COMMUNITY > West > Sports

The Fight Behind Them, Aiea Is Ready To Take On Trojans

Del.icio.us

The Aiea football team warms up during a recent practice. Photo by Leah Ball, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Keenan Naeole proved himself as a field general during his injury-shortened junior season. Off the field, inside the Aiea locker room, he’s been coming into his own as well, in Na Ali’i coach Wendell Say’s view.

“Mentally, he’s tough,” Say said of his quarterback. “He’s probably been the strongest (emotionally) around here through all of this. He’s upbeat when it comes to talking to the team - he’s been a good leader - and it makes us think about what might have been had he not gotten injured last year.”

It has been a trying early season for Na Ali’i. When their Aug. 24 game with Campbell ended in a melee, both Na Ali’i and the Sabers were forced to forfeit their ensuing league game a fortnight later. Last week, Aiea was happy just to get back on the field for its game with Radford.

“You take it as a learning experience and hope it never happens again,” said Say. “The layoff was maybe a blessing in disguise. The good part is that we’ve gotten everyone back healthy, even some kids we had (sitting) out at the beginning of the season.”

To be sure, there is still much hope for Naeole and Na Ali’i this season. Indeed, a road win over Mililani at 7 p.m. Friday would go a long way in making up for some lost time on the gridiron. Ironically, it was during Na Ali’i's game against Mililani last September that Naeole suffered a season-ending injury. The 5-7, 160 pound senior has come a long way back from that time, according to his coach.

“He had a real good game against Saint Louis - threw the ball real well. We just have to get our timing back to game mode.” In that regard, Aiea benefits from having eight of its top 10 receivers from a year ago back in the fold, including play-makers James Buchanan and Aldodius Colquitt. Running back Daniel Liilii has also fully recovered from an ankle injury and should give Na Ali’i's run game a lift. With Mililani’s own offense among the league’s most capable, the matchup between Aiea’s offense and Mililani’s defense could play a huge role in the outcome.

“We want to make sure we play well (offensively),” Say said. “It’s hard to play defense the whole game. We have to control the ball - catch passes and not waste downs. Like the old saying, three things can happen when you throw, and two of them are bad.”

For Mililani’s part, its defense faces a team with a differing approach to its offensive scheme for the third straight week. The Trojans faced a running team in Waianae in Week I of West play before battling Leilehua, which is balanced, the next week. In Na Ali’i, Mililani will go against a team that sets up the run with the pass.

“They have real good defensive backs, so it’s going to be a good matchup,” Say said. “They’re a good team overall. They haven’t missed a beat coaching(wise) with (first-year head coach) Darnell (Arceneaux).”

Defensively, Aiea will face a formidable challenge of its own in the Trojans, whose offense centers around senior quarterback Rustin Funikoshi and wide receiver Taz Stevenson, who showed his game-breaking ability with an 87-yard kickoff return for a touch-down against Castle last month.

“You might stop him once or twice, but eventually he’ll break one,” Say said.“We have to be consistent in stopping him. Their offense is pretty solid. They look like they’re in mid-season form.”

Aiea’s defense is led by free safety David Sevaaetasi, cornerback Josh Chung, strong safety (and three-year starter) Alex Mauga, and linemen Kaneoka Asing, Miah Faatoafe, Brennan Sato and Lawrence Lagafuina.

“We’ve been improving and playing well (defensively),” Say said. “Hopefully, the layoff didn’t add some rust to us.”

NA ALI’I NOTES: Although the OIA dictated that Aiea forfeit its Sept. 6 game with Kapolei, Say also suspended 21 players for Na Ali’i's interleague game with Saint Louis the week before. “We couldn’t see everything on the film (of the skirmish with Campbell), so we put it to the kids, and they stepped forward and admitted it. You can’t have a football team without honesty.” ... Aiea has played in the OIA championship game in three of the past six years. . . . Na Ali’i won both the DII OIA and State titles in 2003, while finishing as the DI runnerup twice. . . . Aiea still has games remaining with Waianae at home Sept. 28 and on the road against Leilehua Oct. 5.