Jones blazes through Kahuku 'D'
By Leila Wai
Special to The Advertiser
"What you saw today is just a glimpse of Derrick Jones," Long Beach Poly coach Raul Lara said.
Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser
Fittingly, the Kahuku defenders were only able to catch just a glimpse of the speedy junior wide receiver last night, and it was often of his back.
Long Beach Poly fans had plenty to cheer about as the Jackrabbits jumped to a 28-0 lead in the first half
Jones caught four passes for 147 yards, including a 56-yard touchdown pass from Leon Jackson, as the Jackrabbits rolled over the Red Raiders, 42-16, at Aloha Stadium.
Jones, who ran 100 meters in 10.34 seconds this summer, led a fast and dominating Jackrabbit offense that caused more trouble than the Kahuku defense was prepared for.
"Most teams have one or two guys who are fast, and we can prepare for that," Kahuku coach Siuaki Livai said. "These guys, every one was fast. Jones was going over here, and the other guy is going there; (running back Lorenzo) Bursey was over there, they spread us all over the place.
"It was hard to slow them down. You can slow down some of them, but then other guys are getting loose."
Jones also scored on an 82-yard punt return, speeding past the Red Raiders as though they were standing still. (In comparison to Jones' 10.34 100-meter time, St. Louis senior receiver Jason Rivers won the 2002 state 100-meter championship, in 11.01 seconds.)
"We work hard at practice and we have great coaches who help us out with our speed," Jones said. "It felt good because I felt I had to redeem myself because everyone was saying that I can't play in big games, so I had to prove myself to the fans and everyone back home at Long Beach."
Kahuku cornerback Kyle Juliano, forced to cover Jones one-on-one, said he never watched any game tapes of Jones, and wasn't prepared for Jones', or the Poly's, speed.
"It was my first time ever playing against guys faster than me," Juliano said. "The quarterback threw the ball pretty high and I had to adjust, but when I was looking at the ball I lost the receiver and that was where everything went bad for me (on Jones' 56-yard score)."
Juliano, whom Livai says "isn't slow" (he runs a 4.49 40-yard dash), said that playing a team with the speed of Poly will help prepare Kahuku for upcoming games.
Juliano added that the only speed that is comparable to that of the Jackrabbits' is St. Louis' Rivers.
"Long Beach Poly is more quick and they have good footwork. Rivers is more quick bursts," he said. "This will help because if we make it to states and I have to face Rivers, I will be more prepared.
"Mentally we were ready, but physically we haven't seen that much speed."
