They are always good, but will they be good enough?
They’re consistently sound and disciplined, but can they be flawless when it counts?
They’re the picture of BIIF football stability, but – be it by necessity or voluntarily – several changes are afoot for the Kamehameha Warriors, a program that stands on as solid ground as any here yet still is trying to find its championship footing.
Coach Dan Lyons walked into the team’s makeshift weight room/meeting room earlier this week intent on finding an offensive depth chart scrawled on the chalkboard, but none existed.
“Maybe we just got rid of the offense all together,” Lyons said. “Maybe we don’t have enough guys to field an offense.”
Lyons was joking, of course, but Kamehameha’s numbers are down dramatically and into the low 30s, a drop-off of about 15 or so from previous rosters.
What the streamlined Warriors lose in depth, they hope to make up for in unity and accountability. They’re tightening things up and doubling down, with most starters prepared to play both ways.
“It’s brought us way closer,” said senior Teva Reynolds, a two-way lineman. “Like never before.”
Entering his eighth season, Lyons is easily the dean of BIIF coaches, and this year he’s taking back the controls of the offense and calling plays. Kamehameha will continue to use multiple formations, and dynamic playmaker Kilohana Haasenritter is available as a trigger man, but the tight end will be reintroduced into the offense, and, crazier yet, maybe two at a time.
“You’re going to see a lot of tight ends,” junior Wilde Germano said. “As long as I’ve been here there have been no tight ends, but the tight end is going to be important this year.”
One of Lyons’ goals is to re-establish the downhill running game and re-instill the smashmouth attitude that were the hallmarks of some of his earlier teams, and a ball-control offense could come in handy as Kamehameha rebuilds its defense.
“Whoever plays us needs to try and stop the run,” he said. “If we can run, we’ll just run.”
It should be noted that his most previous stint as Kamehameha’s offensive coordinator came in 2014, which was the last time the Warriors won a BIIF Division II championship.
Not that the three-time runners-up behind Konawaena haven’t had their chances of late.
The Warriors were as proud as everyone else on the Big Island last November when the BIIF finally made hay at the HHSAA championships, with Hilo winning the state Division I championship and Konawaena narrowly falling short in D-II.
But they couldn’t help but think: We could do that.
“The reality is last year we had Hilo beat here and Kona beat,” Lyons said, “but we couldn’t finish games and made mistakes at end of games.”
The Warriors said all the right things about limiting mistakes and executing before last season’s BIIF title game at Konawaena, but …
“We just failed to get it done,” senior Bryce Furuli said.
Everyone is on board for another try.
“You do kind of take the mistakes personally,” said Reynolds, a center, “especially when they come on the offensive line. You want to cut them down however you can.”
When Kamehameha maintains spread principals, Haasenritter, a junior who made all-BIIF at wide receiver last season, is well-suited to dart through holes to use his elusiveness and athleticism, and Furuli is adept at running through tackles and moving piles.
Haasenritter will get the first look at quarterback, and he’ll be backed up by another fine athlete, sophomore Koby Tabuyo-Kahele, who was the starting QB on the junior varsity last season. Senior Kaimi Like is a more experienced passer and has started games the past two seasons, but he’s still recovering from an injury.
Lyons loves the idea that Haasenritter at QB means he can touch the ball every play. He’ll see time in the slot or out wide, and he’ll start in the defensive secondary as well.
“He might be running water out to the guys,” Lyons said. “He’ll be on the field all the time.
“Kilo can probably throw a ball and (run to) catch it from himself.”
The Warriors lost all-BIIF running back Paniau Lindsey, who transferred to Kahuku, so Furuli will be backed up by juniors Austin Wilson and Apu Alfiche, who are both up from the JV.
Lyons feels the talents of Germano and senior Isaiah Anahu make it imperative the Warriors get two tight ends on the field at times. Germano is more of a blocker who can play a hybrid fullback role, and he said Anahu is one of the more versatile kids on our team. He’s going to be a big factor this year.”
Lyons liked the look of his playmakers during a recent scrimmage against Kealakehe, especially senior receivers Noah Carvalho and Kolten Kaaihue, and junior Izayah Chartrand is a seasoned and potential difference-maker as well.
Lindsey is the captain of the line and is comfortable making all the calls, and the other returning starters are sophomores Keanu Klask-Hoopii and Michael Glendon. Junior Luke Kaniho played defense last season and will play both ways in 2018, and senior Dan Ahuna returns to the line after not playing last season.
“It all starts up front with those guys paving the way and opening holes,” said Furuli, who will also try to stop opposing runners at middle linebacker.
The defense has a bevy of playmakers to replace, including six all-BIIF selections.
Lindsey, Germano and Haasenritter will help fill the void, each at a different level of the defense.
A new name is senior Thaze Gomes, who has recovered from a knee injury and is slated to fortify the front seven, possibly at linebacker alongside Germano, Tabuyo-Kahele, Furuli and senior Kamuela Santa Maria.
Another new name is junior end Micah Low, who is slated for his first varsity season.
Chartrand is penciled in at the cornerback spot opposite Haasenritter, with Anahu and Carvalho at safety.
Justin Kenoi was a weapon at place-kicker last season and in his absence Lyons said he had no idea who was going to handle those duties.
“We may do a lot of onside kicks and never kick field goals,” he said.
He was joking again, of course, confident Kamehameha will be able to find a trusted leg.
“Our job is to have 20 irreplaceable players every year, but you want to have a system where you’re creating guys who step up and play,” he said
“I know we have a bunch of championship-type guys here who are committed and working hard. The potential is there for us to be very good this year,” Lyons said. “It comes down to a couple of plays, and we just have to learn to win.”
Time will tell if the Warriors can, but everyone is working twice as hard to try and get there.
Editor’s note: This is the first in a series of 11 BIIF football previews.
Next up Saturday: Waiakea
Kamehameha at a glance
2017 record: 7-4, 5-3 BIIF, lost to Konawaena in D-II title game 17-9
Head coach: Dan Lyons (eighth year)
Returning starters: offense 5, defense 3
Number to know: 31 – Kamehameha’s roster size, down about 15 from normal
Quotable: “Whoever plays us needs to try and stop the run. If we can run, we’ll just run.”
– Lyons
Schedule
Saturday at Waiakea 1:30 p.m.
Regular season
Aug. 31 at Keaau 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 7 vs. Kealakehe 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 13 at Hilo 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 21 vs. Honokaa 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 29 at Hawaii Prep 2 p.m.
Oct. 6 at Konawaena 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 13 vs. Waiakea 7:30 p.m.