Writer sees breakout season for Lobendahn

By Dennis Anderson
Advertiser Staff Writer

News from college football camps:

• Washington

Bud Withers of the Seattle Times, answering questions in his column about the Huskies:

Q: Do you see anybody having a breakout season?

A: Joseph Lobendahn, the sophomore linebacker from Honolulu (St. Louis '01) is a cannonball hitter.

Husky recruits Donny Mateaki (Iolani) and Brandon Ala (Kamehameha) probably will be red-shirted.

"We have a good deal of depth, including the defensive line, so it's probably in their best interests to get an extra year to play," team spokesman Jeff Bechtold said yesterday. He said that ninth-ranked Washington is so deep in veterans that "probably only one or two true freshmen will play this season."

Ala had knee surgery in June for a meniscus tear sustained in a shot put practice. He is practicing with the team, but asked to be red shirted.

Mateaki and Ala both were first-team all-state last season — runners-up to Kahuku's Jonathan Mapu for Defensive Player of the Year — and were among the most sought-after recruits in Hawai'i.

• Kansas State

Peni Holakeituai (Waipahu '96) and Jesse Keaulana-Kamakea (Kailua '99, of Waimanalo) are "in the mix," offensive line coach Paul Dunn said this week.

"Jesse is No. 2 at left guard. He is not overly big by Big 12 standards (6-3, 283) but boy he has some really good athletic skills. He can get out into space and connect with people," Dunn said. "That probably is his biggest advantage."

Head coach Bruce Snyder said Keaulana-Kamakea "has proven that he's going to be a very, very fine player for us."

Holakeituai is 6-6, 330 and most likely will get playing time at right tackle, Dunn said. "His best forte is the run game, and he has made great improvements in pass blocking."

Both players "helped themselves tremendously" by transferring (from Ricks in Idaho and San Francisco, respectively) in time for spring practice, Dunn said.