Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 25, Number 6, 1 May 2008 — Spring training [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Spring training

By Lisa Asato Public lūformatioū Specialist

Redshirt freshmen Kiran Kepo'o and Bryce Kalauokaaea played

against eaeh other in high school. Now they meet up again, vying for a spot on the University of Hawai'i football roster to fill the position fonnerly held by Colt Brennan. "Both of us being loeal, growing up over here, it's everyone's dream to eome to the university and

become the next quarterback," Kalauokaaea, a 6 foot-2-inch walkon from Castle High, says after a two-hour spring practice in

whieh top-contenders Tyler Graunke and Inoki Funaki saw a lot of action. ' "There's two more (junior college) recruits eomina in the suimner.

that's hard, too, but we all got a shot at it,"

Kalauokaaea says, adding, "Since I'm pretty mueh the newcomer I gotta pay my dues and do what I gotta do like how all Inoke them paid their dues years ago, and now it's their shot. Gotta be patient." For Kepo'o, a scholarship player

who nussed last season because of a bicycle injury, just being back is sweet. "Being out here L with the boys, our r teanimates and r out in the football atmosphere is really good," says the 'Iolani graduate who grew up in Kailua-Kona. And having gone through the drills last season helps with the learning curve, he says. "I think this spring

I have a better idea of what's going on as far as the tenninology, plays and everything. It's a little bit different now that we're 'under the center,' there's lots of adjustments we gotta make as far as footwork goes." But new quarterbacks eoaeh Niek Rolovich is showing them footwork drills, whieh helps with the new fonnation, says Kalauokaaea. His favorite part of spring practice? "When we 'go team,' " he says with a big smile, referring to the scriimnage-like convergence at the end of practice. "We all like the individual drills 'cause we get more reps, but being out there, the whole team going against eaeh other - the intensity." As for the two quarterbacks' first meeting on the gridiron, that eame during their senior year in 2006. "Our defense couldn't stop them," recalls Kepo'o, whose team went on to win the Division II state title. But that's not how Kalauokaaea renienibers it. "Our highlight my senior year was we beat Kahuku," he says. "We got our (rear ends) kicked by Kiran though." I

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