If the Kamehameha Schools – Hawai‘i football team can win its next three outings, it will close out a perfect BIIF-play season — which the Warriors have not accomplished since 2010.
The last BIIF DII team to have a perfect season was Hawaii Prep in 2021, which finished 7-0 before losing to Kapa‘a in the first round of the HHSAA playoffs.
Currently at 7-0 KSH has three regular-season games remaining — hosting Pahoa on Friday for its final home game, traveling to Ka‘u next Saturday (Oct. 14) and ending its season on the road at HPA the following Saturday (Oct. 21).
The Warriors have already notched wins against all three of those teams — beating Ka‘u and HPA by 49-6 and 49-0, respectively. However, Pahoa forfeited its Aug. 31 matchup against KSH — so Friday will be the pair’s first encounter of the season.
Though the Warriors have the edge going into their late-season slate, these next three games could be some of their toughest tests yet.
Ka‘u and HPA have performed well as of late, and bear considerable homefield advantages due to their climates and field textures.
Ka‘u is hot and dry, and that climate wore down Pahoa’s Daggers last week — as the Trojans beat them into submission with 32 points scored during a drawn-out fourth quarter. Ka‘u also plays on a multi-purpose field that contains portions of a baseball diamond. The combination of the heat, dryness and dust can be very uncomfortable to play in — and the Trojans are completely comfortable with it.
Not to mention, Ka‘u may be starting a late season surge. The Trojans routed Kohala and Pahoa over the past two weeks — 60-14 and 54-28, respectively — and are setting their sights on HPA this weekend. Ka Makani recorded much narrower victories during their last encounters with Kohala and Pahoa — 18-14 and 24-12, respectively — but beat Ka‘u 23-8 at the start of September.
HPA’s home field is also unique. The grass field is particularly soft and spongey, so kicks and punts don’t bounce a whole lot after hitting the ground. Ka Makani’s kicking game is pretty good, so visiting teams can expect fewer touchbacks and shorter returns.
The HPA campus sits on the windward side of Waimea, and can get very windy. The wind has debilitated some other teams’ passing games this season. Though KSH does not rely completely on passing — with runningback Ethan Bowden recording 145 yards and four touchdowns on the ground during last week’s 68-6 rout of Kohala — the wind could very well pose an issue.
Pahoa has been high and low this season, but could definitely still give the Warriors a good fight.
The Daggers’ defense is great at intercepting passes, and their offensive scheme has shifted several times this season — making it hard to predict.
KSH’s game against Pahoa will kick off 7 p.m. on Friday.
