As a sophomore in 2014 at Hawaii Preparatory Academy, Noah Wise remembers learning a lot of the finer points of football from his older brother, Pomai.
“My brother and the other seniors that year really helped teach me about the game,” said Wise, reflecting on the start of his football career with Ka Makani. “They got us involved and made us feel like part of the team.”
That progression is tradition around the Hawaii Prep football team, where there is no JV squad and freshman and sophomores are counted on to be contributors. Now, Wise — one of just nine senior listed on the roster — is expected to serve as that kind of mentor, passing off knowledge to a roster full of up-and-comers.
“There are a lot of guys around here who are catching on and eager to learn,” Wise said.
Hawaii Prep finished last season with a 2-6 record in the BIIF, falling to Kamehameha-Hawaii 57-22 in the Division II semifinals. The team lost 17 seniors from that squad, among them a fleet of familiar, multi-year contributors.
“We graduated a lot of talent,” Hawaii Prep head coach Jordan Hayslip said. “But I think we have some solid skill players and young guys who want to step up.”
Finding some stability at quarterback will be key, and junior Kekoa Ilagan-LeBlanc comes in with the most experience.
“He got a lot of good reps last year as a sophomore,” Hayslip said of his QB.
Juniors Michael Hanano and Finn Richmond will be the bigger targets for Ilagan-LeBlanc. Wise is another strong route runner, with the ability to make plays after the catch, and speedy senior Kevin Durkin is a returning playmaker out of the slot.
Ka Makani have some options running the ball in Zach Chaikin, Steven Guppy and Kyree Scott. Each have distinct running styles.
“We like those three so far,” Hayslip said.
Up front, senior Sean Donnelly and junior Henry Madeen will be the pillars of the offensive line.
“Donnelly is a returning starter and brings that experience,” Hayslip said. “I think as a whole we are pretty athletic up front and can move.”
In preseason action against St. Margaret’s (Calif.), Hawaii Prep played primarily out of pistol and shotgun sets — a change from last year’s run-first, option look. As for what the run-pass balance will look like this season, Hayslip doesn’t want to show all his cards just yet.
“Do I have to tell you everything,” he said with a laugh. “We will still run some, but I think we will be looking to throw the ball a little more.”
A familiar theme year-to-year for Hawaii Prep is versatility, with a lot of the same contributors on offense playing on defense. Donnelly and Madeen will be featured on the defensive line, although Ka Makani have a few guys that can filter through.
Wise heads up the defensive backs at safety, with fellow senior Elijah Anakalea-Buckley and sophomores Sheldon Aribal and Keawe Strance also playing key roles in coverage.
Among the most impactful departures for Hawaii Prep were linebackers Anthony Palleshi and Alex Brost. Hayslip said senior linebacker Alex Winters has stepped up to help fill that void, both with his performance on the field and as a leader.
Always a tight knit group, Hawaii Prep’s most important weapon is a notorious never give up mantra — regardless of what the scoreboard reads.
“The boys look around and realize we don’t have the same size or numbers of the other schools,” Hayslip said. “They know they have to go hard every play.”
It is still to be determined where Hawaii Prep will fall in the BIIF’s Division II, but a lot of attention has been placed on Konawaena and Kamehameha-Hawaii. That’s not bothering Ka Makani one bit.
“We will let that attention go to them, keep our heads down and continue working hard,” Hayslip said.
Wise echoed his coach’s sentiments.
“We don’t feel a whole lot of pressure,” he said. “We will just show up and fight as hard as we can. That’s what we are known for.”
