Semifinal match puts ‘Iolani, Kaua‘i in race for state title By Lanaly Cabalo – The Garden Island A few parents were concerned that Kaua‘i High School head football coach Derek Borrero and the Red Raider team were running up the
Semifinal match puts ‘Iolani, Kaua‘i in race for state title
By Lanaly Cabalo – The Garden Island
A few parents were concerned that Kaua‘i High School head football coach Derek Borrero and the Red Raider team were running up the score last week when they pummeled Roosevelt High School 40-9 in front of a hometown crowd and an OC 16 television audience.
With 13 seconds left, and the Raiders were already up 34-9, and instead of letting the clock run, the Raiders went for another play.
“I didn’t know,” Borrero said. “I didn’t even look at the clock and I reward my players. My backup quarterback who I brought up from the junior varsity squad, Trey Shimabukuro, had been following up and down the sidelines throughout the entire game, and I thought he wanted to go in. I’m the type of guy who rewards my players, so I put him in the game.”
The sophomore quarterback ran onto the field forgetting that he didn’t know what the play call was.
“He ran back to me and said, ‘Coach, what’s the play?’ and I didn’t want him to have waited the whole game just to take a knee, so I told him just to hand the ball off,” Borrero said.
That handoff resulted in a 23-yard run by Kelii Ruiz and a 40-9 ending.
“I didn’t know we’d get another touchdown out of it. I didn’t even think that we might be accused of running up the score until Monday,” Borrero said.
However, in today’s First Hawaiian Bank Division II State Championship semifinal match against second-ranked Raiders of ‘Iolani School (4-6), a blowout score, by either team is highly unlikely.
The teams are of similar height, similar weight and seem to have a similar offense.
“They play just like us,” Borrero said. “But I told the boys, if we play like we did on Saturday against Roosevelt, we can win this game.”
The 8-1 Raiders spent Sunday and Thanksgiving day going over films of ‘Iolani and scrutinizing individual playing styles.
Some the key players of both teams have similar numbers. ‘Iolani’s quarterback Kela Marciel is has a 60 percent pass completion rate at 141 of 233 for 1,975 with 11 interceptions and 16 touchdowns.
Kaua‘i’s Andrew Renaud is a 50 percent passer at 59 of 120 for 809 yards, 10 interceptions and nine touchdowns.
Kaua‘i’s Ruiz averages five yards a carry and is 79 for 402 and five touchdowns. ‘Iolani running back Justin Yamamoto averages four yards per carry and is 149 for 631 yards with 11 touchdowns.
“This is a winnable game. We don’t base how we’re going to do against (‘Iolani’s) record. We go based on film. We focus on the things we see and what we can do against them,” Borrero said.
Kickoff is at 2 p.m. today at ‘Iolani School. KQNG’s AM 570 will broadcast the semifinal game and scoring updates will be posted in real time on The Garden Island’s Web site www.kauaiworld.com.
In other Division II games today, top-ranked Lahainaluna High School plays No. 4 Kaimuki High School at 7 p.m. at the War Memorial Stadium.
‘Iolani School
Mascot: Raiders
Record: 4-6 Interscholastic League of Honolulu champions
Tournament history: Fourth appearance, 2005 Div. II champion
Head coach/Offensive coordinator: Wendell Look, 17th season
Defensive coordinator: Matt Tan
Against their competition:
W, 44-0 vs Kaiser
L, 28-25 vs Kalaheo
L, 22-19 vs Waianae
W, 46-19 vs Damien
W, 27-12 vs Pac-Five
L, 49-34 vs St. Louis
W, 28-21 vs Damien
L, 21-14 vs Pac-Five
L, 35-21 vs Kamehameha Kapalama
L, 48-14 vs Punahou
Kaua‘i High School
Mascot: Red Raiders
Record: 8-1 Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation champions, fifth
year in a row
Tournament history: Fifth appearance, 2006 Division II runner-up
Head coach/Offensive coordinator: Derek Borrero, first year
Defensive coach: Mike Tresler
Against their competition:
W, 35-6 vs Keaau*
W, 40-0 vs Hilo
W, 42-0 vs Kapa‘a
L, 16-14 vs Waimea
W, 43-7 vs Kapa‘a
W, 21-7 vs Waimea
W, 34-0 vs Kapa‘a
W, 14-10 vs Waimea
* Preseason
• Lanaly Cabalo, sports editor, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 237) or lcabalo@kauaipubco.com.
