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Male Athlete of the Week: Nick Kapule, Punahou football
Weeks of preparation helped Punahou's Nick Kapule have his best game of his career last Thursday night.

The senior southpaw threw for career-highs in passing yards (347) and touchdowns (five) to help the third-ranked Buffanblu steamroll Kamehameha, 56-14 in their Interscholastic League of Honolulu Division I season-opener.

The Warriors brought heavy pressure against Punahou, but Kapule was able to pick apart the Kamehameha defense and take advantage of mismatches in the Warriors' coverage.

Kapule completed just 17 of his 31 pass attempts, but was efficient when the Buffanblu needed him. Punahou gained 17 of its 26 first downs through the pass and was able to convert on all three of its fourth down situations. 

"He's worked hard and he was prepared," Punahou coach Kale Ane said of Kapule. "He has good chemistry with the receiver and O-line, and good command of the offense. Kamehameha was very challenging. They're athletic, they blitz and bring pressure. It makes the offense a lot more efficient when the quarterback can read the blitzes or alignments as quickly as Nick did."

Benefitting the most from Kapule's passes was senior slotback Judd Cockett, who caught five passes for a career-high 103 yards and three touchdowns. Cockett used his speed and quickness against larger outside linebackers to his advantage and caught touchdown passes of 4, 8, and 44 yards from Kapule. 

"Like Nick studies tape, all of our receivers do too, and Judd was the benefactor of study and mismatches," said Ane. "It's a game of chess moves and you want to put your strengths where (the opponent's) weaknesses are."

But Cockett wasn't the only receiver that was getting involved. Senior wideout Ethan Takeyama caught seven passes for a game-high 147 yards and a touchdown, Keala Martinson had four receptions for 85 yards and a score and Eamon Brady added three catches for 62 yards and another touchdown.

"I've said this before, but they're my best friends and we love playing together," Kapule said of the quartet of pass-catchers after the game. "It's just all good fun and they're great athletes — all four of them — and we have even more athletes who are great as receivers, but those four guys are special." 

Ane added that Kapule's leadership is a big reason for the Punahou offense's strong chemistry.

"He's a fun guy to be around with and he's able to make things comfortable for everybody," Ane said of Kapule. "He accepts responsibility, is a great leader and leads by example. He accepts the responsibility of the quarterback position and he puts everybody in the right place. 

"When something goes wrong he's the first to say, my fault, even if it isn't. That's what a good leader does. The kids know when what they did was wrong, but they appreciate it when someone takes the blame. For someone in that position to accept criticism and work hard, that really sends a message to his teammates." 

Even though Kapule may not have the arm that will have FBS schools strongly recruiting him, he makes up for it with his competitive spirit.

"He's very resilient, very tough mentally," said Ane. "He doesn't get down on himself. He figures out what he needs to do to get better between games or the offseason. He's always working, just a student of the game. What puts him out there further than other people is he doesn't allow himself to get down. He has a lot of faith in his abilities."

In fact, the 6-foot-2, 190-pound quarterback has competed just to get on the field throughout his entire career at Punahou. Kapule was Ephraim Tuliloa's backup for the past two years, and performed admirably whenever Tuliloa was sidelined with sickness or an injury. 

This season the roles are reversed as junior dual-threat quarterback Stephen Barber is pushing for playing time over Kapule. Ane said that Kapule is doing everything he can to maintain the starting role. 

"He's trying to be the guy," Ane said of Kapule. "Ephraim was the guy last year and now the roles are reversed where he's the one being pushed by an underclassman. Nick is doing everything he can to hold on to that spot."

Last season when Tuliloa went down with an injury in the first ILH game of the year, Kapule took over the reins and had a three-game stretch where he passed for over 300 yards. Kapule rode the pine when Tuliloa was healthy, but regained the starting job for the Buffanblu's final game of 2015.

"Nick accepted it gracefully. He continued to push it, but he didn't pout or put his head down. But when his chance came again, he was ready and he stepped up," said Ane. 

The Buffanblu will face their toughest test of the season when they take on No. 2 Saint Louis Friday night. 

Female Athlete of the Week: Hope Carter, Mililani girls volleyball
As long as Mililani has Hope Carter on the floor, the Trojans should be in every contest.

The senior 5-foot-9 setter had a solid all-around performance to help Mililani rally past Kapolei in three sets last Thursday night to help the Trojans extend their Oahu Interscholastic Association Western Division regular season winning streak to 19 games.

Even though her team's passing wasn't the best, Carter was still able to finish with 28 assists. She also added 10 digs, three kills, three block assists and two aces to lead Mililani to its second win of the year.

"We are a really young team so that's the type of the challenges we have to go through, but honestly it was a great match," said Carter. "Everyone wanted to play, everyone wanted to be here so everyone put their all into it. I know some of the girls never played, but they were all with us in spirit."

Mililani coach Val Crabbe said that Carter's athleticism helps her turn sub-par passes into great sets for her teammates.

"It's hard because she has to constantly scramble, but I thought she did well considering that although our passing wasn't our best, she was still able to better the ball all the time," said Crabbe.

Even though Carter exerted a lot of energy running after balls to get a set off, she still had enough left in the tank to come up big in crunch time.

"She has a really good serve and a really good block, but the more that she's scrambling the whole game, the more energy it uses up, especially when you have to use a lot of energy to do a jump serve," said Crabbe. "When it came down to that third set, we can serve to spots and everything and that's really good, but we needed hard serves. In that third set she really came through on the hard serves and forced (Kapolei) not to pass good."

Carter gained another weapon on offense to distribute it to when freshman Falanika Danielson switched from libero to outside hitter after the first set. Danielson, who finished with eight kills and 12 digs, was a difference maker down the stretch as the Trojans overcame a one game to none deficit to win it in three sets.

"She's really a scrappy player," Carter said on Danielson. "She can play all-around and she's just a baller. I don't know what else to say. She has the whole package and she really helped us with this win."

Carter added that she's still learning the intricacies of setting and has not yet reached her full potential at the position.

"After last year I realized that I need to get my other teammates involved," she said. "It's not just a 1-2 person kind of thing, it's a 1-2-3-4-5-6 kind of deal, it's a team thing. Coach has really helped me learn over the years how to distribute better and get everybody involved."

Crabbe said that the Trojans moved Carter from outside hitter to setter during her sophomore year.

"In looking at what the program needed, we just needed a setter and she took that. It was hard in the beginning, but she was graceful and she's done well and had had a great season last year. I think it made her a little bit more marketable."

Carter, who was the 2015 OIA West Player of the Year, has benefited from the position change, having received a scholarship to play collegiately at Wayne State College in Nebraska.

The Trojans (3-0) will travel to Leilehua (3-0) Thursday night in a battle that will determine first place in the division.

AIR RIFLERY 
Justin Pascua, Kalaheo — Shot a high score of 511.07 in a win over Kalani in an OIA East boys match

Emily Toguchi-Tani, Kalaheo — Shot a high score of 516.04 in a win over Kalani in an OIA East girls match

BOWLING
Micah Freitas, Castle — Rolled a high single-game of 222 and a three-game series of 628 in an OIA East boys match

Chayenne Kuamoo-Malama, Waipahu — Rolled a high single-game score of 228 and three-game series of 620 in an OIA West boys match

Erin Ohta, Mililani — Rolled a high single-game score of 220 and a three-game series of 595 in an OIA West girls match

Tyra Sanchez, Moanalua — Rolled a high single-game score of 211 and a three-game series of 565 in an OIA East girls match

Christopher Yadao, Pearl City — Rolled a high single-game score of 222 and three-game series of 649 in an OIA West boys match

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
Lexis Akeo, Kamehameha — Had 23 assists, five digs and two block assists in a straight set win over Iolani

Anika Anderson, Radford — Had 13 kills and an ace in a three-set loss to Waianae

Taylor Bell, Kapolei — Had 20 digs and two aces in a three-set loss to Mililani

Megan Dornheim, St. Anthony — Had 32 digs in a three-set win over Maui Prep

Leslie Mamai-Lagafuaina, Aiea — Had 13 kills, five digs, three aces, two block assists and one solo block in a two-set win over Nanakuli

Jordan Omura, St. Anthony — Had 27 assists and seven aces in a three-set win over Maui Prep 

Rena Ramirez, St. Anthony — Had 13 kills in a three-set win over Maui Prep

Kylee Yamashita, Kamehameha-Maui — Put down a match-high 14 kills in a four-set loss to King Kekaulike

Sirinya Yothawang, King Kekaulike — Had 19 digs and an ace in a four-set win over Kamehameha-Maui

FOOTBALL
Kesi Ah-Hoy, Kahuku — Scored on a 52-yard interception return in a win over Campbell

Iovani Alatini, Jr., Radford — Had two sacks in a loss to Moanalua

Rush Asing, Damien — Scored on a 15-yard fumble return in a win over Saint Francis

Stephen Barber, Punahou — Threw a touchdown pass and rushed for another score in a win over Kamehameha

Brandon Bender, Moanalua — Caught six passes for 94 yards and two touchdowns in a win over Radford

Judd Cockett, Punahou — Caught five passes for 103 yards with three touchdowns in a win over Kamehameha

Jared Elwin, Roosevelt — Scored on a 26-yard interception return in a loss to Waipahu

Challen Faamatau, Farrington — Rushed for a season-high 178 yards and a touchdown on 30 carries in a win over Leilehua

Alfred Failauga, Waipahu — Rushed for a career-high 140 yards with two touchdowns in a win over Roosevelt

Marcus Faufata-Pedrina, Damien — Threw a touchdown pass and rushed for another score in a win over Saint Francis

Dustin Gapusan, Mililani — Made a game-high eight tackles with a pass breakup in a loss to Kapolei

Jaylen Gonzales, Waianae — Intercepted two passes and had a tackle in a win over Kaiser

Kamaki Gouveia, Baldwin — Rushed for 158 yards and two scores in a win over Maui

Kealoha Hanawahine-Wong, Kailua — Rushed 25 times for 111 yards in a win over Nanakuli

Tytyn Kahooilihala, Waianae — Made three tackles, including a sack, and scored on a 5-yard fumble return in a win over Kaiser

Kailiohu Kila, Mililani — Rushed for 116 yards and one touchdown on 13 carries in a loss to Kapolei

Centennial Kulikefu, Waipahu — Made a game-high 9 1/2 tackles, three for loss, in a win over Roosevelt

Mark Lagazo, Kailua — Threw for 114 yards with two touchdowns and rushed for 100 yards with two other scores in a win over Nanakuli

Supilani Mailei, Saint Francis — Made a game-high eight tackles, including two for losses, and one sack in a loss to Damien

Christian Mejia, Kailua — Caught a touchdown pass and scored on a 15-yard blocked punt return in a win over Nanakuli

Brent Micua, Waipahu — Recovered two fumbles in a win over Roosevelt

Chyson Morgan, Nanakuli — Caught five passes for 143 yards with a touchdown and scored on a 90-yard kickoff return in a loss to Kailua

Stokes Nihipali-Botelho, Kahuku — Scored on an 84-yard kickoff return in a win over Campbell

Clifton Oliver, Kapaa — Kicked two field goals and three PATs in a shutout win over Waimea

Charvis Paia, Roosevelt — Rushed for a season-high 110 yards on 21 carries in a loss to Waipahu

Unaloto Pahulu, Lahainaluna — Scored on a 50-yard fumble return in a win over King Kekaulike

Destin Pakele, Saint Francis — Scored on a 70-yard interception return in a loss to Damien

Wyatt Perez, Kapolei — Caught four passes for 75 yards and three scores in a win over Mililani

Ryan Ramones, Moanalua — Caught five passes for 118 yards and two touchdowns in a win over Radford

William Rodrigues, Jr., Farrington — Recorded two interceptions in a win over Leilehua

Rico Rosario, Waianae — Rushed for 184 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries in a win over Kaiser

Jaymin Sarono, Kapolei — Caught a season-high 12 passes for 128 yards and a touchdown in a win over Mililani

Kalani Segovia, Kapolei — Made three tackles and scored on a 53-yard interception return in a win over Mililani

Kanoa Shannon, Kamehameha — Rushed for 138 yards and a touchdown on 25 carries in a loss to Punahou

Jahred Silofau, Saint Louis — Rushed for two touchdowns in a win over Iolani

Etuati Storer, Lahainaluna — Ran for 108 yards and a touchdown in a win over King Kekaulike

Kyle Sudog, Radford — Made a game-high 7 1/2 tackles, including a sack, in a loss to Moanalua 

Taulia Tagovailoa, Kapolei — Passed for 365 yards and four touchdowns on 31-of-55 passing in a win over Mililani

Tua Tagovailoa, Saint Louis — Threw for 260 yards with two touchdowns on 17-of-26 passing and rushed for 77 yards with another score on seven carries in a win over Iolani

Ethan Takeyama, Punahou — Caught seven passes for 147 yards in a win over Kamehameha

Jerusalem Tootoo, Waianae — Caught two touchdown passes in a win over Kaiser

Jaren Ulu, Waianae — Threw for 116 yards and three touchdowns in a win over Kaiser

Elvis Vakapuna, Kahuku — Rushed for three touchdowns in a win over Campbell

JT White, Damien — Intercepted three passes, recovered a fumble and made a tackle in a win over Saint Francis

Logan Williams, Punahou — Made a game-high eight tackles, including two for losses, in a win over Kamehameha

Isaac Yamashita, Waipahu — Caught four passes for a season-high 136 yards with two touchdowns in a win over Roosevelt

Alakai Yuen, Moanalua — Threw for 299 yards and five touchdowns on 18-of-27 passing in a win over Radford