On Friday, November 4 and Saturday, November 5, the Pearl City Chargers varsity and junior varsity football programs will take their undefeated records up against the Waipahu Marauders for the chance to win their first OIA White Division Football Championship.
The Pearl City Chargers varsity football team is one day away from hitting the Aloha Stadium turf to play in the biggest football game of the school's 40 year history.
The Chargers will go to battle against the Marauders on Friday, November 4, for the Oahu Interscholastic Association White Division Varsity Football Championship. The game is scheduled to kick off at 4:30pm.
Farrington will take on Kahuku for the Oahu Interscholastic Association Red Division Varsity Football Championship in the second game of Friday's OIA championship doubleheader at Aloha Stadium.
Pearl City enters the championship game with an undefeated 9-0 record. The Chargers captured the 2011 OIA White Division regular season title and advanced to the OIA White Division Championship with a semifinal playoff win against McKinley 26-12.
Waipahu comes into the championship game with a 7-2 record with regular season losses to Pearl City 13-8 and Kaimuki 35-7. The Marauders avenged their loss to Kaimuki in the OIA Championship semifinals with a 36-22 win on October 15 at Kaiser High School.
Pearl City and Waipahu played a tough, close contest on October 1 at Pearl City High School's Edwin "Bino" Neves Stadium. The low scoring 13-8 Pearl City win came down to the final seconds when Pearl City's Justyn Dela Cruz picked off a Drake Yoshioka pass that stopped a late fourth quarter Marauder drive that allowed the Chargers to run out the game clock.
MyPearlCity.com sat down with Pearl City Chargers head coach Kai Kamaka to get an update on how the team was doing as they prepare for their rematch with Waipahu for the 2011 OIA White Division Football Championship.
Q: How has practice gone and how has your team benefited from the bye week?
A: Practice has gone really well. It was a perfect time for a bye we are at full strength. Intensity was really high and practice had lots of pep to it. We used the time to perfect our spacing and coverage recognition.
Q: Key players on both offense and defense that will need step up and lead
in the championship?
A: Our key players will be our qb and wr's being able to read the coverage and be in sync. I think special teams is a huge factor in field position. We gotta use our punt return and kick returns as our first down to play on a short field.
Defensively, we need to bring pressure and stop the run game. I think Jayden Zadlo,Troy Scanlan and Chayse Tagalog, Jordan Mendiola and Tanner Tokunaga need to have good games.
Kaimi Paredes will be the factor as well as Kelson Laboy and Daicorri Briscoe outside with Rakeel McMillian at HB. Also our offensive line needs to play well. Which they have been for the whole season.
Q: Keys to the game after the Chargers 13-8 (close) margin of victory over the Marauders during the regular season?
A: We missed 4 red zone opportunities which we should of cashed in. We need to force Waipahu to play catch up.
Q: Overall spirit/attitude going into the biggest game of PCHS football
history?
A: Spirit has been high but focused. They know and I hear them talk about this has never been done. They talk about where they wanna put the banner. The biggest thing I think is they believe in each other and protect each other. The chemistry and the desire has put their confidence on a new level, not cocky but confident and content.
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
Pearl City QB Kaimi Paredes pictured eluding the Waipahu defense in the Chargers 13-8 win over the Marauders on October 1, 2011. Paredes passed for 144 yards and two touchdowns.
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
Pearl City wide receiver, Daicorri Briscoe will be counted on to have a big game against Waipahu in the OIA White Division Championship game. Briscoe pictured here on the receiving end of a Kaimi Paredes pass during Chargers 13-8 win over Waipahu on October 1, 2011.
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
Waipahu running back Gregorio Alip scored the Marauders only touchdown in the loss to Pearl City on October 1. Alip is ranked second amongst OIA White Division rushing leaders with 809 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
Waipahu Marauder QB Drake Yoshioka passed for 177 yards against Pearl City in their first meeting won by the Chargers 13-8.
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
Pearl City's Justyn Dela Cruz celebrates after intercepting a Drake Yoshioka pass late in the 4th quarter to seal the Chargers 13-8 win over Waipahu on October 1 at Pearl City High School.
The Chargers vs. Waipahu OIA White Division Championship game will televised on Oceanic's O16 and on the radio via Starcomm Sports on ESPN 1500 at 4:30pm.
OIA White Division Junior Varsity Football Championship
Pearl City brings a perfect 7-0 record into the Saturday, November 5, OIA White Division Junior Varsity Championship game against Waipahu who is 5-2. The Chargers defeated the Marauders 36-0 on October 1st at Pearl City High School.
Kick off is set for 2:00pm
Go Chargers!
Photo by Barry Villamil | [email protected]
Pearl City's #2 Tristin Kamaka pictured picking up yards against Waipahu in the Chargers 36-0 junior varsity win over the Marauders on Saturday, October 1, 2011 at Pearl City High School.