This much the Hilo Vikings know: They’ll host an HHSAA Division I semifinal game against either Iolani or the Maui champ on Nov. 9. Site to be determined.
The Vikings also know how far they’ve come to get there.
As much was apparent Friday night as the celebration at Wong Stadium carried on after Hilo ruled the BIIF for a sixth consecutive year, beating Kealakehe 25-11 in the title game.
“This one is pretty sweet, losing 27 seniors from last year, it’s a good accomplishment for this group of young men,” Drummondo said. “I’m happy for them.
A head coach for four years after being an assistant for three, Drummondo has his fingerprints all over a dynasty that can lay claim to the BIIF’s second longest title-winning football streak behind’s Konawaena’s 11 in a row from 1980-90.
No. 6 was more improbable than some of its predecessors as Hilo (8-1, 8-0 BIIF) took little for granted at the beginning of the season, even after winning the HHSAA Division I championship in 2017.
“Honestly, going into the year, we met as a staff and told ourselves, this team is capable, but we’re really going to have to develop and coach, and we’re going to have ups and downs and we’re going to have to stick with it,” Drummondo said. “At the end of the day, we’ll see. Let the chips fall where they may.”
To look at his tenure at Hilo another way, consider how much the tide has turned since Drummondo, a police officer, moved from West Hawaii to Hilo: In his first season as an assistant in 2012 under coach David Baldwin, Kealakehe beat the Vikings twice, the second triumph earning the Waveriders an eighth title in nine seasons (one was vacated). Since, the Vikings have beaten the Waveriders 10 out of 11 times and have four unbeaten BIIF seasons.
Hilo had to replace 12 all-BIIF selections, just as it did in 2015, Drummondo’s first season as coach.
“Different group of guys with the way we execute,” said senior safety Kahiau Walker, now a four-time champion. “Young group, but we play fast and physical.”
In 2017, Hilo had a safety blanket in Kahale Huddleston, who accounted for 35 touchdowns.
So far this season, they’ve relied more on a committee. Senior wide receiver Fiki Aguiar hauled in his sixth touchdown of the season Friday night to go along with three running scores, while junior Guyson Ogata caught his seventh touchdown pass, hauling in a nicely thrown ball in the right corner of the end zone from Kyan Miyasato. The junior quarterback surpassed 1,000 yards passing on the season and improved his touchdown-to-interception ratio to 15-7,
Meanwhile, running back Kaeo Ramos picked fine time for his best game of the season, running for 135 yards and a score, and he appreciated the fact that he got to make a large impact this time after backing up Huddleston last season.
“This time I actually got to win it,” Ramos said. “I got to play in this one.”
Drummondo’s witnessed hard running all season out of Ramos, who in turn has watched a revamped offensive line open bigger holes as the year has proceeded.
The offensive line “needed a lot of work from the beginning of the season,” Ramos said. “All of the seniors left, but they’ve definitely progressed.”
Defensively, Hilo enters states having allowed six touchdowns, four of which were scored by the Waveriders. The Viks committed 12 penalties but held Kealakehe to just 16 yards rushing in the final thanks to four sacks.
It’s difficult to gauge how much BIIF competition has helped, or hindered, Hilo for the next stage, but Drummondo credited Kealakehe for pushing the Vikings in the second half and almost making the game interesting.
“They were a senior-heavy team with a lot of talent,” he said. “They’re physical and they make the game physical, so you can’t get discouraged when you give something up, you just have to play for four quarters.”
In the state playoffs, Hilo and Waipahu each will be seeded and host a semifinal since the BIIF and OIA have larger numbers in Division I. The Marauders (8-4, 7-2 OIA) wrapped up their league title by beating Castle 32-3 last Friday at Aloha Stadium. ILH representative Iolani (8-2, 7-1) beat Waipahu 55-14 earlier this season, while Maui and Baldwin will decide the MIL crown Friday night.
Drummondo would much prefer that Hilo’s semifinal be played at Wong Stadium – as was the case last season when the Vikings beat Maui in the semifinals – but state “home” games in 2016 and 2013 were moved to Keaau High.
Wherever Hilo is headed, they already come a decent distance.
“The beginning of the season it was rough, because we had to build everything back up,” Walker said. “We’re not where we should be, but we’ve definitely improved.”
