Keaau and Kealakehe kick off preseason football playing state title contenders from Maui, where gridiron prosperity grows on taller trees.
Keaau and Kealakehe kick off preseason football playing state title contenders from Maui, where gridiron prosperity grows on taller trees.
The Cougars (0-7 BIIF Division I) play Lahainaluna (10-1 MIL D-II) on Saturday at War Memorial Stadium on the Valley Isle.
The Lunas were ranked No. 1 in the state, but lost to No. 2 Iolani 31-14 for the HHSAA Division II state championship.
Kealakehe (3-4) takes on Maui High (7-3) at 7 p.m. Saturday at Waverider Stadium in a Division I battle.
The Sabers lost to Farrington 22-6 in a first-round game at the Division I state tournament last year.
Every league, even Kauai with former powerhouse Waimea, has won a Division I game — except the BIIF since the tourney started in 1999.
No Big Island team has reached the Division II state championship. The six-team tourney started in 2003.
There are three other games on tap for Saturday:
• Honokaa (2-5 BIIF Division II) will host Waialua (4-4 OIA D-II) at 7 p.m. at their school field.
• Waiakea (2-5 BIIF D-I) will play at Moanalua (3-5 OIA D-I).
The Menehune lost to Kaiser 54-48 in the OIA Blue playoffs.
• Kamehameha (8-3 BIIF D-II) will play at Kalaheo (2-6 OIA D-II).
The Mustangs lost four straight to close season.
The Warriors won their first BIIF championship since 2010. They beat Nanakuli 42-20 in the first round at the Division II state tourney, and lost to Lahainaluna 52-7 in the semifinals.
Kamehameha lost six players who were All-BIIF first-team picks last season, including quarterback Micah Kanehailua and Pono Davis, the offensive and defensive players of the year.
On offense, the Warriors return three All-BIIF first teamers in lineman Keli‘i Montibon, receiver Bayley Manliguis and running back Kaeo Batacan.
On defense, linebacker Wayne Dacalio is the only All-BIIF first-team pick returning.
No team saw a bigger talent drain than two-time BIIF Division I champion Hilo.
The Vikings lost a whopping 12 All-BIIF first-team picks, including running back Tristin Spikes and linebacker Ofa Fahuia, the players of the year for offense and defense.
The only first-team Vikings back are offensive linemen Seth Fukushima and Chandler Keli‘i, and linebacker Rylen Kaniaupio.
Among the BIIF teams, Hilo plays the most interesting preseason game, taking on Punahou (8-1), the Division I state runner-up, on Saturday, Aug. 15 in Honolulu.
Last year, the Buffanblu fell to Mililani 53-45 for state title in the one of the most exciting games in the tournament’s history.
Last year in a first-round game, the Vikings put a good scare into Kahuku, and led 10-0 at halftime before the Red Raiders stormed back for a 20-10 win.
Tropical Storm Iselle wiped out six BIIF preseason games last year, including Keaau at Lahainaluna, Konawaena vs. St. Francis on Oahu, Kamehameha vs. Kalaheo on Oahu, Kapolei at Kealakehe, Moanalua at Waiakea, and Kaimuki at Honokaa.