Hilo received hard lessons in ruthless execution in the preseason against a pair of harsh ILH foes.
The scores weren’t pretty, but coach Kaeo Drummondo was hopeful there would be a payoff down the road.
He’s starting to get his wish – featuring an offense that picked up yardage in big chunks, a defense that didn’t give an inch and efficient special teams, the Vikings are starting to put forth the same kind of efforts against BIIF foes.
“That’s what we strive for: improvement. Every game is important and every practice is important,” Drummondo said after a suffocating 45-6 victory against Honokaa on Saturday night at a wet Wong Stadium. “We executed and did what we were supposed to do.”
Ka’ale Tiogangco engineered Hilo’s short, quick-hitting attack with four touchdown passes, David Pakele scored a defensive touchdown, a trick play on special teams set up another score and Hilo made all three of its field-goal attempts in its first regular-season home game.
If the two-time defending BIIF Division I champion Vikings (3-1 BIIF, 3-3) have their way, the won’t have to leave Wong the rest of the league season.
Hilo plays Waiakea on Friday night, with Kealakehe and Keaau on tap to finish the regular season.
The Vikings grounded what had been a high-flying Honokaa passing attack.
Dragons quarterback Nainoa Falk entered having amassed more than 700 yards through the air in his past two games, but the senior completed just two passes for a paltry yard against the Vikings.
“We made it a point of emphasis with our coverages to at least contain him,” Drummondo said. “It turned out it worked in our favor.”
Hilo collected four more turnovers, giving it 11 in its past two games, including a 41-6 victory against at Kamehameha on Sept. 11.
The Dragons (2-2 BIIF Division II, 2-4) managed just 46 yards of offense.
“As the season goes along we expect that as they get more reps and they’ll get up to speed and aren’t thinking anymore,” Drummondo said. “At the beginning of the season we were over thinking. A lot of busted coverages and big plays.”
Drummondo saw a turning point Sept. 7 at halftime of a loss at Konawaena.
“That’s 10 consecutive quarter of playing the way we expect to play,” he said.
Honokaa’s seven first-half possessions included three turnovers and three punts. In the second quarter, the Dragons took advantage of a rare Hilo miscue. After a bad punt snap Honokaa took over at the Hilo 9, and Falk ran it in from 6 yards out on third down to cut the lead to 8-6.
But the Vikings responded quickly when Pono Landford took a short pass from Tiogangco, broke a few tackles and ran down the left sidelines for a 64-yard scoring play.
After the Vikings forced a quick three-and-out, Dallas Mata returned a punt 26 yards to the Hilo 47, Landford picked up 15 yards on a run and on third-and-7 at the 22, Tiogangco found Ka’ono Boteilho in the end zone.
Less than 20 seconds later, Pakele’s scoop and score made it 28-6.
Tiogangco threw for 237 yards, Isaac Lerma added 131 yards on the ground and Lukas Kuipers made two field goals and caught a 55-yard touchdown pass.
“He’s getting a lot more comfortable back there,” Drummondo said of Tiogangco, a first-year starter. “Doing his thing and taking care of the ball.”
Iosaia Lavatai also saw time at quarterback for Hilo, but his most important throw came as an upback on the Vikings’ first possession. On fourth down in the first quarter deep in Hilo territory, Lavatai took the punt snap and hooked up with Josh Whisler to sustain a drive. Five plays later, Tiogangco hit Kalei Tolentino-Perry down the right sideline on a 49-yard scoring play.
Honokaa 0 6 6 0 —33
Hilo 8 21 13 3 — 27
First quarter
Hilo – Kalei Tolentino-Perry 49 pass from Ka’ale Tiogangco (Isaac Lerma pass from Tiogangco), 7:35
Second quarter
Honokaa – Nainoa Falk 6 run (run failed), 9:42
Hilo – Pono Landford 64 pass from Tiogangco (Lukas Kuipers kick), 8:45
Hilo – Ka’ono Boteilho 22 pass from Tiogangco (Kuipers kick), 3:51
Hilo – David Pakele 28 fumble return (Kuipers kick), 3:33
Third quarter
Hilo – FG 36 Kuipers, 9:50
Hilo – FG 25 Kuipers, 5:12
Hilo – Kuipers 55 pass from Tiogangco (Kuipers kick), 1:27
Fourth quarter
Hilo – FG 26 Ka’aina Lewis, 2:08
