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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Wai'anae football coach out for DI semi

By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Danny Matsumoto

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Wai'anae High School football coach Danny Matsumoto is expected to continue resting this week following emergency eye surgery Friday night to repair a detached retina, athletic director Glenn Tokunaga said yesterday.

Matsumoto, in his eighth season at the Seariders helm, did not make the trip to Kailua, Kona on Saturday to watch Wai'anae hold off Kealakehe, 21-17, in the first round of the First Hawaiian Bank Division I State Championships.

Offensive coordinator Bryant Ginoza and defensive coordinator Jason Hussey shared acting head coach duties. Tokunaga said they will continue in that role until Matsumoto is cleared to return.

Wai'anae (9-3) plays Saint Louis (10-0) at 4 p.m. in Saturday's first semifinal at Aloha Stadium.

"We're playing it by ear," Tokunaga said. "The surgery went fine, but he'll be out of school until Dec. 1 and I don't know when he can come back to practice. The doctor told him to rest."

According to Ginoza, Matsumoto said he woke up Friday morning and was seeing black spots. He went to see a doctor, who diagnosed the detached retina and recommended immediate surgery. Matsumoto underwent the operation Friday night and was released a few hours later.

"The doctor said he couldn't fly, but he was OK (Saturday night)," Tokunaga said. "I was calling him during the game and giving him updates."

Tokunaga said this was the first game Matsumoto missed in about 20 years of coaching.

Kealakehe assistant coach Shawn Akana also missed Saturday's game while serving a suspension by the Big Island Interscholastic Federation for alleged rule infractions.

Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com.