Damien seeks first ILH football title
By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer
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| Defensive end Soane Sevelo, quarterback Tevita Williams and safety Vehi Sevelo are members of Damien's football team. The cousins hope to bring the school its first ILH football title and a Division II state tournament berth.
Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser |
For the three, practice and games for Damien is a family affair. After all, they are cousins. They also are part of the reason the Monarchs are closing in on school history.
Among the six Interscholastic League of Honolulu football programs, only Damien, which started play in 1965, has yet to win an ILH title. The school has had only two winning overall records. In 1975, Damien was 6-5 under Jack Koury, the school's second coach after Don Botelho was there for nine seasons. In 1988, the Monarchs were 7-5-2 under Wallace Aina, the school's fifth and winningest coach (44 wins).
Tomorrow afternoon, the 2003 Monarchs can write their own chapter of football history. Damien (2-4) visits Iolani (2-3-1) in the regular season finale that will determine the ILH Division II champion, which earns a berth in the inaugural Division II state tournament. If Iolani wins or ties, it goes to states. Damien's only chance is to win. Kickoff is 3:15 p.m.
"This feels good," said Williams, a senior quarterback. "We've never had this opportunity before. Before it was all for the big schools."
A little more than 400 students are enrolled at the all-boys Catholic school, which has been usually overshadowed by its more successful football-playing neighbors. Kamehameha Schools literally overlooks Damien's Houghtailing Street campus, which is down the road from Farrington High. The Monarchs' neighbors, both perennial football powers, have their own state playoff hopes on the Division I level.
Granted, the Division II state tournament will bring in schools with less-than stellar records because of the nature of how their leagues set up their schedules. But the excitement is just the same for the Monarchs as it is for the perennial powers.
"The student body has more pride now," said senior defensive end Soane Sevelo.
But the pride isn't so much because of its record, which will only be .500 with a win tomorrow. There weren't any blowout losses this year as in past seasons. The Monarchs showed gumption when they rallied to beat Pac-Five, 42-40, last Saturday to make tomorrow's game meaningful. Williams scored the winning touchdown against Pac-Five on a 4-yard run with three second left.
"It was a play-action," explained Williams. "I rolled left, but the receiver wasn't open. I saw a hole and ran.
"If we lost," Williams said, "our season would've been over."
Success on the field isn't the only highlight for the cousins. Williams and Soane earned "first honors" earlier in the week for achieving a grade point average of 3.75 or higher in the first quarter. Vehi got "second honors" for getting 3.5 or higher. Teammate Keoni Steinhoff, an offensive lineman, also earned "first honors."
"They are the kind of leaders we want on the team," Damien co-coach Rudy Alejo said.
The cousins' activities aren't limited to football and studying. The three attend the same church, St. Augustine in Waikiki. After football practice each Thursday, they head to church to rehearse with the choir. Soane sings, Vehi plays the bass and Williams plays the guitar.
"We all like to sing," Soane said.
Williams and Soane Sevelo have been with the football program from the start. Vehi, a senior safety and running back, joined in the second semester of their freshman year after his family moved from Alaska, where he played one season. They have seen the rough times — Damien was 0-8 in 2001 and 1-7 last year — and watched their school once threaten to forfeit games against Saint Louis just before the 2001 season because of concern for players' safety. Damien had fewer players, most of whom weren't as physical as the Saint Louis players. But that's history. Now more is expected.
"We've raised the bar," Vehi Sevelo said.
As for the game with Iolani, much has changed since Iolani won the first meeting, 21-6, on Sept. 26 at Aloha Stadium. The Raiders were without their top running back, Raynold Stowers, who had been nursing a shoulder injury. He has played the last three games, rumbling for 470 yards.
"There are 10 other guys who have to do their job," Iolani coach Wendell Look said. "If he doesn't have the supporting cast, he's not going to be as effective."
While the Raiders have Stowers back, the Monarchs have improved in all phases since their last meeting, Look said.
"They're a more balance team," Look said. "(Running back Ranson) DeCosta is still a huge threat, but Tevita Williams has become a running and throwing threat and (Andrew) Canoy is a receiving threat. They've developed more weapons."
Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8042.
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THIS WEEK
O'ahu Interscholastic Association
Friday at Aloha Stadium
Division I semifinals
Farrington vs. Kahuku, 5 p.m.
Kailua vs. Mililani, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday at school sites
Division II semifinals
Radford at 'Aiea, 25 minutes after end of JV game
Kalaheo vs. Kapolei at Mililani, 25 minutes after end of JV game
JV quarterfinals
Farrington vs. Kahuku at Leilehua, 4 p.m.
Pearl City at Leilehua, 6:30 p.m.
Kailua vs. Wai'anae at Mililani, 4 p.m.
Castle vs. Mililani at 'Aiea, 4 p.m.
Interscholastic League of Honolulu
Friday
Damien at Iolani, 3:15 p.m.
Saturday at Aloha Stadium
Pac-Five vs. Punahou, 4:45 p.m.
Saint Louis vs. Kamehameha, 7:30 p.m.
Maui Interscholastic League
Friday at War Memorial Stadium
Pac-Three vs. Baldwin, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday at War Memorial Stadium
Maui at King Kekaulike, 7:30 p.m.
Kaua'i Interscholastic Federation
JV game at 5 p.m., varsity at 7:35 p.m.
Friday at Vidinha Stadium
Waimea vs. Kaua'i
Big Island Interscholastic Federation
JV games at 5 p.m., varsity to follow 30 minutes after end of JV games
Friday
Kea'au at Honoka'a
Kealakehe vs. Waiakea at Wong Stadium
Saturday
Hawai'i Prep at Konawaena, 7 p.m. (varsity only)
Kamehameha vs. Hilo at Wong Stadium (JV)
Kohala vs. Hilo at Wong Stadium (varsity)
