Three losses by a combined 11 points.
That’s how close the Pacific football team came to an undefeated season in 2013.
The Boxers of Forest Grove, Ore., lost two nonconference games to start this year but are undefeated in the Northwest Conference heading into a season-ending showdown with Linfield (Ore.) on Saturday.
With 31 players from Hawaii on its roster, Pacific (6-2, 6-0) clinched at least a share of the conference title last weekend for the first time since 1952.
However, the automatic playoff berth into the NCAA Division III Championships is on the line this weekend as the Boxers face the Wildcats, who have won the past five conference titles.
"It’s reminiscent of all five years that I’ve been here," receiver Darin Kamealoha, a 2010 Hanalani graduate, said. "The first Linfield game we got pounded, the second year we got pounded, the third year we got closer, the fourth year we got real close and now the fifth year we have to go out and execute and get it done."
Kamealoha, who has battled injuries throughout his career, was part of that 2010 class that started up the football program for the first time since 1982.
Pacific went 1-17 in his first two years, taking its share of lumps. Now, the Boxers are handing it back to the rest of the conference.
Pacific earned its first win over a ranked opponent when it knocked off Pacific Lutheran (Wash.) 31-28 four weeks ago. It survived overtime to beat Lewis & Clark (Ore.) two weeks ago and beat another ranked team last weekend when it scored 24 unanswered points to earn a 41-24 win over Willamette (Ore.).
Safety Chase Rogers, a 2011 Lahainaluna graduate, wanted to play at Willamette, which his brother attended.
Instead, he ended up at Pacific, where he won the starting safety job this season. In eight games, he’s made 33 tackles and leads the team with three interceptions, including one in each of the past two weeks.
"(Pacific) didn’t come to my school for recruiting because we’re on the neighbor islands, so I had applied and when I got in, my parents went up for my brother’s graduation and checked out the campus," Rogers said. "They liked it and they gave me the most financial aid so that’s how I ended up here."
Players from all over the state have traveled different paths to get to Pacific.
Once there, they have united to create a unique college experience, with a quarter of the school’s enrollment from the islands.
"There’s nothing better than having a bunch of local kids here and knowing where they’re coming from to go through similar experiences together," Rogers said. "We all used to play each other in high school and of course we have our alma mater rivalries, but once we get here we don’t care about that anymore. It’s all about us now."
Pacific has players from Oahu, Kauai, Maui and the Big Island on its roster. Starting quarterback Warner Shaw, a 2012 Kamehameha-Hawaii graduate, followed in the footsteps of Pacific signal-callers PJ Minaya (Hanalani) and T.C. Campbell (Kamehameha) and took over the job this season.
His 70.2 completion percentage (146-for-208) is tops in the conference, third in Division III.
Shaw has thrown for 1,776 yards and 16 touchdowns with only four interceptions. He has also rushed for three scores.
Coming into the season, he had attempted only 15 passes in his career.
"He had to fill some really big shoes in T.C. and PJ, but they taught him well," Kamealoha said. "He’s really done a good job growing up in a sense. He’s worked extra hard on his mechanics and spends a lot of time watching film and has done well. The coaches have created a lot of good game plans for him to succeed."
PACIFIC PLAYERS FROM HAWAII
Justin Jenks (Leilehua ’14) Fr, QB
Chad Aragon (Moanalua ’14) Fr, WR
T.J. Fitzsimmons (Kamehameha ’14) Fr, K
Darin Kamealoha (Hanalani ’10) Sr, WR
Fresno Masaniai (Kapaa ’14) Fr, S
Warner Shaw (Kamehameha-Hawaii ’12) Jr, QB
Brandon Howes (Konawaena ’14) Fr, QB
Zachary Tinao-Rabellizsa (Radford ’13) So, WR
Trey Kodama (Kamehameha ’12) So, LB
Max Look (‘Iolani ’14) Fr, DB
Tyler Nakama (Saint Louis ’13) So, WR
Bronson Barretto (Kamehameha ’12) Jr, RB
London Amorin (Island Pacific ’10) Sr, WR
Kaiea Iwasaki (Kauai ’14) Fr, DB
Brandon Kahookele (Kamehameha ’14) Fr, RB
Jordan Fukumoto (Saint Louis ’10) Sr, WR
Greg Alip (Waipahu ’12) So, RB
Kamana Pimental (Saint Louis ’12) So, RB
Trevor Yamashita (Kalani ’14) Fr, DB
Chase Rogers (Lahainaluna ’11) Sr, S
Javin Kawai (Punahou ’13) So, LB
Kasen Takushi (Mid-Pacific ’14) Fr, DB
Faaolaina Teofilo (Kamehameha-Hawaii ’14) Fr, TE
Nicholas Schilla (Punahou ’12) Jr, OL
Blayne Won (St. Francis ’14) Fr, LB
Kennon Quiocho (Kamehameha-Hawaii ’13) So, OL
Michael Fanning (Saint Louis ’13) Fr, OL
Justin Fa‘agau (Damien ’11) Sr, DL
Kit Taura (Moanalua ’14) Fr, OL
Tyler Kanoa (University ’14) Fr, DB
Ikaika Urasaki (Castle ’14) Fr, WR
