Earlier this week, Hilo High School athletic director Kurt Kawachi publicly announced the search is on for a head football coach to replace Kaeo Drummondo, arguably as successful as any coach the school has employed.
In five years, Drummondo’s teams won two state championships and five straight BIIF titles, extending that streak to seven, including the last two won by former coach David Baldwin. Drummondo recently announced he is returning to his high school alma mater, Kamehameha Schools Kapalama on Oahu to be the team’s defensive coordinator.
With the rich history of recent football success, one might imagine Kawachi would be filled with applications far and wide from the Vikings campus, and that may well be the case, but chances are also good he might not have to look outside Drummondo’s own coaching staff to fill the position and continue that tradition.
“I think it’s a matter of just trying to build on the great program Kaeo had going,” said assistant coach David Murray, a former Hilo youth football coach who worked with wide receivers and slotbacks last season for the state champions, and was filling out an application for the position when contacted for a comment. “People like myself, a ’96 grad of Hilo High, know it’s been great to be around the culture here, even going back to Coach Baldwin. Back in the day, Hilo was a power and I think we can say it’s pretty clear that we are back at that level once again.
“We lost a lot of seniors last year,” he said, “but I think we’re at a place where it’s a matter of replacing, not rebuilding. Having been a youth coach here, I know a lot of freshman, sophomores, and a few juniors in the program and I’m a believer that we can keep it going.”
In his five seasons leading the Vikings, Drummondo’s team lost just three BIIF games, and he put the team in an enviable position on the Big Island. Hilo went 14-0 last season, 11-0 in league play on the way to another state title. In league play, it outscored BIIF opponents by a staggering 611-52 total points.
“I would say (Hilo is) the hot spot right now,” said Kealakehe coach Wyatt Nahale, “from the place I’m at, I would say Kaeo set the bar really high. Personally, I’m very much committed to the Waveriders (6-4 in BIIF, 7-4 overall last year), I love it here, I’m not applying, but in my opinion, they have really built something over there, and if you plan to win the BIIF, you will have to go through Hilo. They’ve been dominant.”
Offensive coordinator Chris Todd would have been a likely candidate, except for two things. For one, he’s the representative for the state legislature in District 2, and for another, he’s taking a step back from program, as he had planned to do all along.
“I’ve been telling people (2019) was my last year,” Todd said, “it’s something I discussed with Kaeo and it’s not a surprise announcement or anything.
“I am sure I will help in some capacity, but we have some very capable people on the staff and my preference, if they asked me, would be to keep this thing going from within. I believe Ed Rocha and David Murray would be strong candidates to pick up the reins and keep it going.”
Todd said he needed to “catch my breath a little,” and “spend a little more time with my family,” but he added that he doesn’t see himself severing his football ties.
“It was such a good thing to be a part of,” he said, “the culture that has been established is really solid. I’m hoping by taking a step away I can, perhaps, reprioritize things because I’m just not sure I can just walk away from football, it’s been a pretty big part of me for a long time.”
Applications will be accepted until March 27 for the coach opening.
