“UH is getting a steal”

What was announced in January has become official: Mililani High’s Kaimana “Mana” Padello is joining the Warriors as a preferred walk-on.

“He’s my guy,” Mililani head coach Rod York said, “but anybody would say: ‘UH is getting a steal.’ He’s walking on because he wants to stay home and he wants to play for the home team.”

Padello is a pass-rush specialist who played the 5 and 7 techniques in Mililani’s four-man front. He amassed 24 sacks in each of the past two seasons.

“I’m not padding those stats,” York said. “Those are legitimate stats.”

Mililani played a base coverage with minimal blitzing, York said, “and let the boys play fast.”

Mililani was able to create pressure with Padello’s first-step quickness — “in the first 5 yards, he’s probably the fastest in the state,” York said — and his signature double move.

“With Mana, we could do a lot with him because of his speed and his tenacity as far as getting to the ball,” York said. “That guy never quits.”

Padello’s deceptive strength enabled him to shade inside to defend the run.

But Padello apparently did not meet the prototypical numbers recruiters seek in a pass-rusher. He is 6 feet and 205 pounds.

“For a lot of coaches, height was the issue,” York said. “You look at the last two years, his production has been tremendous. He has over 20 sacks per year, and we play the top teams in the state. A lot of his highlights are against the big schools.”

York said Padello shares the same work ethic as former UH slotback Dane McArthur. York recalled the summer when he was a freshman and McArthur was entering his senior season. UH players could pick any of the three time slots to work on conditioning drills.

“That dude ran all three sessions,” York recalled. “That’s Mana, too. He’s non-stop, just like Dane.”

Here are the highlights:

> Padello junior year video

> Padello senior year video