PAHOA — Pahoa High’s football team will host the BIIF’s first DII matchup, playing against Ka‘u HS at 6 p.m. tonight on the Kea‘au HS field.
The Daggers underwent a transformation over the summer, graduating a large class of seniors and gaining many underclassmen.
The players and coaches think that this shift could be for the better — and that so far, it has improved the team’s culture.
Of its 40-player roster, Pahoa has still retained a healthy amount of upperclassmen, with 11 seniors.
“So far, we’ve been doing pretty good,” senior Zachariah Hose-See said. “There was a lot more kids and a lot more people showing up than last year, so that’s a lot better than the past few years before that.
Hose-See is a defensive tackle entering his third season on varsity.
“This year, we have a lot of players who can play multiple positions,” he said. “It helps out a lot. A lot of utility players. Our line is pretty good, I have a lot of faith in what these boys can do.”
Last season, the Daggers were competitive against other rural, former eight-man DII schools like Kohala and Ka‘u — but were routed by KS-Hawaii, Hawaii Prep and Honokaa. PHS ended the season with a 3-7 BIIF play record.
That’s always been par for the course ever since BIIF teams stopped played eight-man, but the Daggers are hoping to change things this year.
“If we can get more disciplined, we’ll be a lot better of a team,” second-year coach Kanani Stanton said. “That’s one thing we’ve kinda been lacking. Other than that, they’re good kids. We’ll compete.”
Though Pahoa’s small student population has sometimes proven to be a competitive disadvantage, it also provides one big advantage — a close-knit team dynamic.
“They’re real close, they’ve got a good bond,” Stanton said. “It’s a small school. I like how they talk to each other. Typical boys, talk a little crap here and there, but nothing serious.”
Senior Zedekiah Ahin-Ganir has also spent three years on varsity — playing slot back and outside linebacker.
“We’re working really hard this year, I think our team’s improving a lot,” he said. “We’re all on the same page now for offense. Last year it was kind of hard because we all wanted to do our own thing. This year, we’re focusing on being a team.”
“I think we’re gonna ball out this season,” added classmate Kanoa Kahele. “Everybody does their job now. It takes a whole team, it’s not just a one-guy sport. I’d rock with these guys any day.”
On top of having one of the best turnouts in years, the Daggers also boast more than a handful of big and tall players.
“They got bigger and stronger,” Stanton said, “We’ve got more turnout. A lot of young boys coming out, which is great for the future. We have a core of good seniors, and they all got bigger and stronger — and smarter.”
As far as today’s game goes, the Daggers are expecting the unexpected. Changes in the Trojans’ coaching staff have made for an unclear picture of what Pahoa is up against.
“They have new coaches, so we don’t know what they’ve got,” Stanton said. “We have no film for them. I know they’ve got a pretty good coach. We’re looking at a different Ka‘u, that’s for sure.”
Next Saturday (Aug. 26) the Daggers will play away at HPA, then will return to Kea‘au HS the following Thursday to face KSH.