The Honokaa Dragons are inspiring the North Hawaii community with an undefeated season that has been forged by strong bonds and pure dedication.
The Dragons are 7-0 and started the season strong with big wins against Kamehameha Schools Hawaii and Hawaii Preparatory Academy.
“We’ve always been the underdogs, and it feels great to finally be on top this year,” said linebacker Uhane Mock Chew, a senior. “The community sees everything in us now, and that brings a lot of energy and fire to us.”
The parking lots along the street at the high school are completely full, with only standing room available at kick-off.
“The amount of people in the crowd that came out for the Kamehameha game and then again for the HPA game, it has been crazy,” said Minerva Tabucbuc, parent to two Dragon players and president of the Hamakua Coast Cougars. “During home games, the old bleachers and the new ones are all over-full, and most of the crowd is our town.”
A big part of the team’s success is that many of the players have been competing with and against each other since a young age.
Several of the Honokaa seniors are now playing together for the last time after having success in the Big Island Pop Warner Youth League. The students played for the Hamakua Coast Cougars and the Waimea Cowboys.
“We’re like a family, and we’ve played for forever together,” Mock Chew said. “Our last year of Pop Warner, we took a championship, and we’re hoping to do it again for our last year as Dragons.”
The Hamakua Coast Cougars won the Pop Warner Unlimited Championships in 2018, which was the first year that the league allowed an unlimited weight class for the teams.
“One of the reasons their streak is so special is that these boys have already come together and created a team when they thought they couldn’t,” said Alexis McDougall-Alip, parent to three Dragon football players. “Here they are now, seniors and undefeated at this point. I think they have a unity with each other that makes them amazing.”
After playing for the Hamakua Cougars or the Waimea Cowboys, the boys have had to put old rivalries behind them.
“When you come to Honokaa, whether who were a Cowboy or Cougar, you are now a Dragon, and the boys take that seriously,” said Lynn Higa, educator and parent to football player Eli Higa. “They allow themselves to form bonds and go from playing against each other to making plays together.”
Head Coach Fred Lau has seen a difference in this year’s athletes compared to other teams of the past, and he and the other coaches make an effort to coach the entire team instead of the best players.
“We are coaching the whole team as one unit. There is no JV. We have new kids this year, and we are giving everyone an opportunity,” Lau said. “We’re working to bond the district, which ranges from Honokaa to Kawaihae. We bond with them and make them into one, which is the biggest thing we can do when molding them into a team.”
Vanessa Ruiz is on the sidelines during the games recording statistics while watching how the athletes and coaches interact with each other throughout the game.
“Just being down on the field with the coaches and kids is such a good vibe,” Ruiz said. “Everyone feels that positive energy. The coaches are really teaching them, and it reflects in real life outside of football.”
Higa has noticed a big difference in her son, Eli, as he navigates school, rodeo and his first year playing football as a senior.
“I know he’s committed to football because he makes time for it, with his first love being rodeo,” Higa said. “He starts his mornings at about 7 a.m. and doesn’t get home until 7 p.m. most nights. (Recently) he won a roping competition, unloaded his horse, put on a football uniform, and made it just in time for the game.”
Although there are new players learning the sport with experienced teammates, the team works together to teach each other along the sidelines and off the field.
“There is a lot more heart on the team. People see that we can be something, so I feel like everyone is trying to work harder to accomplish those goals,” said quarterback Aka Spencer, a senior. “The season isn’t done yet. There is still a lot of work to do, but it means so much that we’re doing so well for our last year.”
Honokaa is expecting packed stands when they play the last home game of the regular season at 6 p.m. tonight against Pahoa, with a record of 2-5.
“We come from a very small town, and we don’t have many kids, so sometimes it’s a struggle to put teams together,” said Jennifer Valera, parent to two Dragon players. “For this small town, these boys representing us in such a great way proves that if you have a big heart, you can do anything to achieve huge goals.”
Email Kelsey Walling at kwalling@hawaiitribune-herald.com.