Family Dynasty Behind Paredes As Knights Face Waianae

Wednesday - October 21, 2009
By Jack Danilewicz
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Garrett Paredes tackles a teammate during practice at Castle. Photo by Byron Lee, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

When Abby Paredes notes her 8-year old son Hunter’s keen interest in football, she’s more pleased than alarmed.

The Paredes family has seen firsthand the benefits of football and school, after all, through sons Parker, Corey and Garrett.

“It will be interesting to see how our little guy does,” she said.“He’s his brothers’biggest fan. He already knows all the plays. He loves watching his older brothers.”

Hunter has a tough act to follow. Parker was on the 2007 Kamehameha team that won the Division I state championship. Ironically, that title came exactly 30 years after their last Prep Bowl triumph. That team included Parker’s father Lloyd. Parker went on to Southern Oregon and recently transferred to UH with his sights set on the 2010 season.

The second oldest of four sons, Corey had a great career at Castle and is now enjoying a stellar 2009 season at UH. He started as a walk-on and recently received a scholarship.


 

For all their success, the close-knit family is rallying around the third son, Garrett, who is having a solid senior season as a linebacker/running back for Castle. The Knights finished the season at 5-3 and had an open date on their schedule last week when the OIA playoffs began. The third seed out of the East, Castle travels to play West No. 2 seed Waianae in an OIA quarter-final on Friday.

“Being the third guy down (the line), Garrett benefited from his older brothers’experiences,” said Abby. “They always support each other. It’s all about football with them, and I’m happy they have that. It’s been a fun ride.”

Aside from being one of the team’s most assertive run-stoppers on defense, Garrett provides leadership. That means helping his teammates get over a tough loss. Castle lost 30-6 to Kahuku in its season finale, but hopes for post season are just as high as before, he said.

“When we lost, I told our guys to keep their heads up, that we’re a team that learns from its mistakes,“said Garrett, who is team co-captain with Shaydon Kehano, Lowen Rogers, Kody Souza and Eric Owen-Watts. “We played a good game against them, and now we have to bounce back. We’re all hyped up for this next game.”

The Seariders have played well down the stretch, closing out their Red West slate with a 54-41 romp over Mililani, and they offer a formidable challenge. The Knights have posted impressive wins over defending DII champion Iolani and rival Kailua this season,while losing to Farrington, Roosevelt and Kahuku. As in every game, Garrett sees the opportunity to be a difference-maker against Waianae.

“I love the challenge of playing the good teams,“he said. “It makes our team better. We lost to Kahuku, but that also makes us better.”

His skill as a leader goes back to his work ethic. Like his brothers, he never takes a play off.

“Football is an everyday thing in my life,” he said. “There’s never a time when it leaves my mind. What motivates me mostly is my brothers. They inspire me to follow in their footsteps.”


He played three years of Pop Warner football before entering Castle as the freshman. Midway through his sophomore year, he moved up to varsity and settled in as a line-backer.

“When I started my freshman year, I decided I needed to get serious with football,” he said.“That was the start. I thought to myself, ‘I could make a future of this,’ and I trained hard. I started to focus on my grades.” He has a 3.8 grade-point average.

On game days, he never has trouble focusing. The team assembles in a small theater on campus before games as a way of getting to the right place in their minds. “We have family ritual with our spiritual leaders where we talk and pray together. We’re in there two hours before the game.”

On the field, it doesn’t take Garrett long to transfer his intense focus into the matter at hand - which is to stuff the ball carrier. “I love to hit,” he said.

 

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