Kahaheo Squad Is 90 Percent Back, 100 Percent Ready
By Jack Danilewicz
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Del.icio.usFor Kalaheo head football coach Chris Mellor and the Mustangs, the so-called “transition year"that comes with a coaching change is a distant memory.
The Mustangs opened fall camp on Monday well ahead of where they were last year, in Mellor’s view. Indeed, 90 percent of Kalaheo’s 2006 team returns this season, including 90 percent of its starters, so Mellor’s schemes have long since been in place.
“We’re ready to play a game right now,” said Mellor, who is in his second year as the Mustangs’head coach. “What we need to do now is refine, refine and refine ...”
Kalaheo,which finished 1-7 last season, is coming off a productive off-season, which culminated in a trip to St. Mary’s College in Moraga, Calif., where they competed with a handful of Mainland schools. The camp, which was coordinated by San Jose State linebacker coach Jeff Hammerschmidt, takes a college-like approach and includes 7-on-7 passing competitions, team practices and individual instruction.
“It was a great trip.We have a good corps of kids, and we saw their bond get a little tighter. That will happen when you go away for five or six days.” The Mustangs’ offensive and defensive lines both won competitions at the camp,perhaps an encouraging sign for a program whose depth in the trenches has been its Achilles heel traditionally.
If Kalaheo’s offensive line can reach its potential, it would be a big boost for a team that is already loaded at the skilled positions. Back in the fold are quarterback Cody Von Appen, running back Larry Soto, and wide receivers Kao Malama-Custer and Bruce Andrews.
Mellor calls Andrews, who is a 4.0 student in the classroom,“the fastest kid on our team.
“He and Kao both have 4.5 speed,” Mellor said coming out of spring. “Bruce is a heavy hitter, and Kao is the strongest kid on the team.”
Von Appen is entering his third year as a Kalaheo starter, his second running the veer offense Mellor brought with him from De La Salle High School, where he coached previously.
“Experience is his strength now,” Mellor said . “He’s been here since he was a sophomore, and he’s been around the game his whole life. He has a strong arm, good running ability, and he knows his responsibilities. I’m sure the other teams will be game planning against him.”
Mellor is also high on sophomore quarterback Phil Taui,whom he called “the bright spot” of Kalaheo’s 7-on-7 pass league scrimmages. “He’s waiting in the wings,” Mellor said of Taui, who will likely start at another position this season.
“Offensively, we’re going to score - no doubt about it,” said Mellor. “We have the potential to be balanced, but we’ll probably throw a little more.”
Although quick to call himself an offensive coach,Mellor re-emphasized a “defense-first” approach prior to spring practice.
Linebackers Dillan Hanawahine and Shawn Reed will anchor the defense along with 6-foot, 210-pound junior defensive end Matthew Gasparine.
“We’ve definitely committed to defense. If no one gets hurt, we’ll be solid there. We just need to be consistent and play mistake-free football, and we’ll be competitive.We’d like to see the community come out and watch us.”
While fall camp began this week, the first official day teams can don full pads and participate in full contact is next Monday.
“(How a player responds to contact) is what separates football players from football wannabees,“Mellor said.“Football is a physical game. The 7-on-7 and 1-on-1 stuff no longer matters (once the pads are on).”
Kalaheo’s game with Moanalua Sept. 1 will be televised live by Oceanic-16, the network announced recently.
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