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Sabers stress hard work

Under new head coach Figueroa, Maui High seeks a fourth straight winning season

Maui High School running back Justin Polido takes a handoff from quarterback Kainalu Tancayo during the Sabers’ 24-7 loss to Kapaa on Aug. 5. The Sabers, 0-2 in nonleague play, open their MIL schedule Friday at Kamehameha Maui. • BEN JUAN photo

KAHULUI — The Maui High School football team has strung together three straight winning records in the Maui Interscholastic League for the first time since Curtis Lee was the head coach.

Six head coaches later, Rodney Figueroa takes over on the Kahului campus where Lee built a legacy with nine MIL crowns in a 21-season run that ended in 2004.

“It’s coming along, we’re working on being one team, one unit,” Figueroa said at practice last week. “Everybody’s been working hard. It’s getting these kids to buy in to the program and it seems like we’re getting there.”

Figueroa coached under Lee for the Sabers’ junior varsity program from 1997 to 1999 and returned for the 2014 season when Maui High played in the state tournament for the first time since 2000.

After 6-2, 6-3 and 5-3 league records the last three years, Maui High opens at Kamehameha Maui on Friday night.

Maui High’s L.J. Lindsey led the MIL with 370 receiving yards and seven touchdown catches last season. • The Maui News / BRAD SHERMAN photo

The defense has played reasonably well in nonleague losses to Kapaa and Kamehameha Hawaii, but the only touchdown for the Sabers in those two contests was a 99-yard kickoff return by Tevita Takitaki.

“They hung in there (on defense) and we moved the ball, but then we started to have the turnovers,” Figueroa said. “One fumble stopped a drive that was going pretty good (against Kapaa).”

Said Takitaki: “That felt good, the first touchdown of my high school career.”

The senior defensive back says this is the best Sabers team he has played on.

“We can be really good because we hold enough talent to play against all these other good teams,” Takitaki said. “It’s going the effort and the time. We need commitment to the team and just helping each other out. Our whole team is actually working hard enough to be good.”

Justin Pagaduan, a 5-foot-8, 205-pound senior lineman, running back Justin Polido and wide receiver L.J. Lindsey are the returning starters on offense. Lindsey had 22 receptions for 370 yards and seven touchdowns last season, all top marks in the MIL.

Mitchell Hirose and Trent Takahara will bolster the receiving corps.

The Sabers’ offensive coordinator is James Kammerer, who has previously worked for Oahu power Kahuku.

Lono Kaina is the defensive coordinator and his group will be led by returning senior starters Jamie Elisara Fisher, a 6-7, 220-pound defensive end, tackle Kahoku Kealoha (6-1, 220), and Takitaki (5-9, 150).

“They’re coming along well,” Figueroa said of his coordinators. “Lono’s got the defense out there going and Kammerer is inputting his part of the offense. He’s working his way through — when you come from Kahuku, they run the ball. He’s kind of establishing the run, getting the run game going.”

Said Fisher: “We can actually be good, but it depends on how they want it, how we work as a team. We’re doing good, we just have got to pick it up a little bit more and work hard.”

Kaina has been helping Fisher work through several college opportunities.

“Feels like I got more offers through him because he knows people from colleges,” Fisher said. “Right now, I’m just trying to help us work as a team and do what we have got to do.”

Polido and Brody McCorriston will get the bulk of the rushes early in the year as others join the mix after academic and injury issues are ironed out.

Cameron Russell, a junior transfer from King Kekaulike, will see time at several positions after he gets enough practices under his belt to be eligible.

“You will see him at receiver, you will see him at quarterback, you will see him at linebacker,” Figueroa said. “He’s moving all over, the kid is very talented.”

Sophomore Sione Lolohea, a 6-5, 265-pound rugby standout who received a scholarship offer from Brigham Young as an 8th-grader, will see time at tight end and defensive line. Figueroa said Fisher will line up with Lolohea in double-tight end sets from time to time.

Solomone Tongi has returned to Maui after two years in Utah and will see time at running back and linebacker.

The starter at quarterback is senior Kainalu Tancayo (5-8, 150).

“We’re working on the passing game,” Figueroa said. “When he’s back there we have to move him because everybody’s tall in there.”

Said Tancayo: “We’re pretty excited, our practices are going well. We’ve got a lot of stuff to touch up on, but other than that we’re doing good.”

* Robert Collias is at rcollias@mauinews.com

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MIL FOOTBALL

2017 SEASON PREVIEWS

Saturday, Aug. 5–King Kekaulike

Monday, Aug. 7–Kamehameha Maui

Today–Maui High

Wednesday–Baldwin

Thursday–Lahainaluna

UPCOMING SCHEDULE

Thursday’s Game

King Kekaulike at Lahainaluna, 7 p.m.

Friday’s Game

Maui High at Kamehameha Maui, 7 p.m.

Saturday’s Game

Baldwin vs. Mission Viejo (Calif.) at War Memorial Stadium, 6 p.m.

*****

SABERS AT A GLANCE

2016 record–5-5 overall, 5-3 MIL

Offense–Multiple

Defense–4-3

Returning starters–3 offense, 3 defense

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