Football fans of Kamehameha Schools Hawaii are requested to erase the memory of the first meeting this year between the Warriors and Hawaii Prep, a 45-0 walkover victory for KSH at Paiea Stadium.
“That one sort of got away early. We had a couple breaks that got us started,” said Kamehameha (5-1 in BIIF, 6-1 overall), coach Kealoha Wengler. “I really think this will be a different kind of game, playing up there.”
It’s a sentiment that Hawaii Prep (4-2 in BIIF and overall), coach Kaluka Maiava agrees with.
“We got beat all the way around,” said Maiava. “And this isn’t an excuse, but we were just getting our squad together at that point. We’ve come a long way since then, but this will be a real test for us, no question about that.”
A day and boarding school, HPA had just opened its doors for the school year around that time, and since then, there have been major shifts in personnel.
“It definitely didn’t go our way,” Maiava said. “But considering that we have a very young team this year, and I should point out, some of them are new to football, some of them hadn’t actually played before, but we have definitely seen improvement.”
With 39 players, Maiava doesn’t have the largest stock of players on the island, with several of them filling multiple positions, but within that group, there is a major positive element.
“These kids will battle. They are aggressive, and they play hard. We’re trying to make it a different kind of game this week,” he said.
The first meeting started in a bad way for Ka Makani when Jaden Chavis made two big returns in the first quarter, the first a 40-yard interception return for a touchdown, the second an interception that was returned to the red zone, then backed up by a block in the back penalty on the play.
But those two plays were keys in a 14-0 first quarter lead in the eventual win.
Both coaches think Saturday’s 3 p.m. game at Hawaii Prep game will be a different sort of affair.
“He always attacks our strength,” Wengler said of Maiava. “Last year we ran it a lot and he loaded up against that. This year we’re passing it a lot, so I expect he’ll be pressuring and blitzing us a lot. That’s what we’re preparing for.”
Since that game, HPA has gone 4-1, losing only to Honokaa on Sept. 16.
In those four wins, Ka Makani outscored its opponents 119-63, so it appears the offense won’t be what KSH saw when it recorded its opening weekend shutout victory.
“In our entire league, we get tested every week,” Maiava said, “but we are seeing improvement and that’s what has us all motivated. “In that first game, (KSH) beat us in yards, big time in passing (269-60), and rushing (95-27), but that needs to change and we know that.”
The defending BIIF champions, Ka Makani is led by a newcomer of sorts, sophomore Alaka‘i Aipia, who plays all over the field, is their leading kickoff and punt returner, usually takes the snap in the wildcat formation and is integral on defense.
“He’s a real contributor,” Maiava said, “he just loves the action and he comes to play in practice and in games. He will be a big part of our future, for sure, but he’s getting things done right now.”
So is Kamehameha Hawaii’s Michael Perry, who has a superlative record so far of 18 touchdown passes against just one interception while completing 63% (91 of 143) of his passes.
“If we can contain him a little bit, it will give us a chance,” Maiava said, “he seems like he has a very high football IQ, so we have to be ready for him.”