Kailua grads face off in state football final
| • | Schedule: State football tournament |
By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer
As a youngster doing yard work at his parents' Kailua home, Delbert Tengan recalled seeing Nelson Maeda jogging by, staying in shape to stay ahead of the competition.
Advertiser library photos • Nov. 17, 2002
Little did they know then their paths would cross many times in their adult lives. But twists of fate will bring the two Kailua High graduates to coach against each other in the final of the fourth Chevron State Football Championships Friday at Aloha Stadium.
Nelson Maeda
Delbert Tengan
"Delbert and I have come to know each other very well," said Maeda (Kailua '75). "It's ironic that both of us have ended up coaching in the same game on opposite sides of the field. Neither one of us could foresee this happening years ago."
The irony is that there was a time this season when nobody thought the two teams would make it this far. When perennial power St. Louis dropped consecutive games to the No. 1-ranked team in the country in De La Salle (Concord, Calif.) and Kamehameha, there were doubts about the Crusaders' chances under Tengan (Kailua '78), the first-year coach who had the unenviable task of following the winningest high school coach of all-time in Cal Lee.
But the Crusaders (10-2) have won seven consecutive, including two in a row over rival Kamehameha to help them win their 17th Interscholastic League of Honolulu title.
Meanwhile, Castle had lost a core of veteran starters and was usually on the smaller side of physical matchups. When the regular season ended, the Knights were seeded third in the O'ahu Interscholastic Association Red East, meaning there were at least four other teams seeded ahead of them in the 12-team OIA tournament. Castle also survived the longest game in high school history when it outlasted McKinley, 27-21, in triple overtime in Friday's semifinals.
"It's very ironic," Maeda said. "Many people thought it would be Kailua in there. Either Kailua-St. Louis or Kailua-Kamehameha."
Instead, it will be Kailua graduate against Kailua graduate.
When Maeda was a senior at Kailua High, where he was an Advertiser 1974 OIA East first-team all-star defensive back, Tengan was a freshman at Kailua Intermediate. At the time, Tengan said half of the freshmen attended the intermediate school and the other half went to Kailua High. Maeda was on the varsity basketball team, while Tengan was on the JV.
"When I played JV, we scrimmaged the varsity," Tengan said. "That was my first contact with (Maeda)."
Upon graduating, Maeda said he planned to continue playing at Linfield. But he opted to save his parents money by staying home. He took a year to train before walking on the University of Hawai'i football team in Dick Tomey's first year as UH coach in 1977.
In his second season with the Rainbows, Tengan played against then-No. 1-ranked USC. The heavily favored Trojans had a lineup of future NFL stars in running back Charles White, the Heisman Trophy winner that year, Hall of Fame offensive tackle Anthony Munoz and all-pro safety Ronnie Lott. The Rainbows trailed 7-5 before USC scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns to escape paradise with a 21-5 win.
Maeda sees similarities in that game to the one against St. Louis, which from a historical point has enjoyed the same consistent success as USC.
"St. Louis is an overwhelming favorite," Maeda said. "Everybody and his mother, cousin and uncle will probably put their money on St. Louis. But it's a role we're comfortable with. We've been there and done that (as underdogs). We'll just try to do our best."
Tengan said he sees Maeda's characteristics in the Knights.
"He was always a student of the game," Tengan said. "I'm sure he'll tell you that he wasn't blessed with Division I-type, God-given talent. But through hard work, he was able to earn a starting position with the University of Hawai'i. His team is a reflection of him. They're not the biggest players or the fastest players, but they work hard. Look at where they're at now."
Tengan did not play football in high school. He also went to UH before landing a teaching position at St. Louis. Although his only playing experience was from basketball, Tengan got pulled into coaching football to fill a void in a summer pass league. His ability to pick up on the game quickly eventually got him named defensive coordinator five years ago. After Lee retired, he recommended Tengan as his successor. It was not a slam-dunk decision, as it took two tries to convince Tengan to accept the job.
"That team has found so many ways to win pressure games," Maeda said of St. Louis. "We have a big task ahead of us. St. Louis is well-coached and on a roll."
Tengan said the Knights have succeeded under adverse situations.
"They're the type of team that doesn't make mistakes," Tengan said. "They're well-coached. They're very opportunistic. You make a mistake, they'll capitalize on it. They've persevered, weathered the tough times, like this past game (against McKinley). So many times it looked bleak, but they kept at it, they find a way to win. At this point in the season, you take a 'W' anyway you can. It doesn't have to be pretty."
