Payback time for Crusaders, 28-13

By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer
(O'ahu public school graduate)

The Saints will once again — for the 16th time to be precise — march back to Kalaepohaku with the state's championship football trophy.

KANESHIRO

You don't have to be a private school graduate — What's that, Wes, you're an Iolani grad? — to figure out that the best football is played in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu. You should know better; you have seen first hand as a student, as a fan and as a journalist.

But it appears that I have to draw you a picture.

For starters, there's a score to settle.

St. Louis has never lost successive championship games under coach Cal Lee. He is 29-2 in the postseason, the losses coming 15 years apart. Lee knows winning.

Also, the Crusaders are on a roll. They have improved each week after a sluggish start caused by a last-minute rescheduling that reduced the regular season to three fewer games than in past years.

But more importantly, our own Dayton Morinaga, a St. Louis alumnus, said the Saints are back.

Sure, he breathed a sigh of relief when the Crusaders lost last year; it took his graduating class off the hook as the last one not to win a state championship. These days, we just can't keep him from talking about the Crusaders.

Seriously, the bottom line is St. Louis is simply a better team. It didn't appear that way a month ago. But Lee isn't the winningest high school football coach by accident. Shortcomings were corrected. Adjustments were made. The Saints biggest test before the state tournament was against Kamehameha, the third-best team in the state. (Nothing against Waimea, a program that would dominate in the second tier if there was a classification system for the state tournament.) The Crusaders dominated both sides of the line of scrimmage in beating the Warriors.

Still not convinced, Wes? Let's look at the personnel.

Quarterback Bobby George is a year older, a season wiser and a heck of a passer. No one can throw deep with such precision. He has a corp of reliable receivers in Jason Rivers, Kainoa Fernandez, Tito Sallas, Keahua Bowman and Ross Dickerson. Dickerson is a Division I prospect. Rivers, a junior, will be one next year.

But play loose anticipating the pass, the Crusaders will punish you with the run. St. Louis has an array of running styles. Prince Brown is the bruiser. B. J. Batts is the slasher and dasher. Justin Cabansag has a little of both characteristics. Get caught up with them on a fake toss and watch the slotback counter, usually with Dickerson, go for a long gain.

Yes, even George can run. He just hasn't shown it much throughout his career because St. Louis' philosophy is for the quarterback to wait as long as possible to find a receiver before bailing. In his only real run this season, George pulled off a 21-yarder against Kamehameha, faking out a tackler in the process. If pressed, he could run.

But defense is where the Crusaders really shine.

One offensive lineman who has faced both Kahuku and St. Louis said that while the Red Raiders are faster, the Crusaders are more physical. The line of scrimmage isn't a track meet, so I'd take strength anytime. The Crusaders D-Line passed a crucial test against Kamehameha, which fields one of the best offensive lines in the state along with St. Louis, of course, and Kailua. Interior linemen John Siofele and Kama McKeague and ends Tolifili Liufau and Wilson Afoa neutralized Kamehameha's line and, consequently, stopped the Warriors' running game.

Linebackers Taualai Fonoti and Kawai Curnan, along with rover Timo Paepule, are always around the ball carrier — that's the way St. Louis' defense is designed.

That's just against the run.

Since Kahuku has shown the ability to pass, well, that's like falling into St. Louis' trap. The Crusaders practice every day against one of the best passing offenses in the state. The secondary of Chad Adviento, Chris Tunoa, Jonah Lakatani and Josh Gora-Aina have 12 interceptions among them. The linebackers live for the moment an opponent passes because that's when they can blitz.

So, what's the bet Wes? How about lunch at KFC? An appropriate setting to eat crow.

Prediction:

St. Louis 28, Kahuku 13.