WAIMEA — A year ago, Hawaii Prep Academy football came close.
So close, that Ka Makani and Kamehameha Schools-Hawai‘i had to play an extra game to decide the Big Island Interscholastic Federation (BIIF) Division II title. The red and white exceeded expectations from the beginning, finishing with an 8-3 record that included a five-game win streak from the end of September to the end of October. The team reached a two-game improvement from 2022, allowing an average of nearly 10 less points per game.
Although HPA fell to the Warriors in the conference-clinching outing, it knew something special was developing. Now, with the 2024 season opener just one week away, Ka Makani is aiming to make another jump — win BIIF Division II and punch its ticket to the state tournament.
“We feel like we can definitely make that leap,” senior star running back Alaka‘i Aipia told West Hawaii Today at Thursday’s practice. “As long as we keep working as hard as we have been in these practices, it’s definitely possible.”
Aipia played a major role in HPA’s success in 2023. The speedster rushed for over 1,000 yards and earned All-BIIF First Team and ScoringLive All-Hawaii Second Team recognition. Now entering his final year for the red and white, Aipia is ready to make one last push to help catapult the program to among the state’s elite.
“Being a smaller group compared to bigger-named teams, I think that pushes us to work twice as hard,” he continued. “We’re definitely ready to get out there.”
Aipia won’t be doing it alone, though — as he’ll be running behind one of the top offensive lines on the island. Ka Makani lost All-BIIF center Greyson Shin to graduation, as he now plays for Ponoma College in Claremont, Calif. Nonetheless, head coach Lincoln Kalama remains confident that his new starting line will have similar production.
“It’s one of the main strengths on our team,” he said. “Offensively, we’re going to stick to our identity of trying to establish the run.”
While Ka Makani plans to pound the rock consistently, Kalama is eager to see what the passing attack can do, too. His son, junior Hayden Kalama, is entering his second full season as the team’s starter — and Lincoln Kalama shared that the improving play caller is brimming with confidence.
“He has more training under his belt, and we really like the receivers for him this year,” Kalama explained.
HPA’s top-two receivers to start the year will be Cam Root — who possesses size and strength — and Jordan Kaluhimoku, who is a shifty, slippery pass catcher in the open field.
Defensively, safety Kena Craven is one of the handful of players Kalama is eager to watch — as he is an agile, talented defender in the team’s secondary.
Regardless of what happens on the field this season, Kalama wants his group to succeed in all areas outside of football, making the entire Ka Makani community proud.
“It’s always about the numbers, but just making sure these boys understand how to play and work together as a team, perform well in class and represent their school well will be a goal for us (as a coaching staff),” he said.
“I’m really looking forward to having fun with my friends and just enjoying my last year on this team,” Aipia added. “Hopefully, we can go far.”
HPA’s season opener will be against Kohala at 2 p.m. Aug. 24 on Ka Makani’s campus.