Knights Hone Their No-huddle Offense For Punahou Game

Wednesday - August 27, 2008
By Jack Danilewicz
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About the only thing missing from Castle High’s riveting win over Mililani recently was the team’s employment of the no-huddle offense.

That was by design, according to Nelson Maeda, whose Knights were to unveil the no-huddle against Kaimuki in their OIA Red East opener last weekend. The no-huddle could figure equally big in Friday night’s inter-league game with ILH powerhouse Punahou. While a fixture for much of the decade, beginning in 2000 when the Knights were led by quarterback Joel Botelho, the no-huddle was used sparingly in 2006 and 2007.

“It gives us an advantage if we do it like we’re supposed too,” Maeda said. “We want to set the tempo of the game. It forces teams to think on the run.

“Iolani is the team to emulate (among those using the no-huddle approach),” he added. “When we played them a couple of years ago, they were beating us out of the huddle.”


For the Knights, Punahou represents a third straight week against a marquee opponent with the Buffanblu providing perhaps the most rigid hurdle to date. Punahou entered its season-opener with Waianae last weekend ranked first in the state in a Honolulu Star-Bulletin coaches’ poll. Punahou is 26-6 over the past three years and was the 2005 state tournament runner-up to Kahuku.

“They have four or five blue-chip prospects - a lot of athletic ability as a team - and a winning tradition,” Maeda said. “They’ve been on an upward climb for awhile, and they’ve held their own against Saint Louis, Kamehameha and Iolani. The recognition they’ve been receiving is well-deserved. They had my vote. We’re looking forward to playing them to see where we stand.”

On that note, Maeda called Castle’s 28-21 win over Mililani on Aug. 15 “a great positive and a morale builder, even though it was only a preseason game.”

The Knights had been beaten soundly 43-6 by the Trojans in their 2007 opener, but did an about-face this time around. “It gave us a lot of confidence in that they were bigger than us both in quality and quantity. We were able to battle through and play as a team.”

Stout defensive performances have been one of the staples of the Maeda era, but this week the Knights won’t be disappointed if their best defense is their offense.

Punahou’s defense features the state’s top college prospect (according to Rivals.com) in linebacker Manti Te’o, as well as University of Hawaii-bound defensive end Kimo Makaula and fellow downlineman Sani Fuimaono, who started every game for the Buffanblu last fall as a sophomore.

Castle will counter with an offense built largely around senior quarterback Blake Rapozo. He hit on 16-of-24 attempts for 206 yards in Castle’s win over Mililani.

“Blake is quicker, faster and more durable this year,” Maeda said. “Our offense has been more consistent. Last year we had a lot of three(downs)-and-outs, and that kept our defense on the field.”


While Maeda has always considered Castle to be “a big-play offense,” the team doesn’t mind going the long route for scoring if it means keeping the ball away from the opponent’s offense.

“We want to control the ball a little better, and whatever the defense gives us, try and take advantage. At the same time, we also want to set the tempo.”

In addition to Rapozo, the Knights are led by veterans Isaac Lum (free safety), Nainoa Haitsuka (wide-out), Mitchell Lum (linebacker), Joseph Kaahu (two-way lineman), Kevin Aipia Jr. (wide-out/defensive end) and linebacker/running back Kawehi Sablan.

Castle returns to OIA East Red play Sept. 5, hosting Farrington in a game set for OC-16 broadcast.

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