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Pure as gold
Posted at 07:14 AM
The beauty of prep sports isn't about perfection and imperfection, but in the purity of heart that goes into every minute and second of effort. The state football semifinals are a showcase of heart. By Paul Honda There are scapegoats. There are heroes. The world of pro sports, college sports, international competition are all filled to the gills with plenty in either category. At the high-school level, there are no real scapegoats. Nobody gets paid, unless you consider a coach's meager wages (pennies by the hour) a form of real compensation. There's no tuition waiver. Training table. Pro Bowl selection incentive. Nada. When Kahuku and Saint Louis pulled off comeback wins last night in the semifinals of the First Hawaiian Bank/HHSAA State Football Championships, we saw the best of what willpower and unity can do when employed by young football players under a hot spotlight. Kahuku's Pene Soliai and Shiloah Te‘o instantly became answers to a trivia question for the rest of their lives, and beyond. Kahuku's improbable comeback will not be forgotten, regardless of whether the Red Raiders beat Saint Louis in the title game next week. Saint Louis' win wasn't quite so dramatic, but the Crusaders rallied with scores by their defense and special teams. It was almost surreal, the way Jacob Barit's interception turned into a game-changing, game-tying touchdown. It was also almost amusing how much placekicker Kenton Chun deflected any recognition for his go-ahead field goal. All in all, there are heroes named and anonymous in the football championships. There are no goats. There are lessons, no doubt, but at 16 years old, maybe 17, there is too much life and living ahead to dwell on mistakes. There will be great triumphs on and off the field for all of these young men in the future. Wait and see. Previous Article: Sweet ride to Waianae Comments © Copyright 2003 HondaReport.com/Leahi.Net
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