Kohala is looking to repeat as BIIF 8-man football champions in 2016, but it won’t be an easy task for a suddenly young team after a large departure of many veterans from last season because of graduation.
The first step to returning to the top of the mountain will be finding new leaders, and coach Reggie Tolentino already has several players in mind, including Kobie Kaholoaa-Aguilar, Stylez Alvarez, Jason Enojardo and DJ Victor-Gusman.
“How we do this season will depend on how the veterans step up and become leaders,” Tolentino said. “The coaches are here to push the players but the leaders are here to motivate them. We need that.”
Tolentino added that Kaholoaa-Aguilar is really stepping up early to try and fill that leadership role while running out of the backfield, where he provides brute force with the ball.
“Kobie is just a bowling ball,” Tolentino said. “He is hard to take down in a one-on-one situation. He has big legs and he is built. He reminds us of (Mike) Alstott.”
Kaholoaa-Aguilar will also play linebacker on defense.
Alvarez is more of a quiet leader but emotional leader. He fills a receiver role on offense, while also playing both ways.
“He is very quick and has good vision,” Tolentino said. “He knows how to cut and will take a hit. A lot of guys look up to him.”
Enojardo will anchor a young offensive line that features no seniors.
“He is quick and light on his feet,” Tolentino said. “We are also looking at a couple of younger boys to fill in.”
Victor-Gusman anchors the defensive line along with Zane White. Both are veteran players who started last year.
“The D-line is aggressive,” Tolentino said. “They are always going to the ball and want to tear it up.”
Kohala’s offense is not one-dimensional. Along with Kaholoaa-Aguilar at running back, the team also has Hezedyn Ayin-Eugenio, a rugby player with some speed. Like Kaholoaa-Aguilar, he will play on both sides of the ball, lining up at linebacker on defense.
“As a running back, Hezy is fast and I like the way he uses his eyes and find the lanes,” Tolentino said. “He gets to the ball quick enough to stir it up.”
Speaking off offensive threats, the team has a talented quarterback in Jacob “Maui” Hook. When pressed, Tolentino struggled to find a flaw in his QB, who is only a junior.
“There is nothing bad I can say about him,” Tolentino said. “He picks up plays quickly and is fast. He likes to hit for a quarterback too, which is good, but at the same time, he is the only quarterback we have. He is a smart player who can sling the ball.”
While Kohala’s QB will be looking to make the opposition’s secondary sweat, Kohala’s secondary will be led by Marc Francisco and Peyton Oda.
“Peyton and Marc both started last season and they will be looking to step out of the shadow of Isaiah (Villacorte-Caravalho), who left some big shoes to fill,” Tolentino said. “These guys know what to do, now they just have to step up and prove it.”
Freshman, Keahou Kaholoaa-Aguilar, who is Kobie Kaholoaa-Aguilar’s brother, will join the secondary.
“He is a ball hawk,” Tolentino said. “He is always looking for the ball and if we sees a mismatch on one side, he leans over. Look for him at midseason, he will get some picks this year.”
With a new, young group of players ready to go for another year, Tolentino defines the turnover as a mixed bag.
“It is nice to have a new group to work with but it is always hard to start all over again,” Tolentino said.
Despite the turnover, Ayin-Eugenio expects this team to succeed.
“We have a lot of talent and we don’t plan on giving up,” he said. “If someone scores against us we will keep our head up and work even harder.”
Alvarez, a senior, is hoping that the team will send him out on top.
“It would mean a lot to win back-to-back championships, especially in my final year,” he said. “This is probably my last year playing football. I am hoping we can do even better than last year.”
