Crunch time came early for University of Hawaii football player Kawika Borden.
As a youth, he recalled, his punishment for wrongdoing was to do pushups and crunches.
“It got up to 100 (pushups) at a time, depending on how bad the thing was,” Borden said.
While it drastically reduced the number of times he got into trouble, Borden eventually embraced the benefits of working out.
“I got into shape,” Borden said.
He now is considered one of the Rainbow Warriors’ most diehard workout enthusiasts. While several teammates seek malls or Chipotle takeouts on the road, Borden and linebacker Kamalani Alo hunt for hotel fitness centers.
“I try to get something in every day just to keep the muscles toned and ready,” Borden said. “I’ve always had the drive to work hard.”
The payoff came three weeks ago against Utah State, when he floored returner Tay Glover-Wright on the opening kickoff.
“I didn’t know I hit him that hard, either, until everybody was like, ‘Nice hit,’ ” Borden said.
This past Saturday, Borden knocked down San Diego State’s Dylan Denso, forcing a fumble in the final minute of regulation.
“I didn’t even know I caused the fumble,” Borden said. “I was reading and reacting, and I hit him in the right spot. It felt good.”
Russell Borden watched proudly. He has watched his son play every game, beginning with Pop Warner.
The elder Borden, who played on Pac-Five’s Oahu Prep Bowl champion teams in the 1980s, harbored Division I dreams. He played at Ricks College, and then at Southern Utah.
Father and son shared a common love of football. They studied videos of NFL greats Ray Lewis, Ronnie Lott, Lawrence Taylor and Steve Atwater.
Their schedules were booked.
“We’d watch NFL games every Sunday and Monday,” Kawika Borden recalled. “We had a great time together. There was even a point where he had to ban me from Monday Night Football because I had to get my homework done.”
Each day, Borden, who joined the Warriors as a walk-on, counts his blessings. “I’m glad I got the opportunity to play here,” Borden said.
Woodard, Yap should play
Defensive ends Beau Yap and Tavita Woodard are expected to start in Saturday’s road game against Wyoming.
Neither played in the second half against San Diego State this past weekend. Yap had a hip-flexor injury, and Woodard had an ankle injury.
Yap said he suffered the injury in the first quarter, then aggravated it on the final play of the first half.
“I’ll be ready,” Yap said.
Poueu-Luna fighting injuries
Bubba Poueu-Luna was set as the kickoff returner when he suffered a hamstring injury two days before the Oct. 26 game against Colorado State.
He missed that game, as well as the two-game road trip against Utah State and Navy. He was on the scout team in the week leading to the San Diego State game.
“I don’t know why the injury bug always finds its way back toward me,” Poueu-Luna said. “Now I’ll just bounce back, as always. Coach Lew (Powell) talked about adversity. I have to take it, and not let it take me.”
After practices last week, Poueu-Luna helped the student managers put away equipment.
“I like helping people,” Poueu-Luna said. “It’s nice. It’s a good thing to do. I’m always trying to be positive. I want to help wherever I can.”
This week, Poueu-Luna was promoted to the rotation at receiver.
———
Read Stephen Tsai’s Warrior Beat at staradvertiser.com/warriorbeat
