KAILUA-KONA — Kealakehe had every reason to fall apart in September. ADVERTISING KAILUA-KONA — Kealakehe had every reason to fall apart in September. The Waveriders opened the month by dropping a tight contest to Kamehameha— a fourth consecutive loss to
KAILUA-KONA — Kealakehe had every reason to fall apart in September.
The Waveriders opened the month by dropping a tight contest to Kamehameha— a fourth consecutive loss to start the season — which was punctuated by a highly-publicized confrontation between a parent and coach on the field.
But instead of falling apart in the face of adversity, Kealakehe rallied, with a 31-14 victory at Honokaa last weekend being the latest boon for the ‘Riders (3-4 overall, 3-2 BIIF D-I), making it three in a row for the squad.
The Waveriders will look to polish off the month with a homecoming victory over Waiakea on Saturday.
The win — paired with a Keaau loss to D-I front runner Hilo on Friday — would also lock up the No. 2 spot in Division I, meaning Kealakehe would return to the BIIF title game after a rare year away.
“Adversity and hardships do one of two things — it either makes you want to run away, or it brings you closer together,” Kealakehe head coach Sam Kekuaokalani said. “The boys have done an awesome job of rallying together. We try to teach it, but it’s up to them to do it. It’s a credit to the parents out there teaching them good things and their previous coaches from Pop Warner and other programs.”
Now on a nice run, it’s safe to say the Waveriders are ready to play football and put to bed whatever drama stemmed from the month-old incident.
“We just want our whole organization to come together,” senior defensive back Qishaun Gallon said. “We all know there was a little beef, but we just want to play. Let the coaches coach and us do our work on the field.”
“It’s one mindset,” senior linebacker Ismail Souza added.
As it turns out, those first four teams the Waveriders lost to were pretty good. Konawaena, Kamehameha, Damien and St. Margaret’s (Calif.) have combined for just three losses since playing the Waveriders, all those coming to stiff competition. However, there were still some glaring deficiencies in Kealakehe’s system.
The biggest difference for the team has been an efficient offense. The Waveriders have averaged a shade over 45 points per game during the three-game winning streak, as opposed to just 12.5 in their previous four.
The unit didn’t rack up yardage against the Dragons, but converted when they needed to. A bunch of ‘Riders were involved in the passing game, including Anthony “Head” Trevino, an All-BIIF pick at wide receiver two years ago, who proved he can probably out-jump most defenders in the league on a nice 26-yard catch in the corner of the end zone. A fleet of sturdy backs did their part, picking up chunks at a time and converting in short yardage situations.
“We love to run, and we have been doing it well behind our O-line,” Kekuaokalani said. “Outside the red zone, we were not as effective. We need to work on that.”
But as the Kealakehe coach points out, while the offense put points on the board, the defense has been a major catalyst in the Waveriders’ scoring outbursts. For two games in a row, the Waveriders have posted a trio of touchdowns in just a few play span thanks to timely turnovers from the defense shortening the field.
“Both the defense and offense work together. It’s like a glove. If one of us don’t fit, it’s not going to work,” Souza said. “We have just been trying to swarm to the ball.”
While the 0-4 start wasn’t pretty — and the worst in recent memory for Kealakehe — BIIF historians will reference what the Waveriders did more than a decade ago on the way to their first league title in 2004. That team dropped its first three before nearly running the table the rest of the way, knocking off Hilo 41-21 in the title game and earning Kealakehe its first BIIF banner in school history.
That being said, no one is getting ahead of themselves in the ‘Riders huddle.
“It’s a game-by-game process for us,” Souza said. “We just have to focus on the process.”
Other games
Keaau (2-3 BIIF Division I, 2-3) at Hilo (4-1 Division I, 5-1), 7:20 p.m. Friday
Granted, the Vikings are still expected to win, but this game has taken on more interest thanks to the development of Cougars quarterback Iokepa Laa.
The junior has spurred Keaau to consecutive wins for the first time since 2011 by accounting for three touchdowns in back to back games, but he’ll be in for his toughest test yet against a Hilo defense that is sound at all three levels.
No one can match Kahale Huddleston’s 23 TDs accounted for, but Keaau running back Junior Santiago has been a big play waiting to happen this season with scoring runs of 75, 76, 85 and 86 yards to his credit.
Hilo can officially earn a spot in the BIIF Division I title game with a win, while the Cougars need a victory to remain in contention.
Due to a quick in the schedule, this will only be the Vikings’ second game this season at Wong Stadium.
Honokaa (1-4 BIIF Division I, 2-4) at Hawaii Prep (1-4 BIIF Division II, 2-4), 2 p.m. Saturday
North Hawaii’s rivalry game comes down to a matter of pride – or P.R.I.D.E. if you are the Dragons, who are trying to shake a four-game losing streak.
Honokaa is only averaging nine points a game since two wins against Waiakea to open the season.
During their three-game losing streak, Ka Makani have been outscored 161-7.
Eight-man
Pahoa (2-1, 4-1) at Kohala (0-3, 0-4), 1 p.m. Saturday
The Daggers will look to regain momentum during their only trip Kapaau this season.
Pahoa was cruising along until Ka’u handed the Daggers their first loss last week, knocking them into second place.
The Cowboys have yet to score more than once in a game this season, and 32 points is the least they’ve allowed.
