Bakersfield on July 10.
Islanders coach Cal Lee said Arceneaux informed him of the trip during the Islanders' bye last week and cleared the absence with the coach.
The camp started Tuesday and finishes tomorrow. Arceneaux is scheduled to return to Honolulu on Saturday.
Arceneaux's trip means Withy-Allen will start under center for the first time since his senior season at Kalaheo High when the Islanders (6-5) play the Riptide (5-6) at San Diego Sports Arena.
Both teams are chasing Bakersfield (8-4) in the West Division and are also in the hunt for a wild-card berth to the af2 playoffs.
"Shawn's ready," Lee said. "He just needs a chance to get out there and play and this is the opportunity. I'm sure he's excited about it."
Withy-Allen has played in three games in his rookie season with the Islanders. He hasn't attempted a pass since going 2-for-2 for 17 yards and a touchdown against Central Valley in the season opener on March 27. He scored his first rushing touchdown in a rematch with the Coyotes on June 12.
"Shawn does a great job in practice. It's just he hasn't had a chance to showcase what he can do in the games and this is going to be his chance," offensive specialist Anthony Arceneaux said.
Withy-Allen started the year as the third-string quarterback, but moved up the depth chart when Brian Ah Yat left the team early in the season.
Aaron Smith, a receiver/ linebacker who played quarterback at Wagner College, will back up Withy-Allen this week.
Withy-Allen graduated from Kalaheo in 1998 and played in 17 games in his University of Hawaii career, 13 as a senior in 2002.
Withy-Allen redshirted his first year at UH, spent the next two years on the scout team and played sparingly as a backup to Nick Rolovich and Tim Chang his junior year.
Chang started every game in 2002, but Withy-Allen was solid in several relief appearances.
He completed 57 percent of his passes and racked up 770 yards and seven touchdowns. He came off the bench to complete 18 of 31 passes for 239 yards and two touchdowns in a 36-28 loss to Tulane in the ConAgra Foods Hawaii Bowl.
"When I was at UH I wouldn't even know I was going in until the play before," he said. "The earliest June Jones gave me the heads up was maybe the series before I went in.
"I've prepared myself and learned that I have to stay ready at all times. I've prepared the past 11 weeks to be playing. This week just happens to be the time to put the preparation to use."
Withy-Allen will try to spark an Islanders squad that has lost three of its last four games, including two home losses against San Diego.
The Islanders can close to within a game of Bakersfield with a win over San Diego. A Riptide win creates a tie for second place, with both teams two games behind the Blitz with four left to play.
Bakersfield has a bye this week and plays the Islanders at Blaisdell Arena next week.