Top Alaska team to test Wai'anae
By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer
One of the reasons Duncan Shackelford, head football coach at Dimond High School-Anchorage, brought his team to Hawai'i this week is to dispel any false notions about the 49th state.
"We want to give people a different view of Alaska football," Shackelford said. "We don't just huddle in igloos 12 months out of the year."
Dimond, in particular, plays a championship brand of football between August and October. The Lynx won two of the past three 4A (top level) state titles, including last year's crown. Perennial O'ahu Interscholastic Association power Wai'anae will get a first-hand look at Dimond when the Seariders play host the Lynx at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow.
"When we agreed to play them, we didn't know they were state champs," Wai'anae athletic director Leo Taaca said. "We needed a preseason game, and we called Kaiser looking for one. Kaiser was booked, but they said Alaska had just called them."
Due to early winters, the Alaska football season begins the second week of August and ends the third week of October. Thus, Dimond already has one game under its belt, a 39-12 victory over Lathrop-Fairbanks.
The Lynx originally had a bye this week, but Shackelford wanted to fill it. Besides Alaska, the only states playing this early are Hawai'i, Utah, Indiana and California (limited amount).
"I'll play anybody (here) but St. Louis and Kahuku," Shackelford said. "Alaska football is not like Hawai'i football — we only have 15 4A teams and only 25 in the whole state — so we may be out of our element here against Wai'anae."
Like traditional Wai'anae teams, Dimond runs a wishbone attack. The Lynx lost Kenard Walker, the state's leading rusher who had 2,500 total yards last year, to graduation. Also gone is last season's entire starting offensive line.
But quarterback Jason Simmons is back to run the option, and he will have three talented running backs in Chris McMullen, Brett Denton and Brandon Joseph.
"Jason's being looked at by some schools, and we've got a lot of skill (players) coming back," Shackelford said. "But as a former offensive lineman, I always believe you've got to have the boys up front. We have some good young kids, but we're not gifted with a lot of big guys. You can't lose a veteran corps of linemen like we did and expect to have a lot of continuity in your offense."
Wai'anae also will be testing new waters with its offense. Leading the charge will be quarterback Kekoa Reyes, who was an All-State defensive back last year. Reyes was the Seariders' starting JV quarterback before moving to defense on the varsity.
Wai'anae was the OIA runner-up last season and made it to the state semifinals. The Seariders were the only Hawai'i team to beat state champion Kahuku in 2000.
"We watched film of them, and they're excellent," Shackelford said. "They're real big up front. We have our work cut out for us, but hopefully we can give them a good game."
Notes: After searching all summer for a preseason opponent, Moanalua finally found one two weeks ago. The Menehune will play at Kealakehe at 7 p.m. tomorrow. ... Tonight's game between Campbell and Roosevelt, originally scheduled to be played at Campbell, will be played at Roosevelt. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
