Warriors’ Transfer Gets Down To Business as Castle QB

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Castle High coach Nelson Maeda prepares his Knights for spring football camp with high expectations for his new signal-caller. File photo.

Jaymason Lee’s football education at Castle High School was akin to taking all accelerated courses - at least he looked at it that way. He was a crammer in 2009, his junior breakout year, because he really had no other choice after transferring from Kamehameha, where he had been a backup quarterback for junior varsity.

“I felt like I had to learn quick if I wanted to play,” Lee said.“I worked after practice with the coaches to learn the system.”

By Castle’s 2009 season opener, Lee had a good enough handle on the spread offense to earn the starting job and went on to lead the team to a 6-5 season. Along the way, he put up monster numbers, throwing for nearly 3,000 yards to go with 29 touchdown passes. His four touchdown passes in a 39-21 homecoming win over Kailua last September was one of the prep season’s most memorable individual performances.

As Castle readies itself for spring practice in another week, Lee is plainly the focal point. At 5-feet-10, add his height to the mix as well. “He’s one of the taller QB’s we’ve had here at Castle,” said coach Nelson Maeda. “Following in the footsteps of Blake Rapozo, Thomas Ilae, Bryson Ukauka, Bryce Kalauokaeia, Jacob Ramos and Joe Botelho of recent vintage, Jaymason could end up being the most productive of them all.”

Should Maeda’s vision materialize, the team could find itself in the hunt for an OIA Red East title in the fall. For Lee, the last year-and-a-half have been a revelation after finding it hard to get on the field at Kamehameha. Then, too, the Warriors were run-oriented, limiting his chances to make a difference.

“Usually, I was handing the ball off,” Lee said. “They threw a little. When I came to Castle, it was all about throwing. The best part of playing quarterback is being in the huddle and having everyone looking in your eyes and waiting on the play and counting on you. When you complete a pass, it’s a good feeling.”

Lee’s transition was quicker socially, since he grew up in Kaneohe. Arriving at Castle as a transfer was more like a reunion with old teammates from his years of Pop Warner with the Kaneohe Knights and Kahaluu Broncos, whom he helped lead to a state title and a third-place-finish in the Nationals at 14.

“I was accepted here well,” said Lee, whose family includes father Jarrod, mother Luana, brother Jaylen and sister Lianne.“Growing up, I always had wanted to play for Castle, and everything has played out good. It wasn’t easy. It took a lot of time and a lot of hard work.”

Although a three-sport athlete, Lee gave up basketball and baseball last year to devote his time to getting ready for football season. “I wanted to better myself as a quarterback, so once the (2009) season ended, I just trained. I feel like we came up a little short last year. We could have gone farther, but that’s how it went.”

Lee’s winter regimen included throwing the football every day, including Sundays when he and a handful of receivers would drive to the Saint Louis campus in Kaimuki to do additional work with Crusader quarterback coach Vince Passas.

“I want to work well with all my receivers and get them the ball so they can show what they have,” Lee said of a corps that includes Joshua Kong, Kaui Torres, Billy Oku, Noah Makainai and Jacques Hough. “The seniors have been working together since the (2009) season ended. We all have good chemistry right now. Our wide receivers are fast, and they’re all playmakers. Our line is big and healthy.”

Of the quarterbacks that have come before him at Castle, Lee said, “I want to continue (that tradition). I’m going to try my best to keep that going. Hopefully, my hard work will pay off in the end.”