HHSAA football: Hilo faces another tall task at states

Who: Hilo (7-4) vs. Mililani (9-2)

What: HHSAA Division I first-round game

Where: Aloha Stadium, Honolulu

When: 7:30 p.m. Friday

TV/radio: OC16/790 AM

Hilo’s spirited efforts the past two years have done little to erase the BIIF’s shortcomings at the HHSAA Division I football tournament.

The stark reality of the league being 0 for 16 at states leads to an inevitable perception. It’s one that was on coach Kaeo Drummondo’s mind Wednesday after practice when he gathered the Vikings and told them something they likely already knew.

Few people outside of that large huddle of players and coaches is giving Hilo a chance in Friday’s first-round game against Mililani at Aloha Stadium.

“It’s really big,” junior quarterback Ka’ale Tiogangco said of the motivation. “Everyone just thinks of us as Hilo, just a BIIF-winning team, so we have to prove a point.”

A veteran Vikings team was well on its way toward making a statement last season, but as a 10-0 halftime lead started evaporating against Kahuku, Hilo not only got beat, but beat up, losing several players to injuries.

“Even though players go down, you can’t give up,” Tiogangco said. “You have to keep pushing and have heart.”

A first-year starter, Tiogangco was the place-holder for Hilo (7-4) last season, but that still could give him an experience edge at states compared to his counterpart.

According to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, Trojans coach Rod York told an Oahu radio station this week that defending state champion Mililani (9-2) of the OIA plans to continue its quarterback cycle, starting freshman Cy Kuboyama-Hiyashi — effectively the fourth-stringer – a former backup on the junior varsity team.

McKenzie Milton, the 2014 Gatorade state Player of the Year, was injured in the regular season, and another backup, freshman Dillon Gabriel, left with an injury during the Trojans’ 20-7 loss to Kahuku. York told 1500 AM that Milton, who has thrown for 61 touchdown passes the past two seasons, would see some action.

Whoever takes snaps will have plenty of weapons to work with. Running back Vavae Malepeai has surpassed 1,500 yards on the ground this season and has committed to Oregon. Wide receiver Kalakaua Timoteo has more than 50 catches and 1,000 receiving yards.

“We know about their threats,” junior linebacker Rylen Kaniaupio said. “We have to recognize formations, call different coverages, fly to the ball, get all 11 hats in and tackle.”

“Just because we don’t have size, doesn’t mean we don’t have speed. We’re going to try and beat them with speed and technique.”

Before the loss to the Red Raiders, Mililani’s lowest scoring output of the season was 45 points.

While the Trojans won’t get the first-round bye they enjoyed the past two seasons, Hilo is right where it wants to be: at Aloha Stadium, under the lights in front of a prime time statewide television audience.

“It’s pretty exciting to be back because everyone expected us to lose and not even make BIIFs,” Kaniaupio said. “We have an underdog mindset, but’s we’ve been underdogs all season. This is no different.

“We faced adversity this whole season compared to last year. It’s always been a fight to earn respect and get the win.”

Mililani is certainly a significant step up in play compared to Hilo’s regular-season competition. In the preseason, the Vikings took on two Oahu powers and were beaten by a combined 100-0 by Punahou and Kamehameha-Kapalama.

“They kind of beat us down and humbled us,” Kaniaupio said.

At the time, Drummondo stressed to his team that it was more important to focus on the process rather the results. The end result, so far, is a third consecutive BIIF title, and one evolution has come in the passing game, with Tiogangco throwing for more than 1,500 yards and 26 touchdowns.

Tiogangco knows that a strong start is crucial against Mililani.

“Those two preseasons games helped me a lot and I’m looking forward to the challenge,” he said. “We’re planning on going out fast and not giving up.”