Waiakea’s football team celebrated homecoming last season with a resounding thud, losing 35-0 to rival Hilo. Even with a driving rain, the defeat wasn’t all that hard for Warriors coach Moku Pita to take.
Waiakea’s football team celebrated homecoming last season with a resounding thud, losing 35-0 to rival Hilo. Even with a driving rain, the defeat wasn’t all that hard for Warriors coach Moku Pita to take.
Later in the season, the Warriors absorbed a 43-16 loss at Kealakehe, closing a two-win regular season. No matter, Pita figured, we’ll get ‘em the next time.
With all four BIIF teams in each division guaranteed a spot in the playoffs, Pita didn’t hide the fact that he treated the regular season as a series of scrimmages that determined home-field advantage.
This season, however, the tuneups end with the preseason. The BIIF eliminated the semifinals, putting more emphasis on the regular season, and only the top two Division I and II teams will advance to the championship.
“I’m all for it,” Pita said. “Now we all have to play hard.”
In Division I, the sense of urgency figures to be stronger for Waiakea and Keaau. Neither team has finished the regular season in the top two since 2011. Since then, Kealakehe and Hilo have made a habit of cruising through the semifinals and playing for the championship.
“Now the kids don’t think they can just lose all season and it won’t matter,” Pita said. “It counts.”
The reality is that upsets in the Division I semifinals have been few and far between in recent years.
The Division II field was reduced to four teams in 2013, and last season the semifinals were both anti-climatic rematches of games played the prior week. Konawaena and Kamehameha both rolled into the championship game after handling Hawaii Prep and Honokaa, respectively, by lopsided scores at home in consecutive weeks.
Kamehameha coach Dan Lyons said teams must be on guard if injuries or academic issues start to pop up.
“Now you can’t just say that a game doesn’t mean anything,” Lyons said. “We need to take care of business.
“When there was a tournament, the reality is when you’re preparing your team, your just preparing for the postseason.”
While the broader outlook changes, Lyons noted the goal remains the same.
“Ultimately, you still care about every game,” he said.
Schedule
The schedule released Tuesday by the BIIF features fewer Thursday game than last season – just two – but more afternoon contests. Waiakea joins Hawaii Prep with daytime starts, and Ka’u isn’t using its lights this season, so all eight-man games are during the day.
Some highlights:
Aug. 27, Konawaena at Hilo, Wong Stadium: Week 1 offers the cross-divisional matchup of the year, pitting the Wildcats, who have won four of the past five D-II titles, against the three-time defending D-I champion Vikings.
Hilo humbled Konawaena two years ago at home, but Austin Ewing threw for 340 yards last season as the Wildcats jumped to an early lead and won in Kealakekua.
Sept. 2, Kamehameha-Hawaii at Hilo, Wong Stadium: The Warriors took advantage of turnovers and nearly upset the Vikings two years ago before losing in OT at Wong. Last season, Hilo buried turnover-ridden Kamehameha.
Sept. 10, Hilo at Kealakehe: The Waveriders ended a losing streak to Hilo at Wong last season, but Kealakehe is still stinging from a home loss to the Vikings in the D-I final.
Sept. 16, Keaau at Honokaa: The Cougars’ last win came in 2013 against the Dragons. Honokaa was winless that year, but has won two straight against Keaau.
Sept. 23, Kealakehe at Konawaena: Since the rivalry was restored in 2013, the Waveriders have yet to beat their neighbors to the south.
Sept. 30, Hawaii Prep at Honokaa: With neither team guaranteed a playoff spot as in past years, North Hawaii’s rivals can’t afford a loss as they look to keep pace in D-II.
Sept. 30, Waiakea at Hilo, Wong Stadium: Warriors visit their old stomping ground.
Oct. 1, Kamehameha at Konawaena: A rematch of the last two D-II championship games, this one could well determine who gets home-field advantage in the 2016 final.
Eight-man
Aug. 27, Ka’u at Pahoa: These teams have been waiting to play each other since their season-ending game last year was cancelled.
Oct. 8, Kohala at Ka’u: There is a championship game scheduled Oct. 29 if need be, but a matchup between the last two league champs could make it moot.
Thursday
St. Margaret’s at Kealakehe, 6 p.m. (JV only)
Friday
Waiakea at Honokaa, 5 p.m. JV, varsity follows
Saturday
St. Margaret’s at Hawaii Prep, noon
Kealakehe at Damien, 2 p.m.
St. Louis at Hilo, 5 p.m. JV, varsity follows
Kauai at Kamehameha, 5 p.m. JV, varsity follows
Konawaena at St. Francis, 6 p.m.
Week 1
Aug. 26
Waiakea at Kamehameha, 5 p.m. JV, varsity follows
Honokaa at Kealakehe, 5 p.m. JV, varsity follows
Aug. 27
Hawaii Prep at Keaau, 6 p.m.
Konawaena at Hilo, 5 p.m. JV, varsity follows
Eight-man: Ka’u at Pahoa, 1 p.m.
Week 2
Sept. 1
Eight-man: Kohala at Ka’u, 2 p.m.
Sept. 2
Kamehameha at Hilo, 5 p.m. JV, varsity follows
Konawaena at Keaau, 5 p.m. JV, varsity follows
Sept. 3
Honokaa at Waiakea, 11 a.m. JV, varsity follows
Kealakehe at Hawaii Prep, 2 p.m.
Week 3
Sept. 9
Hawaii Prep at Konawaena, 7 p.m.
Honokaa at Kamehameha, 5 p.m. JV, varsity follows
Sept. 10
Keaau at Waiakea, 11 a.m. JV, varsity follows
Hilo at Kealakehe, 5 p.m. JV, varsity follows
Eight-man: Kohala at Pahoa, 11 a.m.
Week 4
Sept. 16
Kealakehe at Kamehameha, 5 p.m. JV, varsity follows
Keaau at Honokaa, 5 p.m. JV, varsity follows
Sept. 17
Hawaii Prep at Hilo, 7 p.m.
Waiakea at Konawaena, 5 p.m. JV, varsity follows
Eight-man: Pahoa at Ka’u, 1 p.m.
Week 5
Sept. 22
Kamehameha at Keaau, 5 p.m. JV, varsity follows
Sept. 23
Kealakehe at Konawaena, 5 p.m. JV, varsity follows
Hilo at Honokaa, 5 p.m. JV, varsity follows
Sept. 24
Waiakea at Hawaii Prep, 2 p.m.
Eight-man: Ka’u at Kohala, 1 p.m.
Week 6
Sept. 30
Hawaii Prep at Honokaa, 7 p.m.
Waiakea at Hilo, 5 p.m. JV, varsity follows
Oct. 1
Keaau at Kealakehe, 5 p.m. JV, varsity follows
Kamehameha at Konawaena, 5 p.m. JV, varsity follows
Week 7 (tentative schedule)
Oct. 7
Konawaena at Honokaa, 5 p.m. JV, varsity follows
Hilo at Keaau, 5 p.m. JV, varsity follows
Oct. 8
Kealakehe at Waiakea, 11 a.m. JV, varsity follows
Kamehameha at Hawaii Prep, 2 p.m.
Eight-man: Kohala at Ka’u, 1 p.m.
Oct. 21-22
D-I and D-II championships, at higher seed
Oct. 29
Eight-man: Championship, if necessary
Nov. 4-5
HHSAA first round
Nov. 11-12
HHSAA semifinals
Nov. 18-19
HHSAA championship