Hurricanes Ready to Rock And Roll In Higher Division Play

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Kapolei football coach Darren Hernandez takes a turn
on the field to contemplate the game while his team
spends some time bonding. Photo courtesy of
ReplayImages.

Kapolei High School’s elevation to the high-rent district of Hawaii prep football was instantaneous when the Hurricanes began playing varsity football in 2002. But even head coach Darren Hernandez admits that one key piece was missing despite the program’s success.

“In my seven years (as the head coach) at Campbell, we always had a spring game.We didn’t have the facilities here before, so we didn’t even have spring football.”

Until now, that is. Next Monday, 125 Hurricanes will suit up for Kapolei when it begins its first series of spring football workouts. Under OIA guidelines, the Hurricanes will be allotted 10 practices within a 14-day period, marking the beginning of the 2006 season. The date of Kapolei’s spring game is still to be determined, but Hernandez welcomed the addition of spring ball.

The Hurricanes are coming off of a productive off-season that saw them bulk up in the weight room. And when it comes to facilities, few are better off now than Kapolei, whose stadium was finished in time for the 2005 season.

“We probably have the best weight room in the OIA,” Hernandez said.“But having a nice facility is only a beginning. Equipment alone doesn’t make a football team. These boys have shown the necessary desire to work out.We were pleased with our off-season.”

The Hurricanes finished 4-2 (tied for second) in the West-Red Division last season and lost four Division I scholarship players - Pookela Ahmad and Alasi Toilolo (UH), Brad Padayao and Jon Santiago (Air Force) - to graduation. But hopes remain high. While the team is entering only its fifth season of varsity football, their system is firmly in place.

“It’s difficult to replace four kids of that caliber, but we’re really excited about this team,”

Hernandez said.“We’ll improve and get better.We run an integrated program here, with the varsity and JV run as one. The JV kids have a lot of familiarity with what we do.

“The JV is to teach and learn,” he added.“We’re not trying to win championships at that level. If we have a sophomore who can contend for a second-string position on the varsity,we’ll pull him up.We’re looking at 12 to 15 sophomores moving up (to the varsity) this year.”

Talk around the program centers around the veterans at present,however, highlighted by junior quarterback Aaron Santiago. Although a back-up at quarterback a year ago, Santiago burst on the local football scene like a meteor last fall when he stepped in for the injured Padayao in a pre-season game with Kailua and threw for two touchdowns and ran for another.

“It’s the wave of the future to find a quarterback who can run and pass, a la Vince Young (University of Texas fame),“Hernandez said.“Aaron’s difficult to defend. He’s a fantastic athlete, he runs a 4.5 in the 40 (yard dash), and he can cut on a dime. We’ll run everything around him.”

A 4.0 student, Santiago is being recruited by Stanford, Oregon and a host of other schools. College recruiters are wise to add Kapolei to their list when looking for their next quarterback. Padayao, who was last year’s starter, will compete for the starting job at the Air Force Academy, while another former standout at quarterback for the Hurricanes, Kaipo-Noa KaheakuEnhada, figures to be the starter at the Naval Academy in the fall.

“It’s quite a feather in our cap to have two kids vying for (DI) starting jobs when we’ve played only four years of varsity football,“Hernandez said. “We’re proud of that.”

Because he’ll be the catalyst in Kapolei’s spread-option offense, Santiago will be kept off of return teams this season, but plenty of talent can still be found among the skilled positions.

Hernandez is high on a pair of speedy running backs, senior Kamuela Foki and sophomore Cyril Ontai , as well as wide receiver Caleb Spencer and slot backs Nate Dixon and Josh Hose. Up front, 6-foot-4, 290-pound Mike Matamua leads the way at guard. Previously a tackle, he’s being recruited by Tennessee, Oklahoma and UCLA, among others. Hernandez envisions Justin Cossey, Dante Lomboy and Stan Hasiak alongside Matamua on the offensive line.

Defensively, there’s plenty of size in the trenches with Tuaumu Taimalelagi (6-3, 320), Siosaia Tuitulotu (6-2, 260) and Othamiel Maiava (6-4, 270). Chad Lopati, Jared Rodrigues-Morales, Mike Kahalehoe and Trent Nakata are projected starters at linebacker, with Austin Healy and Kalae Parish expected to anchor the secondary.

“We’ve got size and guys who can run around. We have the physical tools; it’s now a matter of coming together as a group. Our overall balance is our strength. We will be much improved in all areas.”

Kapolei’s spring workouts will be evenly divided between non-contact and full contact. The last five workouts will see the Hurricanes in full pads, Hernandez said.

“It will give us a chance to see the younger guys (in a full contact situation),“he said.“Competition will be fierce. It will be intense.”