Game Lineup: Make Or Break For Knights

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Champions in island prep football may be crowned in November, but the groundwork is laid in late July and in the grueling off-season work-outs away from the public eye.

With Castle High ready to open fall practice next week, MidWeek‘s Windward Islander looks at some themes that will shape its 2010 season.

Trap Game: Sept. 24 at home versus Roosevelt. Bye weeks can be a mixed bag for coaches. It’s a chance to get players healthy and to fine-tune fundamentals, but game-day “rust” can set in as well. The Knights will be coming off bye before this game and should be glad to play it at home. Also, it precedes the Oct. 2 away game vs. rival Kailua.

Breakdown of schedule:

Castle plays Roosevelt Sept. 24, Kailua Oct. 2 and Kahuku Oct. 8. Playing Kailua and Kahuku back-to-back - on the road, no less - is a tough prospect, so the Roosevelt game is a must win. After opening Aug. 28 on the road at Moanalua, the Knights play four straight home games (Damien, Farrington, Kaiser and Roosevelt).

Game of the year: Oct. 2 at Kailua. The battle for the “Hammer Trophy” (sponsored by Ace Hardware Hawaii) could have huge implications in the Red East race. The Knights have dominated the series of late, including 2009.

Game of the Year II: Sept. 3 at home versus Farrington. The Knights chance for a signature win comes early in week two. A win here would position them for a nice run on their home field.

One to Watch: Senior quarterback Jaymason Lee. A First Team, all Red East pick last year, Lee and team should score their share of points.

Said coach Nelson Maeda last spring: “He made good progress as the season went along and came to have a good understanding of our offensive system. Jaymason could end up being the most productive of them all.”

Stay tuned. The OIA season is fast approaching.