It was not the early Christmas present Hilo High’s Kalen White envisioned.
He opened his newspaper last mid-December when the all-BIIF football selections were unveiled, and he in effect found coal in his stocking.
“Last year, we did good, I did good, I didn’t get any recognition,” he said. “It kind of hurt.”
Perhaps making matters worse, seven of his defensive teammates did get recognition.
“It definitely made me want to earn player of the year,” he said, “or at least make the first team.”
Done.
After partly ruining White’s holiday in 2017, the Hawaii Tribune-Herald, West Hawaii Today and league coaches would like to wish him an early start to his New Year’s celebration as this year’s BIIF Division I defensive player of the year.
With the Vikings’ defense maintaining its championship standard and hardly missing a step despite the loss of five of those all-BIIF selections, White’s contributions as a galvanizing force at linebacker were simply too hard to overlook.
“Really humbling,” White, a junior, said. “Just like to thank my family and everybody who pushed me and everyone who didn’t believe in me and did believe in me.”
In what has become a theme for five years running, Hilo’s defense reloaded in paving the way toward a six straight league title. After giving up 158 points last season, White led a unit that allowed 167 this time as Hilo nabbed nine all-BIIF picks (Kahiau Walker and Elijah Apao were holdovers).
Beyond making plays and bridging the gap between an inexperienced line and veteran secondary, the workaholic White said, “My job was to get everybody lined up and make sure everybody did their job.
“I think I just proved that I stepped up for the whole team, especially after we lost all those seniors.”
One of his most prolific games came in a September win at Kealakehe in which he compiled 14 tackles, 10 solo, two for a loss with a half a sack, and a forced fumble. White had a fumble recovery in the state semifinal win against Maui, and he helped spearhead a run-stuffing effort against rugged Sabers running back Naia Nakamoto, a performance that highlighted exactly what White likes about football.
“I like the contact,” he said. “You get the chance to make every play (at linebacker). You’re in the middle of the defense. Everything is on you.”
All told, he racked up 1o3 three tackles, 13 for loss, forced three fumbles and intercepted three passes with three sacks and a safety.
That pick, along with being Hilo’s leading tackler in the final, helped White make the Honolulu Star-Advertiser all-state second team, which included all three high school divisions.
While calling White a worthy selection, Hilo coach Kaeo Drummondo said he hopes the accomplishment will push White “to want to return bigger, faster and stronger” for his senior season.
White, listed at 5-foot-9, 190 pounds, is already on the case.
A football player since his fifth-grade days with Pop Warner’s Panaewa Alii – when he realized baseball was “too boring” – he doesn’t have much of an offseason.
These days, he’s training to play in a Rep 50 all-star game in January on Oahu. In his mind, the season’s not done yet, while at the same time it’s just about to begin.
“We have a couple of weeks in January where they’re letting us practice,” he said. “Then there’s (a blackout), but after the Super Bowl, it’s spring (practice).”
White’s thinking of participating in track and field to increase his speed, and not long after the school year is over the Vikings will return to the football practice field for voluntary workouts.
The formula for success at Hilo runs like clockwork, and as the architect, Drummondo was honored as coach of the year for the fourth time during his four-year tenure.
“He prepares us better than any coach I think I ever played for,” White said. “Right after the (state title loss), we all knew we’d have to go back to work the first chance we got.
“Nobody wants us to win (anymore), so we have to prove them wrong.”