By KEVIN JAKAHI
By KEVIN JAKAHI
Tribune-Herald sports writer
KEAAU — It was a good preseason football game between Kamehameha and Anuenue, two schools that are connected by the Hawaiian language, and share the same fondness for playing tough, physical ball.
Jairah Chun-Lai found the end zone twice, scoring on a 13-yard run and a 41-yard interception return to spark the Warriors over Na Koa 25-6 on a cool, starless Friday night at Pai’ea Stadium in the first meeting between the two Hawaiian-based schools.
The game was announced in Hawaiian by No‘eau Warner, who taught Hawaiian language at UH-Hilo once upon a time. He’s a professor at UH-Manoa and his son, Keapolani Palmeira-Beamer, is on Na Koa. The Warriors and Anuenue shared an inspiring pregame chant. The night was also blessed with a light shower, welcoming the visitors to Hilo’s most famous commodity.
Anuenue finished 2-7 overall, including 2-6 in the Oahu Interscholastic Association White division last season, its fifth year on the varsity level. Na Koa has already played Kamehameha-Maui and Kamehameha-Kapalama.
The Warriors, who finished 11-2 last season, including 8-2 as the Big Island Interscholastic Federation Division II runner-up to Konawaena, are undergoing a renovation to their lineup. Graduation wiped out the bulk of the starters, including quarterback Warner Shaw (now on full-ride at Puget Sound), kicker DJ Grant-Johnson (Navy) and lineman Akoakoa Paleka-Kennedy (Arizona Western).
Sophomore Micah Kanehailua (5 feet, 7 inches and 143 pounds) and junior Brandon Howes (5-7, 146) are competing to fill Shaw’s shoes. Kamehameha coach Dan Lyons is no Rex Ryan clone (the New York Jets coach and coin flipper of Mark Sanchez and Tim Tebow), figuring it’s best to find one guy and stick with him.
“We feel good about either one of them. Unfortunately, only one can play. They don’t have the big arm like Warner had, but they’re smart and can run our offense, which is a different offense,” Lyons said. “We’re going to a power run and will try to be more physical and aggressive.
“I feel good about our offensive line (senior Kennon Quiocho is the only returning starter). I feel good about what we’ve got. At the end of the season, we’ll be a good team. But we’ve got a lot of work to do.”
At the start of the third quarter, Na Koa entered red-zone territory (that desired spot from 20 yards and in), and punched in an 11-yard scoring run, powered by the physical work of Kainalu Kaleo. It was suddenly 13-6, home team, and the drama grew by leaps and bounds.
Then the Warriors sandwiched two more touchdowns, a 27-yard run by Faaolaina Teofilo in the third quarter, and a 1-yard run by Kanehailua in the fourth quarter, essentially, putting the game to bed.
“The key for us is we have to be a team,” Lyons said. “It’s not about individuals. It’s about working together and being together.”
Meanwhile, Anuenue, a Hawaiian immersion school, is located in Palolo Valley and struggles for numbers in football but not spirit. They fielded a roster of 27 players, including five from Halau Ku Mana, a public charter school, a stone’s throw and a long punt from Anuenue in nearby Makiki.
The Hawaiian language lives strong within Na Koa. Practices, games and classroom work are all spoken in Hawaiian for the school with an enrollment of 390 from kindergarten to high school, including 90 from grades 9 to 12.
“When we first started 50 percent of Hawaiian was spoken,” Anuenue coach Kealohamakua Wengler said. “Now, 85 to 90 percent is spoken. Half of our staff can’t speak, but they’ve got a good understanding.
“Our philosophy in the classroom is to teach the language. That’s our goal and mission, and we wouldn’t do it any other way at practice or games. We teach the language in the classroom, but it’s outside the classroom, the football field, the beach, at home where the language lives.”
Wengler pointed to seniors Kaleo (5-9, 191) and Anuenue Tui (5-7, 192), a pair of running back/linebackers, as the team’s best collegiate prospects. They may not have the ideal size, but the coach emphasized there’s no shortage of determination.
“They’re prospects because they work so hard,” Wengler said. “They might not be Division I because of their size, height and speed, but they are Division II material, right now.”
A small roster usually means ironman players. Depth is an issue at Anuenue, but not at Kamehameha, which suited 54 players and sat out 23 players, including senior defensive back Shaun Kagawa, who already has a scholarship on the table from Hawaii.
“With our numbers, we can’t get out of the White division,” Wengler said. “All of our players play on both sides of the ball.
“What I like is we’re cohesive and a tight group. We’ve built good relationships with each other. Our chemistry is really good. Our guys really care for each other. If anything, that’s the biggest thing.”
Anuenue 0 0 6 0 — 6
Kamehameha 0 13 6 6 — 25
Waiakea 26, Waimea 14: Kayed Rodrigues’ 37-yard touchdown pass to Dayton Kiko in the third quarter gave Waiakea a 19-14 advantage, putting the Warriors ahead to stay at Kauai’s Hanapepe Stadium in the preseason opener for both teams.
Rodrigues threw two TD passes in the game, while Kiko also returned an interception for another score.
Waiakea 6 6 7 7 — 26
Waimea 7 7 0 0 — 14
Kealakehe 10, Kailua 3: No further information was available on the preseason contest on Oahu.