By MATT GERHART ADVERTISING By MATT GERHART Hawaii Tribune-Herald Hilo High coach Kaeo Drummondo knows it’s cliche, but he sounds convincing when he calls the Vikings’ contest with Waiakea “just another game.” Warriors coach Moku Pita doesn’t place extra importance
By MATT GERHART
Hawaii Tribune-Herald
Hilo High coach Kaeo Drummondo knows it’s cliche, but he sounds convincing when he calls the Vikings’ contest with Waiakea “just another game.”
Warriors coach Moku Pita doesn’t place extra importance on any regular-season game, not with all four Division I teams qualifying for the postseason.
“They’re all preseason,” he said.
All the same, cross-divisional play is pau and it’s rivalry week in Hilo. Hilo (3-1 BIIF, 3-3) and Waiakea (1-3, 1-6) have each shown glimpses of hitting their stride for the home stretch ahead of their clash at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Wong Stadium. It’s Waiakea’s homecoming.
“We try not to look at the name on the jersey, we’re trying to find out tendencies,” Drummondo said. “We’re playing against a scheme, we’re playing against tendencies, we’re playing against personnel.”
With an ample number of playmakers, the Warriors have shown a tendency to score points and produce big plays in the passing game ever since junior Makoa Andres took over at quarterback during a Week 1 loss to Konawaena. The Warriors have averaged a shade more than 28 points in their last three games.
Despite not being as efficient in the pass game last Thursday against Hawaii Prep, Waiakea finally broke through with a boost from its ground game and its best defensive effort of the season in a 28-24 victory.
The offensive prospects are somewhat tantalizing, but Pita is still waiting for all the facets of Waiakea’s zone-read attack to mesh.
“Makoa can be accurate,” he said. “He’s either going to give it, pull it, run a little bit, and then he has the option to throw.
“He just needs to run the ball and we have to remind him. If we can keep it rolling, running the ball, we should be alright against Hilo.”
A Warriors’ upset would go a long way to setting up a rematch between the two teams in mid-October in the BIIF semifinals.
The Vikings, however, look more and more like the two-time defending BIIF Division I champions every time out as quarterback Ka’ale Tiogangco and a host of new defensive starters gain more confidence.
Hilo outscored Kamehameha and Honokaa 86-12 the past two weeks, and since allowing a 75-yard touchdown pass against Konawaena in Week 2, the Vikings have all but eliminated giving up big plays.
“They know they we have to eliminate those things as the season goes on if they want to beat quality teams,” Drummondo said.
Hilo is coming off perhaps its most complete effort of the season. The Vikings allowed only 46 yards of offense, Tiogangco threw three touchdown passes and Isaac Lerma surpassed 100 yards on the ground in a 45-6 win last Saturday against Honokaa.
If Hilo keeps it rolling Friday night, it could lock down the top seed in the playoffs with a win Oct. 2 at home against Kealakehe.
“It may be tough for the kids to keep in perspective, but we try not to make (the Waiakea game) too big,” Drummondo said. “Nothing needs to be said. It’s already a rivalry. We try not to overblow it.”
