His actions speak louder than words
Rio Mesa's Ina Liaina is a force on both sides of the ball
By Eliav Appelbaum eliav@theacorn.com

BILL SPARKES/Acorn Newspapers BULL RUSH- Rio Mesa senior fullback/linebacker Ina Liaina cradles the ball and heads up the field during practice this week. Liaina, who was born in American Samoa, is a three-year varsity player.

Theodore Roosevelt was fond of a West African proverb: "Speak softly and carry a big stick."

Ina Liaina speaks softly … and then hits hard.

The Rio Mesa High senior is barely audible when he talks, but he lets his play on the football field do most of the yakking. A standout twoway starter at outside linebacker and fullback, Liaina leads the Spartans into a battle against Nordhoff of Ojai next Friday night on the road.

A three-year varsity player, Liaina is trying to do his part in getting Rio Mesa's offense in gear. The Spartans scored only 21 points in their first two games. They opened the season with a 14-10 win against San Marcos of Santa Barbara at home before falling at Newbury Park 15-7 last Friday.

RMHS hosted Agoura last night. The score wasn't available prior to press time.

"We have a good team, but we're still developing," said Liaina, who was born on American Samoa, a cluster of islands in the South Pacific Ocean in the southeast of the sovereign state of Samoa.

"Hopefully we'll get better as the season wears on."

Through his first two games, Liaina led the team in rushing with 71 yards on 18 touches for a respectable 3.9 yards per carry. Liaina, who recorded 11 tackles during the first two weeks, scored the Spartans' only touchdown in the loss to Newbury Park.

"(Offensively), we need a lot of help," said the senior, who has four sisters and three brothers. "We need to score more points."

Fourth-year head coach Bob Gregorchuk agreed with his hardhitting senior.

"Defensively we're playing pretty good," Gregorchuk said. "Offensively, we need to click.

"We need to be able to move the ball. We need to start executing. The line has to improve its blocking and open up the holes, and the backs need to read the holes. We need to be able to work together and trust each other."

Even though Liaina, 17, leads the team in rushing, Gregorchuk hopes to get two other senior backs involved. Senior running backs Jerell Thomas and Quinton Greenlaw also share carries with Liaina, although Thomas is considered the feature back at the moment.

Last year Liaina, who has lived in El Rio since the fifth grade, was one of the Spartans' most versatile players.

He was the team's secondleading rusher with 452 yards and two scores on the ground. He was the third leading receiver with 18 catches for 337 yards and four more touchdowns. On defense, Liaina had 86 tackles, the thirdbest total on the team.

"He's very physically talented," Gregorchuk said. "He's got good speed; he can get around the field in a hurry. He's good at blocking, tackling, and he's just a strong, strong kid. He's not easy to block or tackle."

With a welltoned 6foot, 220pound frame, it's no wonder that Liaina relishes defense.

"I love hitting people," said Liaina, who would like to play football at a four-year university. "It's a more physical game on defense. Everyone's attacking the ball. It's fun to play defense. . . . On offense, I get to run the ball and that's about it."

That doesn't mean he isn't interested in getting the Spartans going on offense. Last year, Rio Mesa averaged more than 34 points per game. Everyone knows 10.5 points per game, what the Spartans were averaging at press time, doesn't work.

"We need to maintain our focus," the soft-spoken Samoan said. "I'm sure everything will work out."

Liaina started playing football in the seventh grade, but he also has other interests.

The senior played volleyball as a freshman and sophomore, and hopes to resume playing in the spring. He also throws shot put and discus for the track and field team. He used to compete in the 100- and 200-meter sprints.

Liaina, who also sings for the choir at South Coast Church in Ventura, sacrificed his role as a sprinter to join a depleted throws team for track and field.

Now, Liaina and the Spartans will prepare for Nordhoff, a team they defeated 51-27 last Sept. 29 at home. Next Friday's game will be in Ojai.

The game will be a sort of family reunion for Gregorchuk and Nordhoff head coach Cliff Farrar. Farrar is a cousin to Gregorchuk's mother-in-law.

"Our families spent last Easter together," Gregorchuk said. "We took a family photo. I was wearing my school's team jacket, and he was wearing his team's jacket. . . . Both schools play good, physical football. It's always a fun game."