There was a quiet confidence in Pahala in August for Ka’u’s BIIF Division II football return, which just so happened to come against Kamehameha.
It lasted all of five to 10 minutes. The Warriors scored at will, putting up 34 first-half points on the board en route to a 48-0 victory.
The Trojans travel to unbeaten Kamehameha for the second-round rematch at 6 p.m. Thursday, and, unduly confident or not, a half-season’s worth of experience figures to be along for the ride.
“Every week is different for us,” coach DuWayne Ke said. “Since the (Kamehameha) game, the kids have been moving forward and progressing.
“We’re just trying to improve more and every step is a new step.”
And every throw is a new throw.
Ka’u (2-2) called at least one pass play in the first meeting, but the Trojans never got the ball off due to pressure from the Warriors (5-0) and never attempted a forward pass.
If Kamehameha coach Shaun Perry and his staff popped in the tape of Ka’u’s 28-22 win against Kohala on Sept. 15, they witnessed a more diversified offense.
Keliikoa Reyes-Nalu emerged at quarterback and standout Izaiah Pilanca-Emmsley, usually a dazzling runner, caught two touchdown passes.
Ka’u wants to be more versatile for sure, but Ke said, “Everybody knows me already, we’re going to run the ball.
“If a pass is open, that’s great, but I’m a run-first coach.”
Back when Pilanca-Emmsley was terrorizing eight-man foes, 28 carries meant he was running for north of 300 or 400 yards. The junior had to fight tooth and nail for each and every of his 86 yards in August, averaging just more than three yards per carry. Ke said Thursday night will be Pilanca-Emmsley’s first game on field turf.
Quarterback Koby Tabuyo-Kahele accounted for all but one of the Warriors’ seven touchdowns in the first meeting, but the junior missed the Warriors’ last two wins after suffering an injury in practice. In his absence, freshman Michael Perry threw for six touchdowns and ran for another against Kohala and Pahoa.
Perry said Tabuyo-Kahele would return to action Thursday night but wouldn’t commit to a starter.
“It’s good, getting better daily,” Perry said of his quarterbacks. “I’m happy with their steady progression.”
Defensively, Ka’u is going to start with the basics.
“If we keep everything in front of us, I’ll be happy,” Ke said.
In a development that would surprise absolutely no on, Kamehameha can secure a spot in the BIIF Division II title game with a victory. The Warriors have yet to be tested by the D-II newbies, outscoring the three former eight-man teams by a combined 214-6.
The Trojans can afford a loss. Their bigger game is likely a week from Saturday when host they Hawaii Prep.
“The freshman are getting more experience,” Ke said. “Let’s go have fun.”
Pahoa (0-5 D-II) at Hawaii Prep (4-1 D-II), 3 p.m. Saturday
Ka Makani feature a shiny record, but their offense has been less than polished in recent weeks.
Of their 149 points so far, only 53 have come in the past three games. According to Kohala coach Chad Atkins, Ka Makani generated fewer than 75 yards of offense and gave up almost 300 last Saturday in a 15-12 win at Kapaau.
The Cowboys had the chance at the upset, he said, but they fumbled the ball in the red zone in the final 2 minutes. Kohala’s MJ Macaspac intercepted a pass late in the fourth quarter and returned it to the HPA 7, but the ball was moved back 15 yards after the Cowboys were penalized for an exuberant celebration.
“The crowd was so loud and the kids were so excited,” Atkins said. “If we had the ball at the 7, we would have punched it in and won.”
HPA scored a defensive touchdown on a fumble recovery and its special teams provided a boost by stopping a fake punt to set up another score.
Back on Aug. 22, Ka Makani clicked offensively, with Justin Lina scoring four touchdowns in a 51-14 win against the Daggers.
Editor’s note: A preview of the Week 7 BIIF Division I games will run in Friday’s edition.
