Versatile Stopper

Staying sharp in a bye week tends to be a tricky task.

As the Kahuku football team awaited its state tournament semifinal opponent last week, the Red Raiders coaches pulled out one of their tools to ward off staleness.

Enter Raider Ball.

The free-flowing games with no limits on forward passes (basically Hawaiian-style football from small-kid time) serve multiple purposes. The post-practice treat breaks up the monotony of the week, and the near-constant running provides some extra conditioning work. Plus, intra-team bragging rights always ramp up motivation.

"It’s for us to have fun, but it keeps us in that competitive mode," Red Raiders linebacker Benetton Fonua said. "We like going against each other and seeing who’s the best. … As long as we stay focused for the game."

A week off probably wasn’t going to dent Fonua’s focus and motivation anyway as he nears the end of a senior season that, in essence, began close to a year ago.

Just about as soon as Kahuku was disqualified from playing in last year’s state tournament, Fonua went to work preparing for his final run with the Red Raiders.

He’s kept just as busy during the season as a versatile member of a stingy defense, a part-time tight end on offense and a contributor to most of Kahuku’s special teams units.

"Four days a week, some days lifting, some days running, just a variety of things … he would come to every one of them," Kahuku head coach Reggie Torres said of the training program that began last December.

"If you look at him, just his build … it’s because he spends the time working out. And he’s able to go offense, defense, special teams because he works so hard, he’s in condition."

The 6-foot-1, 216-pound Fonua’s primary focus remains on defense, and he’s filled various roles for a unit that posted five shutouts and allowed a touchdown or less in four other games this season.

He’s played both middle and outside linebacker and moved up to defensive end to help corral Farrington’s power running game in the OIA Red championship game.

"You’re going to see him play multiple positions because he’s smart and can play all those positions," Torres said.

"It’s all based on who we play. (Defensive coordinator Kimo Haiola) put together some great defensive packages and it’s all based on the type of players we have. … He knows what these kids can do and the more versatile they are, the more he’ll use them."

Haiola’s schemes were keys to the Red Raiders containing widely disparate offensive styles in their last two games. Kahuku held Leilehua’s fast-break passing attack in a 9-7 win in the OIA Red semifinals. The Red Raiders then shut out Farrington 23-0 to earn the league title and the top seed in the state tournament.

Following their bye week, the Red Raiders must shift gears again for a rematch with Leilehua on Friday in a state tournament semifinal at Aloha Stadium, with Fonua’s responsibilities to be determined by the game plan drawn up by his uncle.

"(Haiola’s) very hard on me, he’s hard on all of us, actually, makes sure we always go 100 percent," Fonua said. "Slack off one time and, boom, he’s on us. He’s very strict on us and we love him for that."

Fonua’s family ties to the program go back to his late grandfather, John Farley, who worked with the Red Raiders and was a strength coach at BYU.

"He’s my inspiration in football," Fonua said. "He’s always in my heart. I’ll always have that motivation."

Fonua also derives his drive from Kahuku’s history of dynamic defensive standouts —many of whom went on to successful college careers and beyond.

"Being part of that legacy really makes you feel that you can do anything, that you can strive to do better," Fonua said. "You know they set the example, so we try to follow the example and hopefully one day make it in life."