By KEVIN JAKAHI
By KEVIN JAKAHI
Tribune-Herald sports writer
Here’s a fun experiment for any diehard Big Island Interscholastic Federation fan, ask someone what’s the best crosstown rivalry in the history of the league?
Most likely the answer will be: Hilo and Waiakea.
That answer will probably be followed by a question: What sport?
If history and tradition count, then it’s baseball by a mile.
Since 1979, either Hilo or Waiakea has captured the BIIF championship, except for 2006 when Kamehameha won the title before later dropping down to Division II.
But that doesn’t mean there aren’t appealing crosstown rivalries on the gridiron.
Week 7 is finally here. It’s crosstown rivalry week and the last batch of regular season games before the four-team BIIF playoffs. There’s also a lot of significance in the matchups, which only adds an extra scoop of intrigue.
What’s the best BIIF crosstown football rivalry?
“Hilo and Waiakea,” Kamehameha coach Dan Lyons answered. “It’s the oldest and longest.
“In recent years, we’ve got a good one going with Konawaena. But if you’re counting history and tradition, you have to go back to Hilo and Waiakea.”
Kamehameha and Kona is probably the best BIIF football rivalry right now. The two schools really turn up the intensity when they face each other. But it’s not a crosstown deal.
Hawaii Prep joined the league in 1960 and neighbor Honokaa was a 1956 charter member. They hold the distinction as the longest. But almost any Ka Makani and Dragon would agree that the best rivalry is either boys basketball or boys soccer, not football.
Waiakea became a BIIF gridiron member in 1978 and Kealakehe in 1999. Hilo is a charter member while Kona came aboard in 1968, so the East Hawaii schools hold those history and tradition trump cards.
Waiakea (2-4 BIIF D-I, 2-6 overall) at Hilo (6-0 D-I, 7-0), after 5 p.m. JV Friday
This one is huge for the Warriors, who would earn the No. 2 seed with a win and a Kealakehe loss to host the BIIF semifinals next week. It won’t be easy because the Vikings are on a roll – that is, their defense is; the offense is still a work in progress.
Hilo senior middle linebacker Ofa Fahiua pretty much gift-wrapped his selection as the BIIF Division I Defensive Player of the Year with a dominant performance against Kona in a 39-7 rout last week.
He sealed his reputation as a big-time playmaker with a pair of interceptions, including a 70-yard pick-six. When he wasn’t knocking a Wildcat ball-carrier to the ground, Fahiua was correctly calling out Kona’s plays.
Part of a middle linebacker’s job is to diagnose a run or pass play. One key is to watch the offensive linemen whether they’re charging for a run block or setting for pass protection. It also helps to have a good nose for the football.
Fahiua is 5 feet, 11 inches and 210 pounds of humble pie. He’s well-spoken and won’t shine the spotlight on himself. He has a good habit to always credit his teammates, like after snatching his 70-yard interception return.
“My guys called out that it was a screen,” Fahiua said. “If it wasn’t for my strong safety (Haili Mahoe) and two defensive ends, then the outcome would have been different.”
Last season, Fahiua landed on the All-BIIF first team at outside linebacker. Despite being the top defensive playmaker in the league, he still sees room for improvement.
“I’m new to the middle and have a lot to learn,” he said.
Hilo coach David Baldwin had high praise for Fahiua, and also pointed to Mahoe’s production.
“Ofa may very well be the best linebacker I have ever coached,” Baldwin said. “He’s relentless in where he needs to go.
“Haili played excellent against Kona. He had the most batted balls down, solo tackles and pass deflections.”
Kui Mortensen, a senior cornerback, also grabbed an interception. Hilo’s other corner is 6-1, 175-pound senior Melvin Kikau, who didn’t get a pick but smothered Wildcat junior Luca Vartic, a track star and one of the fastest in the state.
He doesn’t play a lot at receiver. The 6-2, 205-pound Vartic spends more time at corner. Kikau was assigned to him; quarterback Cameron Howes threw him two passes, and Vartic had one catch for 13 yards.
The main thing for a shutdown corner is to keep his target from scoring. The next priority is to prevent big plays (20 yards or more). For Kikau and his secondary, it was mission accomplished.
It often seemed like the Vikings played with two or three extra players rather than the standard 11. They put on a defensive clinic in the first half, and shackled Kona to negative three yards and led 33-0 at the break.
The Wildcats committed to the run with a stacked tackle box. The Vikings took that challenge and scored three touchdowns in the first quarter. Hilo quarterback Sione Atuekaho’s first scoring strike to Jordan Caoagdan was a thing of beauty.
Atuekaho smoothly set his feet, his O-line gave him a perfect pocket, and the senior QB threw a dart to Caoagdan, who scored on an 18-yard slant route.
When the second half arrived, that perfect timing and execution on offense must have been left in the locker room. The Wildcats still played press coverage, daring Hilo to beat them with the pass.
The Viks scored only once in the second half when Tristin Spikes had a 14-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.
“It’ll be so exciting when our offense hits full stride. It’s just consistency,” Baldwin said. “When we gain that consistency, we’ll be a lot of fun to watch.”
Kealakehe (3-3 D-I, 3-4) at Kona (4-2 D-II, 5-2), after 5 p.m. JV Friday
If Hilo beats Waiakea, the Waveriders earn the No. 2 seed and host the Warriors in the BIIF semifinals. Or Kealakehe can take care of business and defeat its crosstown rival.
If Kona and Kamehameha finish with the same record, the Warriors hold the head-to-head tiebreaker with their season-opening 20-6 win in Kealakekua.
Kamehameha (4-2 D-II, 4-2) at Keaau (0-6 D-I, 0-7), at 3 p.m. Saturday
It’s the 4th annual Kipimana Cup, started by W.H. Shipman. Kipimana is how Hawaiians referred to Shipman more than 100 years ago, and both Keaau and Kamehameha are on land formerly owned by Shipman.
W.H. Shipman donates $500 to each of the school’s booster clubs following the game.
HPA (3-3 D-II, 4-4) at Honokaa (2-4 D-II, 2-4), at 7 p.m. Saturday
Unless there’s a major upset – winless Keaau taking down Kamehameha – the Dragons will play the Warriors on the road in the BIIF semifinals next week.
Likewise it’s a prep game for the resurgent Ka Makani, who have wins over Kamehameha and Waiakea the last two weeks, to sharpen things for a Kona rematch.
8-man football
Ka‘u (3-0 BIIF, 4-1) at Kohala (2-1, 4-1) at 2 p.m. Saturday
No doubt about it, on crosstown rivalry week, this game has the most significance.
If the Trojans win, they make history as the league’s first 8-man champion. They defeated the Cowboys 34-12 in the season-opener in Pahala.
The BIIF decided this week that there wouldn’t be a third game if Ka‘u went 2-0 against Kohala.
If the Cowboys win, there will be an official 8-man BIIF championship game before the Division II championship, which would be at that neutral site.
Ka‘u and Kohala can’t be called a crosstown rivalry. But it’s the best kind of football game: high stakes. The Trojans win and they make history. And it’s do-or-die for the Cowboys.