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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Tuesday, August 19, 2003

Iolani's Stowers faces familial foe in McKinley coach

By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer

 •  This week's games

At OIA home sites, JV game at 5 p.m. with varsity to follow 25 minutes after end of JV game, unless noted

Friday's games

'Aiea at Mililani

Damien at Nanakuli, 7:30 p.m. (varsity)

El Camino Real (Woodland Hills, Calif.) vs. Kaua'i at Vidinha Stadium, 7:35 p.m.

Kahuku vs. Lahainaluna at War Memorial Stadium, 7 p.m.

Kalaheo at Pearl City

Kapolei at Wai'anae

Kohala at Kea'au, 7 p.m.

Pac-Three at Honoka'a, 7 p.m

Roosevelt at Campbell

Waipahu at Castle

At Moanalua

Kalani vs. Kaimuki (JV), 5 p.m.

Kahuku vs. Moanalua (JV), 7:30 p.m.

At Kailua

Waialua vs. Kailua (JV), 5 p.m.

Punahou vs. Kailua (varsity), 25 minutes after end of JV game

At Kaiser

Farrington vs. Kaiser (JV), 5 p.m.

St. Louis vs. Kaiser (varsity), 25 minutes after end of JV game

Saturday's games

Father Bray Classic

At Aloha Stadium

Pac-Five vs. Kaimuki, 2 p.m.

Baldwin vs. Farrington, 4:45 p.m.

McKinley vs. Iolani, 7:30 p.m.

At Kamehameha

McKinley vs. Kamehameha (JV), 5 p.m.

Kealakehe vs. Kamehameha (varsity), 7:30 p.m.

At other sites

Kapa'a at Waialua, 7 p.m.

Konawaena vs. Maui at War Memorial, 7 p.m.

Leilehua at Radford

Moanalua vs Waiakea at Wong Stadium (varsity), 7 p.m.

Waimea at Hawai'i Prep, 2 p.m.

For Iolani School senior Raynold Stowers, Saturday night's football game against McKinley in the annual Father Bray Classic is not just a tune-up for the upcoming Interscholastic League of Ho-nolulu season. It is more like a Christmas gift four months in advance.

"He's been bugging me every year to play McKinley," Iolani coach Wendell Look said.

Kickoff for the featured game of the tripleheader is 7:30 p.m. at Aloha Stadium, which will debut its newly installed FieldTurf.

For Stowers, the ILH's leading rusher with 1,027 yards in a seven-game schedule last season, playing McKinley is a little special. His uncle, William Stowers, is defensive line coach for the Tigers. It is the first time Iolani will play McKinley since 1969, the last year the Ho-nolulu public schools played in the ILH.

"The Father Bray (game) is going to be big," said Raynold Stowers. "I've been begging Coach Look to play McKinley."

Stowers was practically raised with the players he will be running against. As a youngster, he trained at McKinley with his uncle. He said he might have attended McKinley or Farrington had he not been accepted to Iolani.

"He's half-Tiger," joked his uncle.

William Stowers, whose linemen must contain his nephew, said emotions are mixed.

"We want to win, but I want him to do good, too," William Stowers said.

When Raynold was younger, he trained with McKinley slotback/linebacker Quinton Sayers, whose father, Ray, also is an assistant. Ray Sayers is the nephew of Chicago Bears Hall of Fame running back Gale Sayers.

"He's also taught me a lot," Raynold Stowers said of Ray Sayers.

Iolani and McKinley are contenders in their respective leagues and divisions. The Tigers, eliminated by Castle in the state semifinals last year, are expected to challenge for the O'ahu Interscholastic Association East title and vie for a berth in the Division I state tournament. The Raiders, winners of the ILH's Division II the past two seasons, are hoping to repeat so it can secure a berth in the new Division II tournament.

While the Raiders feature one of the best running backs in the state in Stowers, the Tigers return one of the state's most prolific passers in senior quarterback Abel Werner. During the regular season and postseason last year, he passed for 3,026 yards and 25 touchdowns.

In earlier games at Aloha Stadium on Saturday, Pac-Five will play Kaimuki at 2 p.m., and Baldwin will face Farrington at 4:45 p.m.

In other non-league games across the state, Darnell Arceneaux will make his debut as Saint Louis head coach when the defending state champion Crusaders travel to Kaiser Friday. Game time is about 7:30 p.m.

Arceneaux succeeds Delbert Tengan, who stepped down after one season after replacing Cal Lee, who is now an assistant at the University of Hawai'i.

Kapolei, of the OIA's White Conference, is featuring its first senior class after making its varsity debut last season. The Hurricanes will travel to Wai'anae Friday night.

Meanwhile, former University of Hawai'i football/baseball player Nate Jackson is a volunteer assistant for Wai'anae's varsity. He will be coaching defensive backs. Jackson said he is attending UH with plans to graduate with a degree in sociology in the spring.

Note: Aloha Stadium is seeking applicants for broadcasters for the "Aloha Stadium Stars" program. Those interested should call Dave Golz at 486-9811.