After a busy offseason that brought about a healthy serving of change, BIIF squads finally know what their seasons will look like.
The league finalized and announced what the schedule will be for the new-look BIIF on Monday, which includes an additional three teams in D-II with Kohala, Pahoa and Ka‘u making the move from the 8-man game, and some division shuffling, with Konawaena and Honokaa making the jump to compete in Division I.
D-I will feature: Konawaena, Hilo, Keaau, Kealakehe, Waiakea and Honokaa.
D-II will have: Kamehameha-Hawaii, HPA, Pahoa, Kohala and Ka‘u.
It is the first time the BIIF will have 11 teams since the league began sponsoring the sport in 1956.
Previously, with an eight-team league, everyone played each other once during the BIIF season, regardless of division. Now, divisional opponents will play each other twice per season in home-and-aways. There will be one D-II team on a bye per week.
As they did last year, west side rivals Konawaena and Kealakehe will kick off the season early on Aug. 17. This is to account for the Wildcats’ non-league game on Aug. 23 against California powerhouse Mission Viejo at Julian Yates Field.
The Waveriders faced a similar situation last year, starting the season early against Konawaena before taking off for a non-league matchup against Utah squad, Desert Hills.
The rivals meet again on Thursday, Sept. 26 — a date where they will also be the only two BIIF teams playing — giving the matchup some extra oomph.
With the Wildcats making the jump to D-I, it’s the first time since 2003 — when the league implemented the divisional format — that the two west side schools will be completing directly for the same title.
Defending D-II champion Kamehameha-Hawaii decided to stay put, but will still get a sprinkle of D-I competition in the preseason. Waiakea (Aug. 10) and defending D-I champion Hilo (Aug. 16) are both on the Warriors’ preseason slate.
What is not on the schedule is Kamehameha’s annual rivalry game with Keaau, which was dubbed the Kipimana Cup.
Another rivalry not taking place this season is between Honokaa and HPA. The Dragons, under Fred Lau — who led the team to its only D-I title in 2009 and returned program the team this offseason — get their first taste of D-I action against Waiakea on Aug. 24.
Hawaii Prep has a challenging preseason matchup against KIF contender Kapaa on its preseason docket, and will look to earn its first league win in over two years against Pahoa in the league opener for both teams on Aug. 22.
An important late season matchup will be on Oct. 25 between Konawaena and six-time defending D-I champ, Hilo. Since 2016, the only team to edge the Vikings in league play has been Konawaena, which accomplished the feat with a 24-14 victory in 2017 — the year that Hilo went on to win the state championship.
The top two teams in each division make it to the postseason. There are no semifinals. The BIIF championships will be held on Nov. 1-2, while the HHSAA tournament kicks off on Nov. 15.
There is a built-in BIIF bye week at the end of the season that could be utilized if games during the season are postponed due to bad weather.
Aug. 3
Iolani at Kamehameha
Kealakehe at Pearl City
Kohala at Waialua
Aug. 10
Waiakea vs. Kamehameha
HPA vs. Kapaa
Aug. 16
Kamehameha vs. Hilo
Aug. 17
Honokaa at Waimea
Kealakehe at Konawaena (start of BIIF regular season)
Aug. 22
HPA at Pahoa
Aug. 23
Hilo at Keaau
Mission Viejo at Konawaena (non-league)
Aug. 24
Honokaa at Waiakea
Kamehameha at Ka‘u
Aug. 29
Kamehameha-Hawaii at Pahoa
Aug. 30
Konawaena at Honokaa
Hilo at Kealakehe
Aug. 31
Keaau at Waiakea
Kohala at HPA
Sept. 5
Waiakea at Hilo
Sept. 6
Kealakehe at Honokaa
Konawaena at Keaau
Sept. 7
Pahoa at Kohala
Ka‘u at HPA
Sept. 13
Keaau at Kealakehe
Waiakea at Konawaena
Sept. 14
Honokaa at Hilo
Kohala at Ka‘u
Kamehameha at HPA
Sept. 19
Ka‘u at Pahoa
Sept. 20
Hilo at Konawaena
Honokaa at Keaau
Sept. 21
Kealakehe at Waiakea
Kamehameha at Kohala
Sept. 26
Konawaena at Kealakehe
Sept. 27
Waiakea at Honokaa
Pahoa at Kamehameha
Sept. 28
Keaau at Hilo
HPA at Kohala
Oct. 3
Ka‘u at Kamehameha
Oct. 4
Hilo at Honokaa
Kealakehe at Keaau
Oct. 5
Pahoa at HPA
Konawaena at Waiakea
Oct. 10
Honokaa at Kealakehe
Oct. 11
Keaau at Konawaena
Kohala at Pahoa
Oct. 12
Hilo at Waiakea
HPA at Ka‘u
Oct. 18
Waiakea at Keaau
Kohala at Kamehameha
Oct. 19
Kealakehe at Hilo
Honokaa at Konawaena
Pahoa at Ka‘u
Oct. 24
Keaau at Honokaa
Oct. 25
Konawaena at Hilo
HPA at Kamehameha
Oct. 26
Waiakea at Kealakehe
Ka‘u at Kohala
Nov. 1-2
Division I/II championships
Nov. 8-9
Bye week
HHSAA Tournament
Semifinals: Nov. 15-16
Finals: Nov. 29