KAHUKU — Remember cringing when ever Kahuku tried for a point-after-touchdown kick in previous seasons?

For all the great athletes who played for the Red Raiders — All-State and Player of the Year selections who went on to play Division I college football and later to the NFL — none could kick a PAT with consistency. It got to the point where Kahuku would just go for the 2-point conversion.

Granted, the Red Raiders have improved in that area in recent years. St. John Lessary III was reliable, but sometimes it was asking a lot of him to kick after he was winded from scoring a TD because he was an all-star running back as well last season.

"Sometimes, after a long run, he'd be banged up and couldn't kick," Kahuku coach Reggie Torres said.

Still, Lessary led the team in scoring with 84 points from seven TDs, 27 PATs and five field goals.

But this season, kicking has become a legitimate threat along with offense and defense for the top-ranked Red Raiders, who are 5-0 overall and 3-0 in the O'ahu Interscholastic Association Red East, a half-game behind No. 5 Farrington (6-0, 4-0).

Cameron Mercado, a transfer from Florida, has provided Kahuku that boot.

Torres said there were several good kickers over the years, including Lessary. "But I think this is one of the most consistent kickers we've ever had," Torres said of Mercado. "John had the leg, but this guy is more accurate. This guy is strictly a kicker and that's all he wants to do."

Mercado has been as consistent as you can get. Kahuku has scored 28 touchdowns this season. He has kicked 28 PATs. (Hear that collective knocking on wood from the North Shore?) He also has converted 5 of 6 field goal attempts. The missed try was blocked.

But Mercado is more than a scoring threat with his 43 points, which leads state Division I place kickers. Torres said all but two or three of his 38 or so kickoffs have gone for touchbacks.

Mercado said he could play receiver, if needed, but chooses to solely kick to reduce his chances of injury.

PARADISE FOUND

Mercado landing at Kahuku was no accident.

He became disenchanted with his previous high school after sharing time kicking time with another player who happened to be the coach's son. Mercado said he considered transferring to another Florida school. But his father had researched different areas of the country, and noticed a school in Hawai'i with consistent success that was losing its kicker to graduation. In this case, Kahuku and Lessary.

"I wanted to go to another school in Florida, but my dad always mentioned Hawai'i because I like to surf," Mercado said. "Everything turned out right and we ended up moving."

With the family restaurants in Florida in good hands with his mother, Mercado and his father moved to Hau'ula during the spring semester. Mercado found paradise in a team that needed a kicker in a community with great surf.

"Surfing and football are my passions," Mercado said. "I love both of them. Everything's great. Everything's perfect."

The Red Raiders have found a Division 4A all-conference kicker (according to the Palm Beach Post). Because of his success in football, Mercado decided to drop soccer, which he had played most of his youth. Florida is considered a hot bed for football recruiting.

"There's a lot of speed in Florida," Mercado said. "But over here, there's definitely a lot of power. There's a lot of strength, a lot of power football."

Mercado says he wants to kick in college. He drew some interest while in Florida (North Carolina State and Central Florida inquired, but didn't offer), but being new here, no one has noticed. Yet.

"I want to get my name out," he said.

Hawai'i isn't completely new to Mercado. He visited about a year and a half ago, and is enjoying his stay.

"You get a whole different vibe," he said of the cultural differences. "Here, everyone's relaxed, everyone's calm. They have the aloha spirit over here."

Kahuku will celebrate homecoming tomorrow against Kaimuki.