It’s been almost three weeks since Konawaena football last took the field, and the Wildcats are hungrier than ever for their biggest game of the season.
Kona will host fifth-seeded Leilehua in the HHSAA Division I semifinals at 7 p.m. this evening at Julian R. Yates Field. The Wildcats earned a bye as the No. 1 seed in the tournament after winning the Big Island Interscholastic Federation (BIIF) Division I Football Championship over Kea‘au on Nov. 2. The Mules routed No. 4 Laihainaluna 40-13 in last week’s quarterfinals to advance.
With Kamehameha Schools-Hawai‘i falling short in the DII quarterfinals last weekend, the Wildcats (9-2) are the only remaining BIIF team still playing.
The winner of tonight’s game will advance to the HHSAA Division I Football Championship on Nov. 30 at Mililani High School on O‘ahu. The green and white are seeking their third consecutive state championship appearance.
“Over the last few seasons, we’ve sort of gotten the recipe in terms of how to deal with the downtime,” Kona head coach Brad Uemoto told West Hawaii Today. “We’re trying to stay healthy, but also having enough physicality to stay sharp and keep the rust off.
“(The time off) is beneficial in getting the bumps and bruises out of the way, while also getting more opportunities to work on fundamentals and watch film.”
Since the Wildcats didn’t know who their opponent would be until just days ago, Uemoto said the intensity of practices heightened once they learned they would be hosting Leilehua — with the seniors leading the charge.
“This week has been totally different,” he explained. “It’s been more quiet, more focused. There’s not a lot being said at practice. I noticed that the elder ones of our group that were part of our 2022 and 2023 teams are leading the way in terms of their approach and effort. And the younger guys have been following the lead.”
While preparation has gone well for the Big Island’s top team, Kona will have its hands full tonight. The Mules, this season’s O‘ahu Interscholastic Association (OIA) Division I champions, have been on a nine-game winning streak after starting 1-3 (10-3 overall). 2024 was the team’s fifth all-time OIA title and first since 2007.
The center of Leilehua’s dominant stretch has been its run game, primarily led by backfield star Cameron Keeve. The sophomore standout has posted 1,433 rushing yards to go along with 12 touchdowns, averaging an impressive 8.0 yards per carry. In last week’s bout with the Lunas, Keeve rushed for 256 yards and four touchdowns. The week prior in the OIA DI title game against Kailua, Keeve rushed for 180 yards.
“He’s quick and shifty,” Uemoto said. “He gets into the open field and can burst for long runs.”
Junior running back Kyin Rivera-Galbraith has made his mark in the Mules’ backfield as well, rushing for 112 yards and a touchdown on just eight carries in the quarterfinals.
“I don’t think it’s any secret that we’re going to try to stop their run game,” Uemoto said. “We pride ourselves on stopping the run first. So if the dam breaks there, then we’re in trouble. It’s definitely going to be our focal point. We’re going to have to stop what they want to do.”
The Mules defense has looked impressive lately as well, allowing 14.5 points per game on the season. While the Wildcats possess a high-octane offense that averages over 45 points per game, Uemoto and his group are excited for the challenge.
“Mark Kurisu (Leilehua’s head coach) is also their defensive coordinator, and he’s been one of the best on O‘ahu for years,” Uemoto said. “So it’s always a good challenge to call plays against him and adjust.
“They like to bring pressure, so we need to make sure we’re protecting (Keenan Alani, Kona’s quarterback) and picking up on all the blitzes pre-snap. We’re going to have to be prepared to get rid of the ball quickly and run the ball on all different types of fronts. So that will be an execution challenge for us. But I like the matchups with our athletes and think we match-up fairly well. It’s just going to come down to execution on the field.”
See Monday’s paper to read up on tonight’s result.