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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, March 30, 2003

Islanders' second season opens

By Kyle Sakamoto
Advertiser Staff Writer

DARNELL ARCENEAUX
The magic number for the Hawaiian Islanders for each game this season is 250.

It has nothing to do with points or yards. It's the number of dollars each player will make per win.

Players in arenafootball2 receive $200 from the league if they make the 19-player game roster and a $50 bonus if they win.

"A lot of us need that money," said wide receiver/linebacker Robert Kemfort. "That 50 extra bucks would go a long way. I'm not sure if that's what's motivating us, but we need that money and we love to play the game, so we're out there to win."

The Islanders are confident they'll improve on their 5-11 inaugural season, which included a nine-game losing streak.

"We look way better than we did last year —Êhead and shoulders above," quarterback Darnell Arceneaux said. "The management team has a year under its belt, the coaching staff is a new coaching staff, but you've got a veteran team."

Wide receiver/linebacker Isaac White said: "We're going into the games very confident this year. We're going into each game differently because we've been working hard. We expect to win after the hard work."

The Islanders' first test will be against the expansion Green Bay Blizzard tonight at Blaisdell Arena. The season opener for both teams is set for 6:05.

The preseason for the Islanders began in February when 67 newcomers attended an open tryout. Thirty-seven were invited back for a second tryout and only 16 returned for the start of training camp March 12, where they joined the 19 returning players and two international players from Japan.

For tonight's game, eight newcomers are listed on the Islanders' 21-player roster.

Islanders head coach Cal Lee said the final cuts were difficult to make.

"Guys are working, trying real hard, they have great love and passion for the game and when you tell them their dreams and goals have been taken away, it's not a good feeling," Lee said. "It has to be done. We are limited in the number of slots we have so that's the way it goes."

Former University of Hawai'i slotback Channon Harris and defensive back Feiamma Armstrong are among the newcomers on the roster. Another is ex-Utah Utes receiver Anthony Arceneaux, the younger brother of Darnell Arceneaux.

"Everybody that's on that 21 final list, if it is eight or 10 or whatever, they deserve it," Lee said. "Those are guys who work hard and they're going to contribute to the team."

The Islanders will get to the 19-player limit by dropping two players an hour or so before game time.

Harris, who played for the Warriors from 1999-2001, is still getting adjusted to the 50-yard field.

"(The walls) and the spacing and stuff, you can't run regular routes, you have to cut everything down," Harris said. "It's a little difficult right now, but once I get it, it'll be all right."

Harris is also adjusting to playing defensive back for the Islanders.

"I'm kind of liking defense," he said. "It's pretty fun. I haven't played it for a while."

Despite a relatively short time to prepare for the season, Lee said things went smoothly because players worked out in the offseason.

"The kids were on their own and they took the initiative to go out and run on their own and get themselves ready so when they came to training camp they were pretty much in good shape," said Lee, who was hired last October. "It's a credit to them, the hard work they've done."

As for tonight's game, Darnell Arceneaux said the offense will go with a simplified approach.

"We have a nice, tight package," he said. "If you try to overdo it sometime you get outplayed."