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Goodwill Senior Bowl Heavy With Area Players, Coaches

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Although Castle head football coach Nelson Maeda would have loved for his Knights to be part of the First Hawaiian Bank Division I State Football Championship game last Friday night, he did find a noteworthy alternative last week as a way of giving back to the game of football.

Indeed, the veteran coach was busy last week - and this week - preparing the East squad for this Saturday night’s 16th Annual HUB Goodwill Senior Bowl, which will be presented by Hawaiian Telcom.

“It’s the second-best thing (to coaching in a state title game),” said Maeda of the Dec. 9 Senior Bowl. “It’s a great honor not only for the players, but for the coaches as well. It’s nice to work with coaches from other schools, and there’s a lot of camaraderie. I’m ecstatic that the Hawaii Union Builders Foundation and the other sponsors are involved again. It’s a great thing for the coaches, players and the spectators. For the players, this is the last high school football game they’ll play in.”

Kickoff for the event is set for 7:30 p.m. at Kunuiakea Stadium on the Kapalama campus of Kamehameha Schools. (Tickets are $5 and can be purchased at the door or in advance at the Aloha Stadium box office.)

The East squad has practiced with a 35-man roster since early last week with only the members from Saint Louis and Kahuku absent. Those players were expected to join the team on Monday, as they were busy preparing for the First Hawaiian Bank Division I State Championship game that was to be played Friday between the Crusaders and Red Raiders.

“A lot of the players have other commitments, but we’ve had nearly 100 percent attendance,” Maeda said of the East’s workouts.

“It’s a challenge because we have a short time together. Because they’re so talented and coachable, it’s made it easier to have them play as one group.”

As in past years, Hawaii’s four Windward schools - Castle, Kalaheo, Kailua and Kahuku - will be well-represented on Saturday with 18 players from their respective teams competing for the East squad.

Among the Knights who will take part in the contest area quarterback Bryson Ukauka, wide receiver Scott Keiter-Charles, wide receiver/corner back Jesse Humalon, outside linebacker Corey Paredes and middle line-backer Lolegi Maae.

Ukauka connected on 100 of 190 passes for 1,260 yards and threw for eight touchdowns for Castle during its Oahu Interscholastic Association East Red regular season this fall. Ukauka is one of three quarterbacks that have been taking part in the East team’s workouts. Also in the fold are Tilton Kaluna of McKinley and Farrington’s Elija Filifili, players whose talents Maeda understands firsthand after competing against them this fall at Castle.

“All three have been rotating and taking equal repetitions,” Maeda said of his quarterbacks. “We’ll pretty much go with a rotation. We feel confident in all three.”

Maeda and the East squad will also have the services of Kaiser running back Issac Saffery, who averaged eight yards per carry while rushing for 1,329 yards and 17 touchdowns this year. With Kaiser having competed in Division II this season, Saffery flew largely under the radar, but was well-known within the OIA’s White Division.

“He’s very athletic and very deserving,” Maeda said of Saffery. “He’s a tough runner with quick feet, and he finds the hole very well. He’s truly the player that’s been receiving the recognition for what he’s done at Kaiser.”

OIA champion Kahuku, which was playing in its fifth state championship game in seven years last Friday, will be represented by seven players on the East squad, including two-way stand-out John Manu-Olevao, defensive tackle Malone Fiso, running back Lehi Aumua, quarterback/corner back Richard Torres, free safety Gary Nagy, and offensive linemen Ross Salanoa and Spencer Mauai. Red Raider defensive tackle Kaniela Tuipulotu was selected to play in the game, but declined the invitation because of an upcoming commitment to another All-Star game.

Kalaheo will have a pair of players - running back/corner back Koa Siliga and linebacker/running back Aka Poole - on the East roster, while wide receiver Shaun Forges, two-way lineman Kainoa Kapuniai, running back Keelen Gonda and defensive tackle Patrick Akau will take part from Kailua.

Surfrider head coach Gary Rosolowich will serve as an assistant coach for the East squad.