Falcons' spirits take flight with overdue win
By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer
Most of the O'ahu Interscholastic Association begins its regular season this weekend, so football has been a hot topic at local high schools the past few days.
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Even — for a change — at Kalani.
Kalani players were back on the practice field, having put aside their 21-19 victory over Roosevelt. The Falcons play arch rival Kaiser Saturday.
The Falcons' campus usually is not abuzz with football fever this time of year, or ever. Thirty-one straight losing seasons, including a recent 27-game losing streak, will do that.
But Kalani showed last Friday that things may be different this year, after a shocking 21-19 victory at Roosevelt. It was the Falcons' first win since Sept. 22, 2000, and it came over an opponent that competes in the OIA's Red (top tier) Conference.
"It felt like a big weight off our shoulders," said Falcons junior running back/linebacker James Miyashiro, in his third varsity season. "On Saturday, it still didn't wear off yet, and (Monday) a lot of teachers and staff were congratulating us. But now, we've got to get back to work."
Kalani travels to arch rival Kaiser (0-1) at 7:30 p.m. Saturday for both teams' OIA White Conference opener.
That game, Falcons coach Greg Taguchi said, is more important than last week's.
"Some coaches still treat it (non-league openers) like a practice game, and I'm sure Roosevelt could have run other plays that they didn't want to show yet," said Taguchi, in his sixth year overall as Kalani's head coach. "It doesn't count as far as our league record or the playoffs, and the kids know that."
Still, it was a rare victory for a program that has struggled for years to fill its roster, much less be competitive in the OIA.
Last season, the Falcons were outscored 313-27 in seven games, and in 2002 the tally wasn't much better: 212-35. In 2001, Kalani was outscored 344-35 in nine games.
The Falcons' last win before Friday's came on Sept. 22, 2000, when they defeated Waialua, 20-0. That's 47 months between victories.
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"It was real difficult," said Miyashiro, who grew up with the program since his father, Gordon, is Kalani's athletic director and was its head coach in 1986-87. "It was like we were playing for nothing. But we still came to practice every week and kept trying. And now it's worth it."
Quarterback Preston Pires consults with head coach Greg Taguchi during a break in practice.
Taguchi is quick to note that many factors went into Friday's victory, and added it was something that developed over time.
"For the most part, (other students) were surprised and some were calling it a miracle win," Taguchi said. "But it's not a miracle when people sacrifice their time and put a lot of effort into it. It didn't just happen overnight."
Taguchi said two key elements make this year's team different from most in the past: the addition of several talented athletes from other sports, and a strong off-season commitment to strength and conditioning.
In particular, basketball players Dusten Umeda, Carsen Chun and Corey Konishi have made an immediate impact as receivers/defensive backs.
"They have good speed and good hands, and they've added to our depth," Taguchi said of the three seniors. "They're a big help. They just have to learn the system, because they haven't been in it."
The athleticism came in handy last Friday during the game's critical play.
Clinging to a 14-12 lead late in the fourth quarter, the Falcons opted to punt from their 35-yard line. The ball was snapped over punter Umeda's head, but he picked up the loose ball and raced all the way to the end zone to put Kalani up 20-12.
"I was trying to imagine (the scenario) just in case it happened," Umeda said. "When I picked up the ball, I saw a clear path and I just needed Corey to make the lead block, and he got a clean shot at the guy.
"Then I just ran for my life."
Chun said he could sense what the win meant to his long-suffering teammates.
"It was unbelievable — everybody couldn't stop smiling," Chun said. "I used to go to the games (in past years) and it was pretty saddening. But what surprised me (Friday) was the offensive line. Before, they'd be inconsistent, but against Roosevelt they held their own and gave our quarterback time to throw and a chance for us receivers to get open and catch the ball."
Roosevelt coach Les Parrilla, a 1979 Kalani graduate who coached on the Falcons' staff from 1979-85, said his alma mater deserved the victory.
"We made some mistakes, but they did an excellent job on us and my hat's off to them," Parrilla said. "They've got a good front line and a couple of skilled kids, so they're a decent team. I think they'll surprise some people."
Chun and Umeda say that's part of why they joined the team.
"I used to see fellow students — friends at our own school — dissing the football guys," Umeda said. "I thought, 'That ain't cool.' We want to show people that you have to work hard to beat Kalani now. They can't put us down anymore."
Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2456.
