Eno is Bears' brightest star

By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer

He leads the team in scoring with 80 points.

Baldwin's J.J. Eno carries a 4.3 grade point average. Christie Wilson • The Honolulu Advertiser

But the most impressive statistic for Baldwin High's J.J. Eno is 4.3. That's the cumulative grade point average of the Bears' all-purpose player and year-round athlete.

Eno, a 5-foot-7, 155-pound senior, is one of the most exciting players in the Maui Interscholastic League. Besides being a reliable receiver from the slot, he returns punts — two for touchdowns in a 16-6 win against Maui on Sept. 26 — kicks field goals (four, including one in a 3-0 win against Farrington in preseason), and breaks up pass plays as a cornerback.

"He's carried the team on his shoulder," Baldwin's second-year coach Chad Kauhaahaa said. "J.J.'s a big part of our success. He's such a smart and athletic player. He's like a coach on the field, offensively and defensively. He knows exactly what's going on in the game all of the time."

Yet, Eno's best performances don't occur on the playing field, whether it be football in the fall, soccer in winter or baseball in spring. His GPA is above the conventional 4.0 scale because the Advanced Placement courses he has taken are worth five points. He took AP English and biology as a junior. This semester he has AP courses in calculus, chemistry, English and U.S. history. An honors physics class rounds out his day.

"I like the sciences," Eno said. "I've been doing science projects since the sixth grade."

"Some were good and resistant to disease, so we had the best of both worlds," he said.

Part of the project involved working with plant pathologists at a University of Hawai'i experimental station in Kula.

Eno's affinity for the sciences has him contemplating a career in medicine.

"I broke a lot of bones as a kid, so I've been exposed to a lot of doctors," he said.

Although athletically gifted, Eno isn't sure if he will continue playing sports in college.

"I'll be lucky to be playing in college, but that's not my main concern," he said. "It would be nice if I could play. If anything, my best chance would be in baseball because of my size."

But Kauhaahaa, who played linebacker at the University of Utah after graduating from Baldwin, said Eno would be a perfect fit for an Ivy League program.

"I think with J.J. Eno, anybody who passes this guy by is making a big mistake," Kauhaahaa said. "What J.J. might lack in size, he makes up for with athletic ability and smarts. Any Ivy League school should be all over this kid."

Eno said his college choices are Brown, Northwestern and USC.

• Kailua ready: After losing 2 of 3 state quarterfinals on the Neighbor Islands, Kailua will try something new: Get to Maui a day early.

"We don't want to rush checking in and rush getting to the game," Kailua coach Darren Johnson said.

The Surfriders leave tomorrow and get a practice in that afternoon. In past years, they left the morning of the day.

That might solve their preparation problems, but not what they see on the field. "They've got team speed," Johnson said of Baldwin. "They have good skills kids that can make plays."

The Bears use a run-and-shoot offense behind quarterback Roy Antolin (1,194 yards passing, including non-league games). Besides Eno, other receivers are Shevis Shima and Cody Nakamura. Running back Waylin Costa (992 yards) keeps opponents honest.

Kailua's pound-to-the-ground offense revolves around running backs Damien Torres and Kekoa Sua, who combined for 2,045 yards and 26 touchdowns.

But Kailua's defense was impressive in holding Kahuku to one TD in the OIA title game.

"Defensively, they move around very well," Kauhaahaa said. "Our key is if our offensive line can give Roy time to get the ball off and create holes for our running game."

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com.