Last year: 0-6
Head coach: Chad Atkins (1st year)
Last 8-man title: 2015
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KAPAAU — Kohala head coach Chad Atkins’ shirt was more than a fashion statement — it was a philosophy.
It read, “DEFEND KOHALA” and he wore it proudly as he paroled the Cowboys practice field in Kapaau this week.
With Atkins taking over at the helm, Kohala is looking to return to its defensive roots. Atkins previously served team’s defensive coordinator for the past four seasons.
A mighty defensive unit helped the Cowboys to its only 8-man championship in 2015, allowing just 28 points all season. Behind the power of a two-man defensive line and a host of speedy linebackers, Atkins plans to return the Cowboys to their glory days after the team fell hard last year with a winless season.
“That 2015 defense was stout and this team is stout as well, but they also like to work hard,” Atkins said. “Every great team has a great defense, and this defense is very aggressive and very fast.”
“That 2015 defense was stout and this team is stout as well, but they also like to work hard,” Atkins said. “Every great team has a great defense, and this defense is very aggressive and very fast.”
Atkins is also starving his kids — not from food, but from violence.
“I don’t let them hit in practice,” he said. “I want the defense to be hungry to hit.”
The defense will be led by linebackers juniors Zyan Caravalho and Brycen Roxburgh and Keahou Kaholoa’a-Aguilar, as well as defensive linemen Dayten James-Foree, a senior, and sophomore Cael Hooten.
Atkins is using an unusual two-man front on defense, but he feels he can get away with it because of the power of the two guys up front.
“It is all a numbers game. If we can put two on three then that gives us an advantage,” Atkins said. “Dayten and Cael are very strong — probably two of the strongest kids in the league. Even if the other team lines up two tight ends, those two will be a handful.”
Now in his third year as a Cowboy, James-Foree is one of the leaders for Kohala. He is excited to share his knowledge with the next generation.
“It feels good to pass down the lessons I have learned and I feel it is important,” he said. “Hopefully it will lead us to getting an actual win this year, and then maybe win the 8-man championship.”
With James-Foree and Hooten guarding the middle of the field, that only leaves the outside. With the linebacking corps, Atkins doesn’t believe opposing players will be able to get to the edge.
“Zyan is a ball hawk and he is everywhere. Both he and Keahou can chase a ball sideline to sideline,” Atkins said. “Brycen is a new edition and an athlete that knows how to play.”
Supporting the linebackers will be cornerback-safety combo of juniors Zak Javillanar and Shamar Sarme.
“Both of those guys are hungry and have strong knowledge of the game,” Atkins said. “They are smart players back there.”
Atkins believes that his defense can not only stop plays, but make them as well.
“It will be hard to get points on us this year, but the defense is probably going to score a few as well,” he said. “This is a team that is built on defense first.”
While that may be so, a team, even in 8-man football, still needs an offense to win, something the Cowboys desperately want to do this year.
“I want to win more than zero games,” said second year sophomore quarterback Ryan Juan-Kealoha. “We have a chance of doing well this year with some of the new players on the roster. We just need to work hard and keep going until the very last game.”
Juan-Kealoha worked on his footwork in the offseason, and plans to be more effective in the passing game.
In 8-man football, running the ball is king, and Atkins may have some surprises up his sleeve with his dual-threat QB.
“Ryan is going to sling,” Atkins said. “He is bigger, stronger and faster, and he has matured. That is something that is not easy to find in a sophomore.”
However, even Atkins admits that the Cowboys will need to establish the run first before it can strike through the air.
The team will use a variety of running backs, as Atkins tries to make up for the mistake Kohala made last year of relying heavily on one player.
“We ran into trouble last year when we tried to rely on one guy and he went down on the third play of the first game,” Atkins said. “We did not have a system, and we had no one to back him up. This year I am building a farm. We are in Kohala, we need animals.”
Leading the running backs are Sarme and Jordan Alejandro.
“Jordan is very shifty and has that extra gear,” Atkins said. “Shamar is a guy people are going to find out about after our first game. He is a dozer. He runs hard.”
The running backs will also double down as receivers in Atkins’ system. Sarme and Alejandro are joined in the group by sophomore Zhane Ching and Kaholoa’a-Aguilar. James-Foree will also pull some double duty at full back when necessary.
Making room for the running backs is a trio of returning offensive linemen in seniors Keola Dewitt and Tommy Rios and junior Jose Cedillos.
“Each has been with us two or three years and they know what I want out of them,” Atkins said. “They are a good unit and hang out all the time at football and in school. They have each other’s back.”
As for the road to the championship, Atkins believes Kohala will have to go through Ka’u.
“They are always the team to beat and the pioneers of the 8-man league,” Atkins said. “They are the team that should be respected the most.”
However, Atkins does have an inside track on Ka’u. He is the cousin of coach DuWayne Ke
“I hear a lot about what he does and he is not afraid to tell me a lot of stuff,” Atkins said. “I like to get in his head too and tell him I know how to beat him because he runs the same offense every year. I just need the team to beat his offense. He doesn’t know that this year, I have that team.”
As for Pahoa, Atkins went to scout them but believes thinks they might have been playing possum.
“They were doing the same stuff and executing but they did not have the numbers and kind of ran out of gas,” he said. “If they run out of gas against us, I’m the type of guy who is going to step on your neck in the fourth quarter.”
As for the season, Kohala is starting with 23 players, about average for the program. Atkins just wants to finish with 23 as well.
“We don’t want to lose players due to injury or grades,” he said. “I hope the kids are getting excited about the program. I want them to represent this town and school, and bring pride back.”