KAILUA-KONA — Football players from four Big Island Interscholastic Federation (BIIF) schools — Konawaena, Kamehameha Schools-Hawa‘i, Hawaii Prep and Kea‘au — were named to the ScoringLive Division I and II All-Hawaii first and second teams on Wednesday for their exceptional performances during the 2023 season.
After finishing another year with a state title game appearance, it was no surprise Konawaena dominated the DI first team with eight players being selected. Among the eight selected was junior wideout Zedekiah Anahu-Ambrosio, who finished the season with 1,259 receiving yards and 21 touchdowns.
Anahu-Ambrosio has several collegiate offers on the table, including from the University of Hawai‘i.
Receiver Austin Takaki also made the list, posting 90 catches for 1,257 yards and nine touchdowns on the year. Takaki was additonally selected as a defensive back, honored for his stellar two-way play. Wildcats’ defensive stalwarts Elias Malapit and Armenio Blanco also made the list.
Over in the second team, Kona’s former record-setting quarterback Keoki Alani was named. Alani finished his high school career ahead of Timmy Chang in all-time Hawaii career passing touchdowns at 127 across three seasons as a starter. In 2023, he recorded his second consecutive 50-or-more passing touchown season with 4,248 yards, 57 touchdowns and 13 picks.
In the honorable mentions list, Diego Pettypool (Kea‘au), Akea Cariaga (Konawaena), Hercules Nahale (Kealakehe), Charlie Salazar (Kea‘au), Sean Randall (Kea‘au), Tazein Sykes (Hilo), MJ Feala (Konawaena), Ikona Kainoa-Salvador (Konawaena), Kaiwalya Kaneta (Hilo), AJ Rodrigues (Waiakea), Wyatt Wehrsig (Konawaena), Justin Ah Sing (Waiakea), Carmine Fautanu-Taetuna (Konawaena)
“As always, I’m happy for all our players that made this list,” Kona coach Brad Uemoto told West Hawaii Today. “To be recognized amongst the best in Division I is something they should be very proud of.
“Having 15 players selected from first team to honorable mention is very humbling for our program. It goes without saying that football is a team sport, and these players would be the first to recognize their teammates that didn’t make this list.”
Kea‘au’s Dane Bannister additionally was selected to the second team.
In the Division II lists, no BIIF players were named to first team, but a plethora of Big Island standouts made second team, including running backs Ethan Bowden (KS-Hawai‘i) and Alaka‘i Aipia (Hawaii Prep) — who finished as central contributors to their respective team’s backfield. Bowden posted 657 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns, while Aipia tallied over 1,000 yards.
DII honorable mentions in the BIIF included Adam Perry (KS-Hawai‘i), Javen Feary (KS-Hawaii), Diezel Gabriel (KS-Hawaii), TJ Lau (KS-Hawaii), Diesel DeMello (KS-Hawaii), Xander Hoopai (KS-Hawaii), Ezekiel Kuiee-Matias Paliku Nachor (KS-Hawaii) and Lucas Kay-Wong (KS-Hawaii).
