Moments after another Hilo demolition last Saturday at Waiakea, Vikings linebacker Isaac Liu was asked about his team’s matchup with Konawaena. He answered with bated breath, and spoke for many BIIF football fans as well.
Moments after another Hilo demolition last Saturday at Waiakea, Vikings linebacker Isaac Liu was asked about his team’s matchup with Konawaena. He answered with bated breath, and spoke for many BIIF football fans as well.
“I’m actually looking forward to competition this time,” Liu said.
Oh yeah. Competition.
Welcome back, old friend. Won’t you stay awhile?
Lopsided scores and running second-half clocks have been a major theme through three weeks of league play. The average score of BIIF games this season is 43-7, and 56-2 if you have Hilo on your jersey.
Finally, at 7:30 p.m. Friday in Kealakekua, the runaways are expected to stop, giving way to the first showdown of the season as both BIIF dynasties take Julian R. Yates Field.
“It should be fun,” Hilo coach Kaeo Drummondo said. “It should be an exciting atmosphere.”
The first job for the Vikings (4-0, 3-0 BIIF Division I) defensively is to try and contain Konawaena quarterback Austin Ewing, while offensively they expect to contend with a Wildcats’ defense out to slow down Kahale Huddleston. The senior running back has had a big hand in four Hilo blowouts, scoring 18 touchdowns, and last week he added receiver to his repertoire, catching two touchdown passes.
“We talk about it with our players,” Drummondo said. “We have to anticipate they’ll key on Kahele, and they know they have to execute when the time comes.”
Sophomore quarterback Kyan Miyasato got into a rhythm with his receivers last Saturday during the second half against the Warriors. The Vikings’ offense also can provide another look with Kaleo Apao at quarterback running the option to bring a second threat out of the backfield.
The last time Hilo played at Julian R. Yates Field in 2015 was also one of the few times the Vikings’ defense has been undressed during the team’s four-plus year reign atop BIIF Division I. In a coming-out party of sorts, Ewing threw for 340 yards as Konawaena won 34-27, and he’s since twice been named Division II Offensive Player of the Year for Wildcats (3-2, 3-0 Division II).
Liu helped chase Ewing around during last season’s meeting, which Hilo won 23-21 on a last-second field goal at Wong Stadium in a game that served as Miyasato’s debut.
“You have to keep him in the pocket and not let him run out,” Liu said of Ewing. “If he runs out, broken coverages happen, and there goes Austin.”
From what he’s seen on film, Drummondo sees a typical and aggressive Konawaena unit on defense.
Hilo’s offensive line is a team strength, but Drummondo says the unit is in for a test in the form of Paka Cacoulidis, a terror off the edge.
“He’s relentless and forces a lot of negative plays for offenses,” Drummondo said.
Honokaa at Keaau
Friday, 7:30 p.m.
After falling to Konawaena 40-7, Honokaa (2-2, 1-2) get a much-needed mismatch against Keaau (0-3, 0-3), who have scored 12 points in the past four games.
Keaau has struggled with blocking — on both run and pass plays — and plugging an opponent’s run gaps.
Junior Santiago was the Cougars’ lone highlight in a 59-6 loss to Kealakehe last week with an 85-yard touchdown run.
Kamehameha at Waiakea
Saturday, 1:30 p.m.
Visiting Kamehameha (5-1, 4-0) can show off their improved ball security. They had nine turnovers, including seven fumbles, in a 62-7 blowout against Hawaii Prep.
On paper, it’s another mismatch, but Waiakea’s (1-5, 0-3) offensive line can issue itself a challenge: stonewall Kamehameha’s Jashen Mathieu, who has 20 sacks on the season and is a front-runner for BIIF D-II player of the year.
HPA at Kealakehe
Saturday, 7:30 p.m.
The Waveriders (1-4, 1-2) will seek back-to-back wins for the first time this season against the visiting Ka Makani.
Last week, Kealakehe put up 52 points in a lopsided victory over Keaau — more than the team had in the previous four games combined.
HPA (2-2, 1-2) is sitting at .500 for the season, but the team’s two losses are by a combined 122 points.