Hilo High football coach Kaeo Drummondo took a contingent of his skill position players to a seven-on-seven tournament earlier this year on the mainland, so he’s had a small hand in perpetuating a false perception.
In the age of spread offenses and with the onus on explosive plays and getting speed in space, too often the men up front are pushed to the side and out of the limelight.
“The guys in the trenches lose some of that shine, but the game of football is still same,” Drummondo said. “If you don’t have the guys in the trenches, you won’t be winning too often.”
The importance of line play – especially Hilo’s offensive line against a disruptive Konawaena bunch spearheaded by Alex Muti – won’t be diminished heading into the first of a possible three BIIF Division I showdowns between the Vikings (4-0 BIIF, 5-0 overall) and Wildcats (4-0, 5-1). This one closes the first half of the season and kick offs at 7:30 p.m. Friday night at Kealakekua’s Julian Yates Field, the Vikings’ lone kryptonite of late.
“I think that’s probably the biggest matchup to watch,” Drummondo said. “Not only our O-line and how we execute against their line, but also our D-line against their line.
“I think the groups that get all the attention are the skill players, but if you watch them defensively, their line is asked to create a lot of havoc, and they typically do.”
With a scholarship waiting for him at BYU, Muti, the BIIF Division II Defensive Player of Year, spearheads a defense that is allowing just a tad more than a field goal a game in BIIF play.
But he’s far from Hilo’s only concern, senior center Kason Abadilla said. AJ Alani and Elisha Martin must be accounted for as well and linebacker Samson Iona likes to come downhill to make plays.
“They’re a really physical team, and they are really disciplined on what they do,” Abadilla said. “All of them (are good), we can’t prepare for just any one player.”
Hilo prides itself on preparing for every opponent the same, but Abadilla admitted, “The pressure is a little bit more this week,” for he and his line mates.
While Drummondo and the skill players were in Las Vegas going seven-on-seven, many lineman were getting their work in as well, going one-on-one in the weight room while also refining their technique.
It’s a veteran unit that also includes senior tackles Kaz Kua and Kawika Leehong, senior guard Sione Holani, junior guard Collin Fujimoto-Young, with senior Lolo Holika among those rotating in.
Three starters are back from a unit that Drummondo was quick to praise in the preseason coming off a loss against Waipahu in the state title game, matchup in which the Marauders had their way in the trenches.
“We’re just trying to prove to each other that we’re not the same team as last year,” Abadilla said. “We’ve done really good this year, but we can do better.”
The line has allowed senior quarterback Kyan Miyasato (16 touchdown passes, two interception) to operate with relative ease as he’s spread the ball to a deep and talented group of playmakers.
Powered by 34 offensive touchdowns, the Vikings are averaging more than 65 points a game in five contests, including a nonleague win against Kamehameha.
“We work so hard for this program,” Abadilla said, “when somebody scores, all of us are happy.”
During its six-year BIIF reign, the Vikings have dropped just three league games, but two of the losses have come at the hands of the Wildcats in Kealakekua. A third loss, in 2013, was narrowly avoided by a late fumble return.
In 2017, Konawaena stonewalled Hilo 24-14, the only blemish during its state championship season.
The stakes are higher this season after Konawaena moved up to D-I.
“I want to do it for my coaches,” senior defensive back Keola Balga said. “One of my coaches, Kahu (Zeke Tomaselli), hasn’t won a game on that field. I don’t know why we lose there all the time.
“As a player and a coach, he said he never won a game on the field, so I want to win it for him.”
Playing opposite all-BIIF cornerback Elijah Apao, opposing offensives have preferred to challenge Balga, and he’s risen to the occasion, intercepting a pass in each of the past three games, including a pick-six, while drawing praise from his coach.
Hilo has been a well-oiled machine in all three facets, scoring more than three times as many defensive touchdowns (10) as its allowed (three) and tacking on three special teams scores.
Balga knows all the fun and fireworks would stop in a flash with a loss.
“That’s not my mindset, I have confidence that’s not going to happen.” he said. “But a loss would make for a long weekend.”
