They say that when rivals play you can throw out the records.
They say that when rivals play you can throw out the records.
Well, Waiakea coach Moku Pita is ready to throw out the entire regular season. Since conditioning started in July, Pita has stressed to his team that BIIF football is but a two-game season.
For the Warriors and Hilo, it’s go-time.
“We’ve been practicing hard and going hard every day this week,” Pita said
Unless the skies open up Friday and the rain is of almost biblical proportions, the conditions at Wong Stadium for the 7 p.m. BIIF Division I semifinal between Waiakea (2-5 BIIF, 2-8) and Hilo (5-2, 5-4) figure to be markedly better than they were when the teams met in a quagmire three weeks ago.
“I think we got the worst of it,” Pita said. “We had something like 13 fumbles.”
While Pita is banking on better conditions, he knows a lot more much change in its favor for Waiakea to turn the tide after losing to the Vikings 35-0 during the regular season.
To the biggest offensive line in the BIIF comes a hefty challenge going up against Hilo’s playmaking defense.
“Hopefully, they can open up some holes,” Pita said.
All of this week’s semifinal games are a rematch of the regular season, and the Vikings’ victory against their rival was actually the second-closest of the four.
Though it wasn’t all that competitive. The Vikings marched out to 35-0 halftime lead, and playing on a muddy field with several large puddles, neither team looked to do much with a running clock in the second half.
Pita said Gehrig Octavio is the Warriors’ man at quarterback and that Makoa Andres won’t play.
“We need to hold on to the ball execute in the red zone,” Octavio said of the looming rematch.
Octavio is more potent at running the Warriors’ zone-read offense and working with running backs Tevis Holi and Kelii Perez-Poai. Though the passing game picked up steam midseason when Andres was quarterback and delivering the ball to receivers Cody Cuba, Hunter Rapoza and Octavio.
The Vikings’ defense not only forces turnovers but score off then. However, Hilo has been susceptible to giving up big passing plays this season, and that’s where the Warriors’ offensive line comes in.
“We just got to run the ball, make them keep people in the box and hopeful it helps us to pass,” Pita said.
In this instance, the Warriors’ best defense is a good offense.
“If we can get some long drives going, that would help a lot,” Pita said. “Hilo doesn’t need a lot of time to score.”
In fact, with efficient junior quarterback Ka’ale Tiogangco at the helm, the Vikings’ short, quick passing game has been thriving, with threats such as Pono Landford, Isaac Lerma, Lukas Kuipers, Kahale Huddleston, Ka’ono Boteilho thriving.
The Vikings are also expected to get back another playmaker in wide receiver Kalei Tolentino-Perry.
Honokaa (2-5 BIIF Division II, 2-7) at Konawaena (6-1, 8-1), 7 p.m.
This looked like a mismatch, and that was before six Dragons were kicked off the team for posting a derogatory photo on social media.
Keaka Swift was among the player suspended, and he was Honokaa’s most effective offensive player last Friday in a 50-6 loss in Kealakekua.
In the blowout victory, the Wildcats excelled in all three phases.