Kahuku Lineman Eager To Play
Ask senior Lamone Williams which teammate best exemplifies the Red Raiders’ relentlessness on defense, and he quickly points to outside linebacker Clifford Ramseyer.
“He gets after people,” said Williams, the only other returning starter on defense. “That’s his mentality every day. You see it in practice, and you see it in games.”
Fans of Kahuku football say the same things about Williams, who packs 238 pounds into his agile 6-foot-3 frame. Together, the pair will be counted to lead the way for a defense that was the catalyst for Kahuku’s Division I state title run last fall. Defense yielded only 38.9 rushing yards (and 9.8 points) per game in 12 outings – all victories, as Kahuku finished a perfect 12-0 and also claimed the 2011 state title.
As is the case for most of his teammates, football dreams consumed Williams at a young age. “Winning a state championship is an indescribable feeling, especially winning two in a row,” he said. “Our fan base really cares about us. It’s important to them – our community and our families. That’s our motivation. We play for them, and we play for each other.
“Ever since I was a young boy, I wanted to play for Kahuku. The majority of my family graduated from Kahuku. I wanted to feel that tradition.”
He likes the blue-collar mentality that goes with playing up front. “As a defensive lineman, you don’t have that much glory in a game, but when you make a play, you feel really great.”
Williams also saw time at tight end, reeling in a pair of touchdown passes in the 50-13 win over Mililani in the OIA championship game. On defense, he had a pair of interceptions, a fumble recovery, a sack and a touchdown.
The team is hard at work on their weight training and conditioning these days with fall camp opening at the end of the month. “I like going after that championship and working out with my teammates. We believe at Kahuku that our bond is important to our victories and how we have to win games.”
His “instincts in a game situation” are his strength, he noted. “I like trying to make plays, of course. I’m working at getting stronger and faster and tightening up my technique and my footwork.”There’s always room for improvement.”
