Moanalua High Wary Of ‘Big And Fast’ Kailua Surfriders
By MidWeek Staff
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Behind Enemy Lines: Scouting Moanalua
Moanalua’s recent history of playing close games should give its head coach Arnold Martinez some comfort. Not so, said the coach, whose team visits Kailua at 7 p.m. Friday in a key OIA Red East Conference game.
“Maybe one of these days we won’t be in a close game and I won’t have as many gray hairs coming in,” said Martinez, whose team has won five of its last six games by four points or less.
He isn’t expecting that scenario this week against the Surfriders. Yet his own forecast is for a close encounter. Like Na Menehune, Kailua played a demanding schedule the first three weeks (Baldwin, Damien and Kahuku).
“They’re a very good team,” Martinez said of Kailua. “They’re big and fast. I know (Kailua head coach) Gary (Rosolowich). We’re going to have our hands full. Wins are hard to get. People put great effort into winning. Coaches and players prepare very hard to win. It doesn’t matter whether or not you are in DI or DII.”
Moanalua is in its first year in Division I, after going 10-0 to win the OIA White title last season. Its only loss was 17-14 to Hawaii Prep Academy in the state football championships.
Na Menehune went 6-3 in 2008, and the current team takes a 2-1 record into Friday’s game, having defeated McKinley and Castle while losing to Punahou (10-0). Moanalua had a bye last week.
In a Red East race where there is little margin for error, Friday’s game should figure big for both teams, as well as in positioning for playoffs. Kailua still has to play Castle and Kahuku, while Moanalua has key games remaining with Kahuku and Farrington. Kailua also has a loss to Kahuku on its resume, so the Surfriders need a win to avoid falling two games back of the Red Raiders. Moanalua had played only one conference game going into the weekend.
“All games are big,” said Martinez, now in his eighth season at Moanalua. “Our philosophy is to try to control what we can control, which is how hard we play. We can’t afford to make mistakes against a team like Kailua. We want to play the best football we can play.”
Martinez noted that finding consistency - especially on the offensive side of the ball - is an ongoing process.
“Our offense is in tune as far as executing the game plan, but we turned the ball over five times against Castle. We had two interceptions and lost three fumbles.
“When we played Punahou, we didn’t turn the ball over one time. When we don’t turn the ball over, we’re able to have some ball control. We seem to be pretty balanced. We just need to sustain our play for four quarters. We haven’t had a game yet where we played (up to full potential) on offense, defense and special teams, but I’m pleased with our attitude. We have a great, unselfish group of kids.”
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