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He’s the man in the hot corner for Baldwin’s state champion baseball team.
BALDWIN BEARS
2016 schedule
Home games at War Memorial Stadium
>> Kamehameha, Saturday, Aug. 13, 3 p.m.
>> Edison (Calif.), Saturday, Aug. 20, 3 p.m. (JV/V)
>> At Kamehameha-Maui, Saturday, Aug. 27, 7 p.m.
>> Maui, Saturday, Sept. 3, 7 p.m.
>> At Lahainaluna, Saturday, Sept. 10, 7 p.m.
>> King Kekaulike, Friday, Sept. 16, 7 p.m.
>> Kamehameha-Maui, Friday, Sept. 30, 7 p.m.
>> King Kekaulike, Friday, Oct. 7, 7 p.m.
>> Lahainaluna, Saturday, Oct. 16, 7 p.m.
>> Maui, Saturday, Oct. 22, 7 p.m. (homecoming)
2015 results
>> At Kamehameha, L: 0-53
>> Mission Viejo (Calif.), L: 7-63
>> At Lahainaluna, W: 48-27
>> KS-Maui, W: 35-14
>> Maui, W: 30-8
>> At King Kekaulike, W: 38-0
>> Lahainaluna, W: 30-8
>> at KS-Maui, W: 42-19
>> Maui, W: 35-21
>> King Kekaulike, W: 47-0
>> Maui, W: 56-7
>> Waianae, L: 6-21
About the team
>> Coach: Pohai Lee
>> OC: Pohai Lee
>> DC: Joe Siofele
>> All-State players returning: Kalei Hoewaa, Sidney Fonohema
>> All-State players lost: La‘akea Kahoohanohano-Davis, Taje Akaka
>> State championships: None
>> MIL championships: 13 in state championship era, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2005-2013, 2015
Chayce Akaka is also mastering the four-wide aerial attack, a blueprint adopted and tweaked by Pohai Lee. Akaka was the Maui Interscholastic League’s offensive player of the year as a sophomore as Baldwin went 8-1 in league play (8-4 overall). He passed for 1,290 yards and 13 TDs with just seven picks.
“He’s really gotten stronger from working in the weight room. He’s been consistent. I think the game’s slowed down for him,” Lee said of Akaka, who will stand tall in the pocket behind what may be the state’s largest wall of protectors.
Akaka’s return puts Baldwin No. 10 on the Star-Advertiser’s preseason football poll.
Lee calls the O-line “kind of big.” Center Kalei Hoewaa, a returning starter, is just a bit beyond average weight for this group at 6 feet, 335 pounds. There’s Manu Ngahe (6-3, 323) at left tackle, Jarred Paranada (6-2, 275) at left guard, Makana Wright (6-0, 339) at right guard and svelte Gavin Arista (6-2, 267) at right tackle. That’s a shade under 308 pounds per man.
In all, there are 32 returnees, including four starters on offense and five more on defense.
“We have seven seniors (at offensive line). It’s a veteran group,” Lee said. “We have size like we’ve never had before. They’ve worked really hard in the weight room and that’s only going to benefit us in the long run.”
Another steadying force is All-Maui Interscholastic League first-teamer Kamaki Gouveia (485 rushing yards, six TDs) at running back. Gone from the receiver corps are all-state two-way standout Laakea Kahoohanohano-Davis and Taje Akaka, brother of Chayce. Senior Kaylon Santos-Kekona is the top returnee. Sophomore Bishop Wickes (5-10, 170) shows a lot of potential, Lee added.
Joe Siofele replaces Jack Damuni (now with BYU) as the defensive coordinator. Siofele will lean on All-MIL first-teamer Andre Vaivela, a 6-foot, 285-pound defensive tackle, and defensive lineman Sidney Fonohema (5-9, 305).
“Our front seven is going to be our strength on defense,” Lee said. “Our linebacker group is probably our strength. We want to play faster now that they have familiarity with our system.”
Inside linebacker Alii Laga is a cornerstone. So is standout baseball player Damien Awai, an outside ‘backer, and Chris Vacos (5-9, 180), a former JV standout. The secondary will be young.
“We lost three starters. That’s the area where we’re going to find out who can play,” Lee said. “We’ll find out fast.”
The Bears get a shot against ILH powerhouse Kamehameha on Aug. 13 at War Memorial Stadium. They lost at Kamehameha 53-0 last season, just weeks after Lee was officially hired.
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