For dynasty teams, graduating a large class full of star power can be scary.
The Hilo High boys varsity soccer team, however, is taking its rebuilding process in stride. The Vikings aren’t preparing excuses, pointing fingers or whining — they’re gearing up to play tough.
The defending repeat BIIF champions graduated nine seniors this past spring, including an All-Hawaii second-teamer and two third-teamers. Hilo has also retained a cast of talented players, and is working to get its new talent ready for action.
As tenth-year coach George Ichimaru puts it, every team has “their year.”
“Each year, teams may face their challenges of numbers, this year is our year,” he said. “In previous years, other schools may have also faced it — they may have not announced it, or I just didn’t pay much attention to it — but this is our year with low numbers. We’ll take it as it goes — that’s what we’ve got, what we’re rolling with. It’s a long season ahead.”
Though the Vikings are fairly young and have a smaller roster than last year, several veterans have returned — including a few standouts.
“Whole new team, new balance, we’re trying to figure it out,” Ichimaru said. “Hopefully we can carry a little bit of experience from our seniors to help lead this team.”
Last season, Kani Tolentino-Perry received a nod on the All-BIIF DI First Team and was a ScoringLive All-Hawaii Honorable Mention. The junior was Hilo’s only non-senior to be placed on the BIIF first team and to get an All-Hawaii nod.
Now a senior, Tolentino-Perry is not only stepping into the leadership role that all seniors must take on — he will face the expectations that come with entering the season as the team’s most decorated player.
Tolentino-Perry is ready, confident and determined — and he’s setting his sights high.
“Many teams want to take us down, so it’s gonna be a hard season,” Tolentino-Perry said. “We’ve got a target on our back, and I know choke teams wanna win us — so we need to come out firing.”
Tolentino-Perry and other seniors have been working closely with their young teammates. To them, the young blood looks promising.
“This upcoming freshman group is pretty good,” Tolentino-Perry said. “We got a couple sophomores and juniors, some strong juniors coming up. The sophomores are really technical on the ball, pretty good group.”
Based on what he’s seen so far, Ichimaru is also pleased with the progression of his team’s dynamic.
“So far the chemistry between the newcomers and returners is pretty good,” he said.
“They understand their roles, they understand what’s expected when losing nine seniors. Now, it’s just forming a team, jelling, understanding.
Hilo played its first pre-season match last weekend during the Big Island Candies Hilo Bay Classic — falling 2-0 to Waiakea High. Despite the loss, the Vikings found some positive takeaways.
“Based on our first game performance, I think we can make it pretty far in the season,” Tolentino-Perry said. “It was a good game, we fought hard. It’s only a preseason game, so it wasn’t really clicking — but we still did pretty good.”
Hilo’s season will kick off this week. At 3 p.m. Tuesday (Nov. 28), the Vikings will open with a homestand against Parker School. Two days later, on Thursday, Hilo will travel to face Makua Lani Christian.
