Waipahu quarterback Braden Amorozo moves up from the junior varsity ranks and is projected to be the starting signal-caller for the Marauders in 2016. CJ Caraang | SL

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16060848_20160607-IMG_7459.jpg - CJ Caraang | SL

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After enduring four losing seasons in Division I, the Waipahu Marauders are back in Division II looking to rebuild while staying competitive at the same time.

One of the key players that will be leading Waipahu's turnaround is junior signal-caller and first-year varsity player Braden Amorozo. Second-year coach Bryson Carvalho said Amorozo's leadership skills were already on display when the team began its offseason conditioning in February.

Carvalho said that Amorozo and a few of the receivers took the initiative to come out on the field and work on some routes after lifting in the weight room. After a week or so, the small group of five or six players grew into almost half the team.

"The leadership that Braden provides is really good because it's kind of infectious where he just came out and invited the boys out to do some extra work," said Carvalho. "Just that alone has been a huge difference from this year and last year, in terms of the commitment level."

Having Amorozo behind center should also provide some stability for the Marauders after flip-flopping between seniors Blaise De Asis and Gavin Marques in Carvalho's first year as head coach.

"Both quarterbacks had their own separate strengths, which kind of made it complicated because their strengths were two separate offenses," said Carvalho. "It opened our playbook, but I think it gave us too much plays for the other positions." 

Waipahu is simplifying the offense this year, but it will look a lot different than it did in the past decade. Gone are the days of the flexbone, triple-option sets where the Marauders would use a multifaceted rushing attack to pillage their way down the field like their namesakes. 

Figuratively speaking, the Marauders are returning back to their roots on offense. Many associate Waipahu's moniker with a pirate, but the school actually got its mascot name from the B-26 Marauder plane that crashed-landed on campus during World War II. Instead of relying on a ground attack, the Marauders will utilize the airwaves and will run shotgun sets 95 percent of the time. 

"I want to make sure we utilize Braden's strengths because Braden can really throw the football around," said Carvalho.

Amorozo will have a handful of returning slot receivers to throw to in Leoncio Ea, AJ Contado and Cody Andres-Paguirigan. Moving up from the junior varsity ranks with Amorozo is wideouts Isaac Yamashita, Alika Ahsing and Ezekiel Reyes.

Although Waipahu loses an elite talent in Andrew Simanu at receiver, Carvalho considers this year's receiving corps to be the best overall group of pass-catchers that the team has had in a while.

"Personally I love all my receivers," said Amorozo. "We're kind of on a great connection right now. We just need to touch up on our linemen and I think we'll be set for the season."