Coaches honor Castle's Botelho, Kahuku's Mapu

BOTELHO Castle quarterback Offensive Player of the Year		MAPU Kahuku defensive lineman Defensive Player of the Year		KALAHIKI Mililani Linebacker
FUNAKI Kahuku Quarterback		PULA Kahuku Running back		HARBOTTLE Kailua Running back
FONOIMOANA Kahuku Wide receiver		HO Castle Wide receiver		SO'OALO Kailua Tight end
SATELE Kailua Offensive line		BLANCHARD Kahuku Offensive line		LINDLEY-MOLINA Wai‘anae Offensive line
KALUNA Kaimuki Offensive line		LUMAUAG Mililani Offensive line		MIRANDA Castle Special teams
REYES Wai'anae Defensive back		SANTOS Mililani Defensive back		SOLIAI Kahuku Defensive back
PARAGAS Wai'anae Defensive back		WILSON Farrington Defensive line		PATOC Mililani Defensive line
TACHIBANA Kahuku Defensive line		MCKEAGUE Castle Linebacker		NOGA JR. Farrington Linebacker

By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer

MAEDA Castle Coach of Year

The voting was done by the conference's head coaches.

Botelho, a 5-foot-8, 155-pound senior quarterback, may have been the state's most exciting player. In eight regular season games, he completed 109 of 202 passes for 1,743 yards and 16 touchdowns, with only two interceptions.

Botelho also proved to be one of the league's most elusive runners, finishing third in the conference by rushing for 579 yards and seven touchdowns on 82 carries (7.1 yards per carry).

His most spectacular performance came in a televised 55-35 victory over Wai'anae. Botelho completed 16 of 27 passes for 294 yards and two touchdowns and rushed 15 times for 146 yards and one touchdown. He also punted three times for an average of 39 yards.

Mapu, a 6-3, 250-pound senior defensive end, was a menacing force on the league's best defensive unit. As a Top 100 college prospect (Sporting News) and the Red Raiders' only returning defensive starter from a state championship squad, Mapu drew steady double-team blocking and opponents tried not to run in his direction.

Still, he often used his strength and speed to break through for sacks and/or hurries and helped Kahuku limit opponents to 194.3 yards and 9.6 points per game.

Mapu was one of seven Red Raiders selected to the first team. Senior Ferron "Loga" Fonoimoana made it at two positions — wide receiver and special teams.

Other notables on the first team are Kailua running back Brenton Harbottle, Wai'anae defensive back Kekoa Reyes and Farrington linebacker Falaniko Noga Jr.

Harbottle did not start until the fifth regular season game, yet he finished as the Red's leading rusher with 794 yards and eight touchdowns. Reyes began the season as the Seariders' starting quarterback, but was shifted back to defense after Wai'anae began the season 1-2. Noga Jr. is a second-generation all-star. His father was a first-team OIA East selection for Farrington in 1979.

Castle's Nelson Maeda was named Coach of the Year after leading an undersized team to a second-place finish (7-1). Castle was promoted to the Red after competing in the White Conference last year.