As a four-year member of Kaua‘i High School’s football team, Andrew Renaud has seen his fair share of ups and downs. He was moved up from the junior varsity team during his sophomore year and over the course of a
As a four-year member of Kaua‘i High School’s football team, Andrew Renaud has seen his fair share of ups and downs.
He was moved up from the junior varsity team during his sophomore year and over the course of a few games, earned his way into the starting position over the upperclassmen quarterbacks. Then he suffered a broken collarbone and was out for the rest of the season.
He returned the following year and led his team to making Hawai‘i High School Athletic Association history as Kaua‘i and King Kekaulike high schools were the first Neighbor Island schools to reach a state championship final.
But that game was a bust for the Raiders as they were down two touchdowns within the first three minutes of the game. The first TD came off a deflected pass by Renaud. The Raiders were able to rebound late in the game but still fell short 33-20.
“It was hard coming back, especially after the loss to King Kekaulike at states,” Renaud said. “We told everybody we’d be back.”
Renaud looked to redeem himself during the upcoming season.
Then there was off-season drama over who was going to be the head varsity coach for the fall season. That pushed back the summer practice and conditioning schedule, which was a setback for the team.
Once that was over and done with, Renaud thought the team was ready to go.
But even with a successful preseason, the team still didn’t have anything to stand behind. They wanted another championship, but didn’t have as strong a drive as they had in the past. They shutout Kapa‘a High School for the season opener, but lost the following week to rival Waimea High School.
“It wasn’t until after the loss to Waimea did we start pulling together,” he said.
The Raiders rebounded from that and on their homecoming, won against Kapa‘a 34-0. Renaud even led the band as the drum major during the homecoming halftime show. (He plays bass in the jazz band and the tuba for the marching band.)
Despite what seemed to now be going right for the Raiders, Renaud personally was struggling.
“It’s hard right now with school and everything,” he said. “It’s hard trying to balance school and football.”
The demanding schedule took a toll on Renaud.
“I struggled with my grades a little,” he said. “I knew my grade (for one class) was low, but I didn’t think it was that low.”
Renaud was put on academic probation for a week. He had to sit out the Kaua‘i Interscholastic Federation championship game which, emotionally, was hard for him. He wanted to win that championship.
“I cried all before the game and even after the game,” he said. “My teammates were telling me ‘We’ll win this for you.’ But I told them, it wasn’t about me, it was about the team.”
Kaua‘i won the game with backup quarterback Trent Allianic.
Head coach Derek Borrero understood, to an extent, what Renaud was going through.
“It was a good thing we won that game because then he could redeem himself and play the next week.”
Borrero considered himself closest to Renaud out of all the other coaches. After Renaud’s academic suspension, Borrero and Renaud had a talk about what was going to have to happen and what was going to happen next.
“Everybody goes through this,” Borrero said. “It’s tough to be a student athlete, especially for him because there are these expectations of him as a leader. It’s a lot of pressure being a four-year starter, but he’s a kid also. It was upsetting to me when I found out he was ineligible, but at the same time, they make mistakes.”
Since then, Renaud has worked hard on keeping his grades at the satisfactory level and receives help and tutoring from his friends.
Borrero also felt that, maybe, after everything the team has gone through, that Renaud was putting added pressure on himself to win games.
“It’s a lot of pressure because the quarterback has to make really tough decisions. He has to know the plays and know who to throw to and I think he felt (the pressure). I feel like it affected his academics.”
Renaud finished the season 59 of 120 for 809 yards with 10 interceptions and nine touchdowns. Renaud emerged as the KIF Offensive Player of the Year.
“As a quarterback, as a player, he deserved it,” Borrero said. “I’m happy because I’ve got a different view of him. It could’ve easily have gone to someone else. But he’s done well in leading this team.”
Making the postseason gave Renaud another chance to redeem himself. As the third-ranked Raiders entered the first round of the First Hawaiian Bank Division II State Football Championships to host the Rough Riders of Roosevelt High School, Renaud stepped aside to the slot position and made room for Allianic to start in the quarterback position.
“Trent is really good and I was only happy to move to slot,” Renaud said. “I said whatever we need to do to win.”
He was effective as a receiver and came up with a spectacular one-handed catch. Then the pressure was on as Allianic limped off the field because of cramping. It was up to Renaud to take the reigns again and move back and assume the role as quarterback.
“I felt the pressure somewhat, but we ran the ball more so it wasn’t that bad,” he said.
Kaua‘i won that game 40-9 and advanced to yet another state semifinal.
“It felt good. We want to play in another championship game,” he said.
If all goes well, the Raiders just might. They play No. 2 ‘Iolani School at 2 p.m. tomorrow at ‘Iolani. They want another chance to play at Aloha Stadium.
Borrero thinks Renaud & Co. are ready.
“We want to stand on that turf. We don’t want to be watching from the stands,” Borrero said. “We’re one game away from that.”
Andrew Renaud
Age: 17
Grade level: 12
Family: Parents Rick
and Jeannie Renaud; two
younger brothers
Hometown: Lihu‘e
Sports: Football, track
and baseball. “I like all
three equally.”
Football profile: QB / WR;
“5’10”; 175
What he likes to do with
spare time: “I mostly stay
at home.”
Favorite athlete: Local
boy and decathlete Bryan
Clay
Plans for after high school:
Attend a junior college
and play baseball
What he will take from his
time at Kaua‘i High School:
“Winning championships
every year and, my ju-
nior year, going to the
state championship.”
• Lanaly Cabalo, sports editor, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 237) or lcabalo@kauaipubco.com.
