Roosevelt uses tricks for treat

By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer

Roosevelt coach Lester Parrilla said for the Rough Riders to have a chance against defending state champion Kahuku, he needed to allow his "best athletes to do their thing." Click image to enlarge. Photo by Gregory Yamamoto; illustration by Greg Taylor • The Honolulu Advertiser

The next question usually was "How can?"

As soon as the news spread late last Friday night and Saturday morning, high school football fans around the state wanted to know how in the world mild-mannered Roosevelt (3-3 overall) knocked off two-time defending state champion Kahuku, 23-13.

The answer, for the most part, is a gimmick offense called the "Duck and Goose."

The basic "Duck" attack features an unorthodox (but legal) alignment that has the center all by himself with his fellow linemen set up 10-15 yards to the right. A lone flanker would station himself on the opposite side, with the quarterback in a shotgun position and a halfback nearby.

The "Goose" and other variations would set up two linemen on the side of the flanker, or have two backs behind the wall of linemen on the right.

The formations, whose name comes from unknown origin, is designed to spread the defense across the field and give an elusive quarterback plenty of options to run or throw. The Rough Riders actually unveiled the offense on one series in last year's 42-18 O'ahu Interscholastic Association playoff loss to Kahuku and used it briefly in another loss to McKinley two weeks ago.

Roosevelt came out in a standard formation on its first possession of last Friday's game before using the Duck and Goose on its second series.

"We thought, 'If we're gonna make this a ballgame, we better give our best athletes a chance to do their thing,' " Rough Riders coach Lester Parrilla said. "It didn't really work in that first series and we had to punt, but we did it to figure out where (Kahuku) would line up."

Although Parrilla says the Red Raiders were not fooled by it, the Duck and Goose started to produce results midway through the first half.

Kahuku had scored first on Paea Vaimoui's 1-yard run, but Roosevelt tied the score at 7-7 after Brad Kalilimoku returned a fumble 35 yards for a second-quarter touchdown.

The Rough Riders moved the ball deep into Red Raiders territory on their next possession, allowing Cameron Kimura to kick a 22-yard field goal to give Roosevelt a 10-7 halftime lead.

Quarterback Bryson Borges scored on an 18-yard touchdown run in the third quarter to make it 16-7, but Kahuku responded with Sione Fotu's 1-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter which closed it to 16-13.

Borges, however, sealed the game with a 1-yard run. Borges finished the game with 125 yards on 26 carries, and he also completed eight passes for 77 yards.

"Size-wise, we knew we couldn't match up," Borges said. "But we figured if we could spread the field, we'd put our four best athletes against their four best and it'd even it out more."

Parrilla said the scheme was perfect for Borges, a standout basketball player whose best asset at quarterback is his ability to scramble.

"He does so many things for us," Parrilla said. "He found some holes to run, and he had some success throwing the ball. The good thing about it, too, was it kept our defense off the field and fresh."

Parrilla said that was critical because of the size disadvantage Roosevelt faced. Kahuku's offensive line averages nearly 300 pounds.

"We gave up some big plays, but then we'd stuff them on the next two downs," Parrilla said. "And we kept the ball long enough to limit them on offense."

The Rough Riders ran 57 offensive plays, compared to 44 for Kahuku.

The spread alignment also helped negate Roosevelt's lack of size on the offensive line, which averages a meager 194 pounds. The biggest of that bunch is right tackle Jared Furtado, at 210 pounds, and the smallest is right guard Bryce Zukemura (165).

"We have a saying on the back of our T-shirts," Parrilla said. "It says, 'Size matters, but only in the heart.' "

Parrilla said his players deserve some credit for the offensive creativity, since they drew up some of the plays themselves.

"Almost every day we put in a new play," Borges said. "Like, we would come to the sideline and say we noticed the two front guys would blitz, so then we'd make a play to take advantage. Some of the plays are weird, but they work."

It all worked out in the end for the Rough Riders, who moved up into the OIA's Red Conference after a 6-2 season in the OIA White last year.

That team featured a standout quarterback in Chris Mols and several talented receivers and linemen. This year's squad is not just small, but young and inexperienced.

The weaknesses were exposed in the season's third week, when Roosevelt was drilled 54-0 by Kailua. The Rough Riders rebounded with a victory over Kalaheo, but fell to McKinley the following week, 29-13.

"But we feel we can play with anybody," Borges said.

They proved it last Friday, against a Kahuku (3-2) team that was coming off a regionally televised 42-16 loss to nationally ranked Long Beach (Calif.) Poly.

"We thought they were going to come out hard and aggressive, because they lost the week before," Borges said. "They were ready for us."

Parrilla said Roosevelt's huge upset, its first over Kahuku since 1996, was big for the team and school but its ultimate impact won't be known until later.

"It can be a big game if we keep improving," Parrilla said. "But if we only celebrate and forget about the other games, it won't be that big."

For one Friday night, at least, the Rough Riders were on top of the OIA football world.

"After the game," Borges said, "it was like we won the championship."