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Islanders disappointed
after season without
playoffs
They were two words that became something of a mantra around the Hawaiian Islanders' practices.
Words players shouted at themselves when a pass slipped through their hands, a phrase they used to break their huddles, a reminder of why they were spending their evenings running around in helmets and pads.
"Get better."
Those words will also be the focus of the Islanders' offseason following an 8-8 campaign. A year after winning the West Division championship, the Islanders missed out on the playoffs in their third year in arenafootball2.
"The bar was set and we didn't set out to win a division championship -- we wanted to win the whole thing," Islanders coach Cal Lee said. "So it was disappointing for everyone, the coaches, the players, the organization and the fans."
Lee is planning to return to the sidelines next spring for his third season with the Islanders. And even a coach with his wealth of experience can still glean a few lessons from the struggles of this season.
"It's always a learning experience, no matter what you do or how long you've been in it," Lee said. "The reason you become better is from these experiences you go through during the season.
"As a staff you realize that you can't take anything for granted. I think you're always working because every week is a new game. It doesn't matter what you did last week, it's what you've done lately."
Although the Islanders' season didn't produce the result the players and coaches had hoped for, it certainly didn't lack excitement.
The Islanders kept fans riveted with 10 games decided by six points or fewer, including several that weren't decided until the final play. The Islanders went 6-4 in those games, but as far as Lee is concerned, getting better will mean not having to rely on last-minute heroics as often.
"Next year we need to be so much better that it doesn't come down to the last play, the last drive, the last second," Lee said.
The Islanders finished second in af2 in total offense, averaging 284 yards per game. But they finished last in defense, surrendering 289 yards per contest, and struggled to put teams away, resulting in the close finishes that highlighted the season.
"We lost four or five games by a matter of six or seven points, but that's not any consolation," Lee said. "We still lost, whether it's one point or 20."
One of the major differences between the championship season of 2003 and this summer was the Islanders' inability to avoid the injury bug. Defensive specialist Eddie Klaneski missed the second half of the season with a knee injury. Even lineman Andy Ramos, who had played in 44 straight games, was forced to the bench.
But Lee refuses to point to the injuries as a reason for the team's struggles.
"You never want to make excuses why you lost, because you know things like this happen," he said.
"Last year I could count on one hand how many guys got hurt, and this year one hand is not enough for just the linemen. But as a coach you understand that things like this happen. Knowing that, you're always positive and you have somebody that can step up."
In Klaneski's absence Joshua Robinson emerged as a leader in the secondary and was one of the few players to play in every game. He finished third in af2 with 89 total tackles.
When quarterback Darnell Arceneaux went down with a sprained knee, Shawn Withy-Allen turned in a record-breaking performance in an exhilarating win over Louisville in the Islanders' home finale.
Anthony Arceneaux stepped forward as one of the league's top scoring threats with 32 touchdowns. He was second in the league in kickoff return average and took five back for scores.
After enduring the grind of a 16-game season stretched over 18 weeks, Lee is switching gears as he focuses on his role as linebackers coach at the University of Hawaii. He's also looking forward to the opportunity to lead the Islanders to better things next season.
"For most coaches it's about the people you're working with," Lee said. "And if you enjoy the people you're working with, then why not?"
www.hawaiianislanders.com
2004 Hawaiian Islanders
Record: 8-8 68 at Central Valley 35 35 at Louisville 37 63 Bossier-Shreveport 60 45 Bakersfield 40 42 at Boss.-Shreveport 61 55 at San Diego (OT) 54 54 Central Valley 48 77 San Diego 91 44 at Bakersfield 52 70 Central Valley 42 59 San Diego 64 40 at San Diego 37 41 Bakersfield 43 62 Louisville 59 63 at Central Valley 64 38 at Bakersfield 58 Individual Leaders
RUSHING Att Yds Avg. TD YPG Darnell Arceneaux 38 173 4.6 14 13.3 Shawn Withy-Allen 22 88 4.0 7 11.0 Vai Notoa 36 84 2.3 7 5.6 PASSING Comp Att Int Yds Pct. TD D.Arceneaux 189 341 7 2,784 55.4 53 Withy-Allen 107 161 6 1,401 66.5 21 RECEIVING Rec. Yds TD YPG Nian Taylor 73 1,061 23 70.7 Anthony Arceneaux 65 1,026 26 73.3 Gabe Amey 36 562 7 112.4 Aaron Smith 28 251 1 20.9
