The 2024 Big Island Interscholastic Federation (BIIF) All-League First Team for Division I was released earlier this week.
Konawaena, who reached its third consecutive DI state title game this past season, dominated the team’s number of selections with 13. Head coach Brad Uemoto was named Coach of the Year after leading the Wildcats to a 10-3 overall record, 9-0 conference record and a BIIF DI title over Kea‘au in his 10th season of leading the green and white.
In the state playoffs, Kona routed Leilehua 45-20 in the semifinals and fell 10-7 in overtime against Kapa‘a in the state title game on Nov. 30, 2024. The nailbiter championship was regarded as one of the best games of the 2024 season.
On the offensive side of the ball, receiver Austin Takaki was named BIIF DI Offensive Player of the Year after a career-best season. Takaki was named the team’s No. 1 wideout after former All-BIIF selections Zedekiah Anahu-Ambrosio and Abraham Ogata transferred from the Wildcats following the 2023 season. Moving up in the pecking order, Takaki broke out in his senior season — hauling in a state-best 95 catches, 1,289 yards and 21 touchdowns. He posted 100 receiving yards or more seven times while catching multiple touchdown passes in eight different games. Takaki was a sharp route runner who could line up anywhere on the field while also being slippery after the catch.
Takaki also played defensive back on the opposite side of the ball — also being named to the defensive team. He made crucial plays in the secondary throughout the season, including catching two picks in the state playoffs.
Uemoto praised Takaki’s talent, maturity and leadership throughout the season, stating that he was a central contributor for the Wildcats’ last three state championship runs.
“Austin was the heart of our team,” he told West Hawaii Today. “He was the emotional leader that made plays for us on both sides of the ball all year. He was physical and skilled defensively. On the offensive side, he was just a pure gamer — not afraid to go over the middle and make tough catches while breaking small plays into the big ones.”
Senior defensive lineman Elias Malapit was named BIIF DI Defensive Player of the Year. Malapit headlined a dominant Kona defense that allowed an average of eight points and 100 scrimmage yards per game. He posted 71.0 tackles, 34.5 tackles for loss, 13.0 sacks, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries. Malapit had four different games with multiple sacks.
Uemoto had much of the same praise for Malapit, noting that the Wildcats could not have accomplished what they did without him.
“Elias was one of the most dominant defensive lineman in the state,” he said. “He played on our strong side and made so many plays for us with not only his raw talent, but effort on every down. He played with great leverage and tenacity.”
Wildcats sophomore quarterback Keenan Alani was additionally named to the first team. Alani had a breakout season in his first year as a starter in 2024, passing for 2,985 yards, a state-best 48 touchdowns and six interceptions with a 173.4 rating. Alani was named the starter after his elder cousin, Keoki Alani, graduated last May.
Keenan Alani got more comfortable as the season went on — posting three 300-yard games and seven games of at least five touchdown passes. He even threw seven touchdowns in the green and white’s 68-0 beatdown of Waiakea on Oct. 11, 2024. Alani helped lead the offense to averaging 42.2 points and 354.2 scrimmage yards per week.
Alani’s No. 2 receiver, Malu Tan, was also named to the DI list after having a dominant season of 61 catches for 1,056 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns. Tan was also named to the defensive list as a defensive back. He hauled in three interceptions across the season, including one in the state championship.
Armenio Blanco, who cemented himself as one of the top defensive backs in the state, also was named to the team. Blanco posted 28.5 tackles, five interceptions, a fumble recovery and two defensive touchdowns.
Senior running back Hercules Nahale was another big-name selection to the team. In BIIF play, Nahale rushed for 774 yards and 12 touchdowns. Overall, he rushed for 960 yards and 13 touchdowns — averaging 5.1 yards per carry.
Kea‘au, who finished 5-4 in league play and second in BIIF DI, had seven selections. Headlining the Cougars was running back Charlie Salazar, who was a hub of an offense that averaged nearly 31 points per game. Salazar rushed for 108 attempts for 834 yards and eight touchdowns, averaging an impressive 7.7 yards per carry.
The full DI All-BIIF team can be found below. Stay tuned for the BIIF DII teams to be announced.
2024 BIIF DI All-League First Team
• QB: Keenan Alani, Konawaena
• RB: Charlie Salazar, Kea‘au
• RB: Hercules Nahale, Konawaena
• WR/TE: Malu Tan, Konawaena
• WR/TE: Josiah Nihoa, Kea‘au
• WR/TE: Tazein Sykes, Hilo
• OL: Nakoa Ige, Konawaena
• OL: Moses Feala, Konawaena
• OL: Legacy Leialoha, Hilo
• OL: Dylan Ibanez, Kea‘au
• OL: Joseph Morua, Kealakehe
• Utility: Austin Takaki, Konawaena
• Kicker: Nahulu Chartrand Barco, Hilo
• DL: Elias Malapit, Konawaena
• DL: Nakoa Ige, Konawaena
• DL: Damien Fronda, Kea‘au
• DL: Kamalani Awai, Hilo
• LB: Wyatt Wehrsig, Konawaena
• LB: Funaki James Fainga, Konawaena
• LB: Zaeden Moreira, Kea‘au
• DB: Hayden Trimble, Hilo
• DB: Austin Takaki, Konawaena
• DB: Malu Tan, Konawaena
• DB: Levy Wroblewski, Kea‘au
• Utility: Armenio Blanco, Konawaena
• Punter: Kealii Kahele, Kea‘au
