Kamehameha’s defense is on some kind of mean roll, preventing every Division II foe from entering the end zone.
Kamehameha’s defense is on some kind of mean roll, preventing every Division II foe from entering the end zone.
Besides that scoreless streak, the Warriors have won their last three BIIF games by shutout, including a 45-0 rout over Hawaii Prep last Saturday.
In a rematch in the BIIF semifinals, Kamehameha (5-2 BIIF, 8-2 overall) hosts Ka Makani (2-5, 2-6) at 3 p.m. Saturday at Paiea Stadium.
The most impressive defensive stat from the blowout was Kamehameha holding HPA to negative 45 rushing yards on 19 attempts.
There were 10 tackles for loss. That meant the visiting Ka Makani were often operating from second-and-long. They couldn’t find a rhythm or an escape hatch from all those deep holes.
It was worse in the critical third-down situations: HPA was 0 for 7, and went three-and-out seven times.
Next to a defensive touchdown or turnover, there’s nothing a defense wants more than a three-and-out.
The Warriors went to the sidelines for a good rest, recharged their batteries, and plowed the struggling Ka Makani on the next series.
What’s the reason for Kamehameha’s defensive success?
Gap containment.
Every time a Ka Makani ball carrier took a handoff the running gaps or lanes between his linemen were clogged.
The Warriors won the battle at the line of scrimmage. They diagnosed the point of attack, shed blocks, and made clean tackles.
Left end Trenton Kuamoo, left tackle Nainoa Rosehill, right tackle Cullen Andrade and right end Wayne Dacalio led the D-line charge.
“The last three weeks we’ve been playing together,” Kamehameha coach Dan Lyons said. “We want to play as one unit. We’ve learned how to move together, and help each other. From our defensive tackles to our linebackers, we’ve had great gap containment.”
Rosehill (6 feet 4, 278 pounds) is the biggest anchor. With his size and length, it was next to impossible for HPA to leverage him from his marked territory.
“Nainoa is a big guy and he contained his gap,” Lyons said. “That made it difficult for them to run against us. Wayne puts a lot of pressure on the other side. He’s very disruptive. He’s physical, athletic, fast and relentless. When he takes on a double team, that frees up others.”
Dacalio (5-11, 202) was an All-BIIF first team linebacker last year. But the Warriors stick him at right end, the quarterback’s blindside. From a three-point stance, he can rely on his ability to explode up the field and cover his gaps.
“We’ve been rotating guys at defensive line and linebacker,” Lyons said. “We’ve got a lot of linebackers, Iokua Manuia, Lukela Chin, Ethanjames Ramos, Noah Wengler, and Bayley Manliguis.”
A disruptive weapon like Dacalio creates mismatch-blocking problems for an opponent, and allows his fellow Warriors to flow to the ball and play as one unit — a style that Lyons likes, and a scheme that always works.
His only concern was his offense’s three turnovers against HPA. Giving the ball away is only asking for trouble. Fortunately, the defense pitched another shutout, and lowered Lyons’ blood pressure.
“If we can control the ball, play good defense, and have smart game management, then we’ll be pretty good,” Lyons said.