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Kamalu Anoba-Jordan

Kalaheo football  •   #9    

Kamalu Anoba-Jordan showed out Friday night. 

The Kalaheo junior accounted for 356 all-purpose yards and five touchdowns in a hard-earned 60-43 win over Kaimuki in a key Oahu Interscholastic Association Division II game at Farrington's Edward ‘Skippa' Diaz Stadium at Kusunoki Field. 

Anoba-Jordan, a 5-foot-8, 170-pound third-year varsity player, excelled in all three phases against the Bulldogs. He registered 14 rushing attempts for 100 yards and found the end zone on runs of 5, 23 and 3 yards. Anoba-Jordan also caught four pass receptions for 147 yards, including a 64-yard touchdown in a back-and-forth first half. 

Kaimuki held a 29-21 lead at the intermission, but Anoba-Jordan got the Mustangs going in the second half with his 81-yard kickoff return for touchdown to start the third quarter. 

"We were losing and he came out, with the help of his teammates, and took a kick return to the house and that really set the tone for the second half," Kalaheo first-year coach Jaymason Lee said of Anoba-Jordan, one of the team captains. "He took it to the house and jumped right back on kickoff and made a tackle and I think he definitely gave us a spark in the second half."

Lee said that the special teams' touchdown was indicative of the big-play ability that Anoba-Jordan brings. 

"He's actually a guy that can probably score any time that he touches the ball. He knows how to use the guys around him, his linemen and it's always a team effort, but he knows how to read his blocks and he knows how to run behind his line. He knows how to get open, he runs really good routes and he's fast; He has breakaway speed," Lee said. 

Prior to being hired at Kalaheo, Lee was previously an assistant at Moanalua. It was then that Anoba-Jordan first caught Lee's attention during a 7-on-7 scrimmage. When Lee got the job with the Mustangs, he knew that Anoba-Jordan had the potential to be a major asset at multiple positions. 

"When I got hired I looked up all the stat sheets and he was the leader in touchdowns and yards for the team and so I made it known that the best would play and whatever happened all these years before doesn't matter anymore, so you guys gotta prove who's going to start and he took it upon himself to come to offseason, non-mandatory workouts, he made sure he learned the plays, he's always in the front for conditioning, but he's not too vocal of a leader; He leads by example," Lee said. 

Lee noted that rumors of Anoba-Jordan's potential departure via transfer were in the air, but ultimately never transpired. 

"He chose to stay," Lee said. "He's one that chose to stay and play for Kalaheo and represent Kalaheo and it's paying off for him right now. From what I saw on film, a lot of his plays were big, explosive plays, so our coaching staff planned on using him to the fullest and he's been doing that in return and taking the coaching and basically emptying the tank for the team every game, giving it everything he's got."

That was evident when Anoba-Jordan – who also rotates as a defensive back – dealt with some cramping in the closing minutes of Friday night's contest. 

"He's been a sponge and absorbing all the coaching from a new coaching staff and in a new system. I put a big task on him to learn every position on offense, so he took it upon himself to make sure he knows every position, he knows where he's supposed to be and when he's supposed to be there and we make practice because everyone has to play both ways, but he has the drive and doesn't complain. He does whatever he needs to do for the team and you won't hear a complaint out of his mouth – just ‘yes, sir, no, sir' – and to me, that's what separates a lot of kids from others," Lee said. 

With their victory over the Bulldogs Friday night – their first since 1997 – the Mustangs already topped the win total from a year ago, when they went 1-6 in league play and 1-8 overall. 

"It was homecoming and they had all these festivities for them and so we had a long talk with them about how we need to finish this by winning and (Kamalu) took that personal, especially knowing that (Kaimuki has) such good players on the other side, especially a guy like Jeremiah White – a Division I guy. They're gonna watch his film and if you're on this film, now's your chance to show out on the film and he definitely did that, but that tells everything about him and what he's capable of," Lee said. 

He went on, "But to the average viewer, they don't see the holes that our line created, the time that they gave the quarterback to throw, the throw that the quarterback made, the blocks that our kick return team made for him – all that came into play. It was really a team effort. He put up great stats and all that, but it doesn't show what everyone else did – the defense getting stops to get our offense the ball back; we scored every time we had the ball in the second half and that's a credit to our defense – but it was such a team effort that he was able to get those stats."

Anoba-Jordan and the Mustangs (2-1) have a bye this week before they visit Roosevelt on Sept. 22.

FOOTBALL

Frank Abreu, Kamehameha-Maui — Caught five passes for 145 yards and three touchdowns in a win over Maui 

Sylas Alaimalo, Damien — Recorded eight tackles, including three for losses, and ran for 94 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries in a win over PAC-5

Keoki Alani, Konawaena — Threw for 359 yards and eight touchdowns on 18-of-23 passing without an interception in a win over Keaau 

Liatama Amisone, Kapolei — Threw for 207 yards and seven touchdowns on 14-of-17 passing without an interception in a win over Castle 

Zed Anahu-Ambrosio, Konawaena — Caught five passes for 91 yards and three touchdowns and threw a touchdown pass in a win over Keaau 

Jayce Bareng, Moanalua — Caught a touchdown pass and also scored on a 65-yard punt return in a loss to Farrington 

Armenio Blanco, Konawaena — Recorded 3 1/2 tackles, including two for losses, and intercepted two passes in a win over Keaau 

Kaonohi Casco, Kamehameha-Maui — Scored on a 34-yard interception return for touchdown and ran for another touchdown in a win over Maui

Sean Connell, Kaiser — Threw for 191 yards and three touchdowns on 14-of-27 passing with one interception in a win over Roosevelt 

Trey Dacoscos, Pearl City — Threw for 219 yards and four touchdowns on 13-of-23 passing with one interception in a win over McKinley 

Keawe Davis, Roosevelt — Caught eight passes for 137 yards and two touchdowns in a loss to Kaiser 

Collin Friel, Kailua — Scored on a 3-yard fumble return for touchdown in a win over Waianae 

Xander Hoopai, Kamehameha-Hawaii — Scored on an 82-yard kickoff return for touchdown in a win over Kau 

Alika Idica, Waianae — Ran for 147 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries in a loss to Kailua 

Isaiah Iosefa, Waipahu — Scored on a 12-yard interception return for touchdown in a win over Radford 

Makana Kamaka-Brayce, Kamehameha-Maui — Threw for 215 yards and four touchdowns on 11-of-16 passing without an interception in a win over Maui 

Ioane Kamanao, Roosevelt — Threw for 244 yards and three touchdowns on 17-of-39 passing with one interception and ran for 69 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries in a loss to Kaiser 

Kaina Kamohalii, Kapolei — Caught seven passes for 150 yards and three touchdowns in a win over Castle 

Zechariah Kuratsu-Cook, Kaimuki — Ran for 103 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries and also caught a touchdown pass in a loss to Kalaheo 

Iosefa Letuli, Kaimuki — Threw for 263 yards and two touchdowns on 22-of-36 passing with one interception in a loss to Kalaheo 

Jerome Lilio, PAC-5 — Recorded two interceptions in a loss to Damien

Elias Malapit, Konawaena — Recorded eight tackles, including five for losses and four sacks, in a win over Keaau  

Elijah Mendoza, Waipahu — Threw for 197 yards and three touchdowns on 12-of-18 passing without an interception in a win over Radford 

Sitani Mikaele, Farrington — Ran for 129 yards and two touchdowns on 28 carries in a win over Moanalua 

Seth Miller, PAC-5 — Ran for 135 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries in a loss to Damien 

Cole Northington, Leilehua — Ran for 208 yards and four touchdowns on 37 carries in a win over Aiea 

Abraham Ogata, Konawaena — Caught four passes for 100 yards and two touchdowns in a win over Keaau 

Aisiah Pagofie, Campbell — Scored on a 35-yard interception return for touchdown in a win over Nanakuli 

Adam Perry, Kamehameha-Hawaii — Threw for 349 yards and four touchdowns on 16-of-20 passing with an interception in a win over Kau 

Kalani Puu, Kekaulike — Scored on a 33-yard interception return for touchdown and ran for another touchdown in a win over Baldwin 

Dillon Reis, Kaiser — Ran for 129 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries in a win over Roosevelt 

Jake Ropa, Lanai — Scored on a 54-yard fumble return for touchdown in a loss to Molokai 

Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, Campbell — Threw for 255 yards and two touchdowns on 14-of-20 passing without an interception in a win over Nanakuli 

Shiloh Santos, Kamehameha-Hawaii — Caught five passes for 108 yards and a touchdown in a win over Kau 

Ian Sera, Damien — Caught three passes for 135 yards and two touchdowns in a win over PAC-5

Jesse Shinagawa, Kaiser — Caught six passes for 119 yards and a touchdown in a win over Roosevelt 

Austin Takaki, Konawaena — Caught seven passes for 95 yards and two touchdowns in a win over Keaau 

Taniela Taliauli, Iolani — Scored on a 94-yard kickoff return for touchdown in a win over Saint Louis II 

Keaton Tomas, Pearl City — Caught six passes for 120 yards and a touchdown in a win over McKinley 

Tobias Vasquez, Pearl City — Caught three passes for 106 yards and three touchdowns in a win over McKinley 

CJ Villanueva, Iolani — Threw for 185 yards and three touchdowns on 16-of-21 passing with one interception in a win over Saint Louis II 

Jordan Yoro, Kekaulike — Scored on a 5-yard interception return for touchdown, ran in another touchdown and caught a TD pass in a win over Baldwin

Lilinoe Paschoal's love for the game of volleyball runs deep and no one knows that better than her coach, Al Paschoal. 

He should. After all, he also happens to be her father.

Lilinoe Paschoal is the third-year starting setter for Al Paschoal's Baldwin girls volleyball team, which is off to a 3-0 start to the Maui Interscholastic League season this fall. 

Coach Paschoal makes it clear that as Lilinoe goes, so go the Bears. 

"That's going to be the make or break of your team offensively is the setter and what she can do and what she can deliver and what our hitters can expect," he said. "If our hitters can be comfortable and stay in rhythm, they're rough, so it's a blessing knowing that what we're getting from that position is definitely not square one."

Lilinoe Paschoal has excelled since she began her prep volleyball career two-plus years ago. As a freshman in 2021, Paschoal earned All-MIL Division I First Team honors, as selected by The Maui News. Baldwin finished 14-0 in league play that season, but went two-and-out in the state tournament, including a quarterfinal-round sweep at the hands of eventual-champion Kamehameha. 

As a sophomore the following season, Paschoal guided the Bears to another unblemished 14-0 mark in the MIL, but had another early exit from states. They went two-and-out once more and failed to win a set in either match. 

Needless to say, expectations are higher for Paschoal and the Bears – who return four total All-MIL First Team players – this fall. 

"She's coming with a base of experience, but not just coming with that experience from her own personal position, but experience with the other hitters on the court. She knows what they like, she can push them and our job as coaches is to try and expand that," Al Paschoal explained. "We want to get them comfortable being uncomfortable, pushing them in ways that we haven't before and the more we touch, the more we'll be ready for, hopefully."

Al Paschoal, who also coaches the Hawaiian Style Volleyball Club on Maui, said that many of his high school players play on his club team in the offseason. He added that a strong showing at nationals over the summer provided a promising glimpse of what the team is capable of this fall. 

"We only lost to the champion, the second-place team and the third-place team; It was tough, they're all 6-foot across. We played against a 6-4 middle," Paschoal said. 

The high school preseason included a rare opportunity to compete in the prestigious Ann Kang Invitational, hosted by Iolani. Baldwin opened the tournament against eventual-champion and perennial powerhouse Mira Costa (Manhattan Beach, California). 

"So far it's been pretty solid," Paschoal said of the start to the season. "We're kind of exactly where we wanted to be. We were ecstatic that we were able to get into the Ann Kang tournament, which is always a solid tournament, and we had a solid club season prior to that that really set the table. Playing Mira Costa right off the bat was really nice and gives you that punch in the mouth to get you going, but after that it's the girls realizing what they need to do to elevate their game and playing consistently at a high level. I feel that we can compete at a high level, it's whether we can do it on a consistent level: three days in a row, if we're fortunate enough to get into the state tournament again."

Before it can look ahead to the state tournament, Paschoal knows that his team needs to first handle its business within the MIL. 

"We know that the world goes through the (Interscholastic League of Honolulu) and if we want to do anything special at the state level we have to prepare for the top, but we still gotta take care of our league, don't get me wrong. We're gonna have to take care of business in our own backyard, but we always want to prepare for what's down the line. We're basically trying to just prepare ourselves for the toughest possible match that we could see and try to do that on a daily basis," Paschoal said. 

If the veteran-laden Bears are to break through at the state tournament this fall, Lilinoe Paschoal will certainly have to have a big hand in that. 

"It's a very interesting team, laden with freshmen two, three years ago. They came in as freshmen after COVID and they ended up winning the league, which was fantastic, but it really lacked that senior leadership and it was something that wasn't very prevalent," Al Paschoal reflected. "The seniors at the time were girls who came from the JV previously, so no varsity experience at all, so to see the girls develop, and especially Lili, develop into the role of a mature leader has been nice to see."

Lilinoe Paschoal, along with teammates Natronai Anana, Amanda Naipo and Ariana Naipo, all earned All-Hawaii Honorable Mention in 2022. 

Baldwin has swept both of its on-court opponents this season – Maui and Kekaulike – while its win over Lahainaluna was via forfeit. Paschoal tallied 32 assists, seven digs, two aces and a block in the win over the Sabers back on Aug. 29. She racked up 27 assists, three aces and two blocks against Na Alii last Thursday. 

"I thought she did a fantastic job running the offense. She did a great job of dispersing the ball and spreading it around. She really kept King K guessing, which was really nice," Al Paschoal said. 

He noted that unlike previous seasons, Lilinoe – a six-rotation player and team captain – has been given more leeway to run the offense on her own. 

"We consistently talk about who we want to be, what's our identity going to be as a team and what our game plan is going into any given opponent and we're going to focus on one or two aspects, but this year we're trying not to call too much of the offense and let Lili run the show, kind of like a catcher in baseball calling the game and not looking into the dugout for every pitch – that's what we want her to do," Al Paschoal said. 

The maturity of Lilinoe and the collective group is one reason that their coach is hopeful for another successful season. 

"I really see them being able to handle the ups and downs a lot better than even last year and Lili brings a calming sense to the court," he said. "Our hitters are never gonna be hitting a thousand, they're always gonna be up and down, but she does a good job of keeping those hitters maybe not having their best day still in the mix and able to contribute. She knows the heartbeat of the team and she knows how to get the most out of her players on the court."

Both father and daughter – or player and coach – have been stringent about recognizing a clear separation of duties in and out of the gym. 

"She does a really good job of not calling me ‘dad' in the gym, that's the most basic line that's been drawn. After that it's easy to be harder on your kid because you're trying not to show favoritism and it's a work in progress all the time. I'm not perfect and I prove that time and time again, but at the end of the day, if she's not gonna love it, then her experience is going to be limited so we wanted to make sure that there are requirements that any person in that position would fill, but at the same time I want to make sure she wants to do it because she loves it and not because mom and dad want it," Al Paschoal expressed. 

While volleyball takes up a large portion of Lilinoe Paschoal's efforts, her dad wouldn't mind if she spent more of her time doing other chores. 

"Volleyball is all she wants to play. She messed around with playing guitar a bit, I think COVID kind of opened up her fine arts, but volleyball is her love," Al Paschoal said. "She's starting to dabble with beach ball, but I'm hoping that she kind of falls in love with washing clothes and doing the dishes, that would be nice, too."

Lilinoe Paschoal and the Bears (3-0) will host fellow-unbeaten Kamehameha-Maui Tuesday night with first place in the MIL Division I standings at stake. First serve at Jon Garcia Gymnasium is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL

Sequoia Agamaite, Le Jardin — Had 15 digs and one assist in a three-set loss to Hawaii Baptist 

Natronai Anana, Baldwin — Had 17 digs and two aces in a three-set win over Kekaulike 

Adrianna Arquette, Kamehameha — Had 11 kills, six digs, six block assists and one ace in a three-set win over University Lab 

Kalaweloilehua Chock, Kamehameha — Had 11 kills and 12 digs in a three-set win over Hawaii Baptist 

Ashley Davis, Maui Prep — Had 30 assists and eight digs in a three-set win over Haleakala Waldorf

Kamanaookalani Goldstein, Kamehameha — Had 10 kills, 11 digs and two aces in a three-set win over University Lab 

Avery Kirkham, Maui Prep — Had 12 kills, five digs and six aces in a three-set win over Haleakala Waldorf 

Kalimaileaulii Kuamoo, Kamehameha-Hawaii — Had 21 assists, three digs and one ace in a three-set win over Keaau 

Emma Lilo, Kamehameha — Had 24 assists, 13 digs and two aces in a three-set win over Hawaii Baptist and had 24 assists, seven digs, two kills, two aces and one block assist in a three-set win over University Lab 

Amanda Naipo, Baldwin — Had 14 kills and 11 digs in a three-set win over Kekaulike 

Marisa Nakata, Hawaii Baptist — Had 24 kills, 15 digs, four block assists and one ace in a three-set win over Le Jardin 

Callie Pieper, Iolani — Had 15 kills in a three-set win over Le Jardin 

Caitlin Wong, Hawaii Baptist — Had 10 kills, 13 digs and one ace in a three-set win over Le Jardin