William Lobendahn

Purchase image 1 of 3

Joseph Cho

Purchase image 2 of 3

Rod York

Purchase image 3 of 3

Two men with ties to Hawaii felt it was time to return home to continue coaching football.

Kaiser's William Lobendahn and McKinley Joseph Cho are among two of three new coaches in the Oahu Interscholastic Association.

Joining them is Mililani's Rod York, who was promoted from defensive coordinator to replace Darnell Arceneaux, who returned to his alma mater, Saint Louis.

All three are first-year high school coaches in Hawaii.

"I"m excited and honored to lead these guys," said York, a 1991 graduate of Iolani. "It's a good group of guys. We've had 'em from ninth grade and they're seniors now."

Before Mililani, York coached linebackers at Leilehua for five years. The former Hawaii Warrior also was an assistant at Iolani for one season.
Meanwhile, Cho and Lobendahn each thought the time was right to come home.

Cho, a 1972 graduate of McKinley, played collegiately and earned his teaching degree from Williamette University in Salem, Ore. He retired from the Oregon school system after 33 years, coaching in 29 of those years mostly as an assistant. He was head coach at Cascade from 1996 to 2004.

"Deep down inside, my ultimate goal was to come back as a coach," Cho said. "It's where everything started for me. I owe everything that I've ever accomplished - an education, coaching career - to the coaches that coached me in high school. So I thought I owed them something to give back to the school and the kids here at McKinley."

McKinley athletic director Neal Takamori was instrumental in bringing Cho back. Takamori was an assistant coach when Cho played for the Tigers.

"I wouldn't have come back if it wasn't for McKinley because I had a good thing going up there as head basketball and head football coach," Cho said. "Really, what brought me back was Takamori, family and McKinley."

Cho replaces Bobby Grey, who will remain as an assistant.

Lobendahn, a 1998 Saint Louis alumnus, played at Snow JC, Idaho State and Virginia Union. After coaching offensive linemen at Radford in 2001 and 2002, he returned to NCAA Division II Virginia Union, where he coached from 2004 and part of 2009. Lobendahn finished the 2009 season at St. Paul's College in Virginia.

"The biggest thing was family," Lobendahn said. "Been away from the state for a while. I've always wanted to coach my people, the Islanders. It's a time in my life to get back home and give back."

He was sort of surprised he got the position.

"I heard there were a lot of candidates, good candidates from the high school and the college level," he said.

Lobendahn said other Hawaii schools, as well as California's Mater Dei, were seeking him to coach offensive line.

He succeeds Patrick Samsonas.

Arceneaux is the only new coach in the Interscholastic League of Honolulu, replacing John Hao. Arceaneux coached Saint Louis in 2003, taking the Crusaders to a state runner-up to Kahuku. He coached Mililani the past three seasons, each year getting eliminated in the OIA Red quarterfinals.

The Maui Interscholastic League has two coaching changes.

Kevin O'Brien, who coached at Saint Anthony from 1999 to 2002 and Pac-Three in 2003, will coach Kamehameha-Maui, replacing Leo Delatori.

PK Higa returns at King Kekaulike after coaching Na Alii in 1999 and 2000. He succeeds JW Kenton.

The Big Island Interscholastic Federation has one change. Mike Nunez replaces Leo Abellera at Keaau.

Only the Kauai Interscholastic Federation had no coaching changes.