For all of Izaiah Pilanca-Emmsely’s fancy footwork on the football field, his greatest escape act might have come away from the gridiron.
Pilanca-Emmsely, as humble off the field as he is explosive on it, skipped Ka’u’s postseason awards ceremony last season, one in which he was sure to be the main attraction.
Yeah, Pilanca-Emmsely said, “But I really wasn’t feeling that well that day.”
These days, you can catch the Trojans’ sophomore on the BIIF baseball field as a switch-hitting shortstop, and to hear Pilanca-Emmsely and Greg Rush, a football assistant/baseball coach at Ka’u, tell it, that’s his best sport.
Considering his eight-man football exploits, not to mention basketball, that’s saying something.
In his typical low-key fashion, Pilanca-Emmsely didn’t have much to say about himself despite earning a rare accomplishment. He’s the first – and perhaps last – to sweep the BIIF eight-man player of the year honors for offense and defense, as selected by the Hawaii Tribune-Herald, West Hawaii Today and the league’s coaches.
“It’s an honor,” he said, “and a credit to all of my teammates and coaches.”
After five seasons, Ka’u, Kohala and Pahoa are moving up to 11-man for the 2019 campaign.
Rush says the next two seasons will be “really interesting” as Pilanca-Emmsely takes on regulation-size football. All things being equal, his best positions are probably wide receiver and safety. But since Pilanca-Emmsely was always the best athlete on the field in 8-man and could use his speed to get to the edge in a flash, Rush said it made sense to have him take the shotgun snap at quarterback and let him go.
According to the database at MaxPreps.com and all the players the site tracks, Pilanca-Emmsely was the national 8-man rushing leader at 293.3 yards per game.
“I’ve just never seen anything like it,” Rush said.
And he’s watched a lot in his 30-some years in football.
His son, Dylan, was the Gatorade state player of the year for Hawaii in 2005 as a Konawaena defensive end and signed a scholarship to UCLA.
“(Izaiah) is the better player,” Greg Rush said. “One of the best players I’ve ever seen.”
Pilanca-Emmsely, a co-offensive player of the year as a freshman, was peerless as a sophomore.
He had a pair of 400-yard rushing games against Pahoa, including a four-touchdown performance in the title game. With the Trojans trailing late, he zipped around the left side for an 80-yard score to seal the program’s third consecutive championship.
Against Lanai, Maui’s co-champion, Pilanca-Emmsely scored six touchdowns on the ground, and he took back a pick-six.
Asked what his best attribute, besides having good teammates, was, Pilanca-Emmsely said: speed.
Rush notices that and so much more.
“He’s got great field vision and can anticipate plays,” he said. “I’ve never seen him really nailed by a tackler.”
It was suggested to a few of the league’s coaches that another player could be honored on the defensive side of the ball, sort of as a way to spread the accolades around.
However, Kohala coach Chad Atkins said that would be like handing out a consolation prize.
“(Izaiah) is clearly the best player on both sides,” Rush said.
He listed Manu Kalau-Keliikoa, Weston Davis and Andre Carvalho as worthy honorees as well, but Pilanca-Emmsely’s anticipation helped him lead the team in sacks from his spot in the secondary.
“I would say go get the QB, and he’d go get him,” Rush said.
The super sophomore was at his play-making best in the victory against Lanai, picking off two passes and forcing two fumbles, both of which he recovered.
Baseball may be his best sport and the 11-man game beckons, but with the door shut on 8-man after five seasons, the case is closed: Pilanca-Emmsely is the greatest.
Offense
OL: Josiah Barrios, Ka’u
OL: Jeremiah Nurial-Dacalio, Ka’u
OL: Paul Solis, Ka’u
WR: William Velez, Pahoa
WR: Andre Caravalho, Ka’u
RB: Shesly Martinez, Ka’u
RB: Matthew Ortega, Pahoa
QB: Izaiah Pilanca-Emmsley, Ka ‘u
Defense
DL: Weston Davis, Ka’u
DL: Cael Hooton, Kohala
DL: Kuni Kalani-Kaeha, Pahoa
LB: Manu Kalau-Keliikoa, Ka’u
LB: Kanoa Kailiawa, Ka’u
LB: Matthew Meyer, Pahoa
DB: Duke Palma, Pahoa
DB: Izaiah Pilanca-Emmsley, Ka’u
Offensive player of the year: Izaiah Pilanca-Emmsley, Ka’u
Defensive player of the year: Izaiah Pilanca-Emmsley, Ka’u
Coach of the year: Chris Midel, Pahoa
Honorable mention
Ka’u: Kyson Toriano, DB
Pahoa: Nyles Martinez, DT
Kohala: Dayton James-Foree, DT; Zyan Caravalho, LB; Kamani Provencal, P