Prep football season
picks up where it left offSt. Louis and Waianae tee it up
By Pat Bigold
tomorrow night in a rematch of last year's
Prep Bowl thriller
Star-BulletinIf the prep football season begins the way the last one ended, it's sure to be a hit. St. Louis and Waianae, who played a thrilling, 7-0 Prep Bowl last November, go at it tomorrow night at Aloha Stadium.
The Crusaders won the Prep Bowl, but the surprising closeness of that game has only stoked the anticipation for this one.
St. Louis appears to have its strongest lineup in years and Wheeling (West Va.) Intelligencer sports editor Doug Huff, who compiles the National Prep Poll with the aid of 35 sportswriters nationwide, has said the Crusaders are likely to be rated higher than ever. Huff will attend tomorrow's game.
But it is particularly encourgaing to Leeward fans making the trek into Halawa that the same three down linemen who gave Star-Bulletin All-State quarterback Jason Gesser fits in the Prep Bowl wil be back.
White Sosene, Stanford Evaimalo and Kainoa Evangelista represent 810 pounds of fast-moving proven experience.
"Hopefully, we'll get a big pass rush from those three," Waianae head coach Leo Taaca said.
"In the Prep Bowl, our nose tackle forced him (Gesser) to scramble out of the pocket and our defensive ends, White and Stanford, were able to put on a little more pressure."
"They know how to stunt, they know how each other plays, and they have a lot of experience in reads," Gesser said. "I hope this time we can hold them a little bit longer."
Gesser, who threw 24 touchdown passes and just one interception during the Interscholastic League of Honolulu season last year, is expected to bring even more maturity and poise to the field this season.
"I know he's not going to hold back," Sosene said. "He's got that good All-American-type size, he can scramble and he can throw. It's like playing against a college quarterback."
Only one starter is back from last year's potent St. Louis line, which produced two all-staters. The lone returnee is 6-foot-1, 230-pound senior left tackle William Lobendahn. But St. Louis head coach Cal Lee, who will be looking for his 177th career win, is confident in his newcomers.
"I think we're going to have to throw a little quicker," Lee cautioned, "maybe hit some quick traps up in the middle -- try a lot of things until we find something that works."
St. Louis has experience at running back with junior Noah Campbell and the nucleus of a promising receiver corps is formed by returnees Chad Satterfield (wide receiver), Kaui Ho (slotback) and Craig Stutzman (slotback).
The Crusaders' four-man defensive front is anchored by all-state tackle Tony Tata, a 6-3, 240-pounder who is projected as the top local recruiting prospect this year.
The linebacking corps is led by all-stater Fabian Manumaleuna (formerly Fonoti). Strong safety Geste Ornellas is one of the hardest hitters in Hawaii prep ball.
Waianae's offense is led by fullback West Keliikipi and tailback Kamuela Black.
At quarterback is Kana Kawai, who will execute Waianae's traditional triple option. The Seariders' offensive line is completely new.
"Our defense is our trump card," Taaca said.