Quick hitters
Coach: DuWayne Ke
Last season: 1-4
Returning starters: four offense; three defense
Player to watch: Running back Kupono Palakiko-Leffew
Probable starters
OFFENSE
23 QB Jordan DeRamos
10 RB Cy Tamura
22 RB Kupono Palakiko-Leffew
32 WR Rigan Kaapana
5 WR Anthony Emmsley-AhYe
13 WR Kaimanu Medeiros-Dancel
12 OL Kainalu Ke
50 OL Trieson Pascubillo
35 OL Jamal Buyuan
DEFENSE
14 DL Evan Manoha
12 DL Kainalu Ke
60 DL Gia Padilla
22 LB Kupono Palakiko-Leffew
10 LB Cy Tamura
32 DB Rigan Kaapana
20 DB Kaliikupapalani Apia-Dolan
7 DB Kainalu Medeiros-Dancel
Roster
5 Anthony Emmsley-AhYee WR/DB 5-7 149 Sr.
6 Kalamakoa Waiwaiole WR/DB 5-3 137 Jr.
7 Kainalu Medeiros-Dancel WR/DB 5-8 126 So.
8 Makana Gravela WR/CB 5-6 134 Sr.
9 Carlos Uribe-Bounces K 5-7 152 Sr.
10 Cy Tamura WR/LB 5-9 225 Sr.
11 Rodney Kuahiwinui OL/LB 5-7 180 Jr.
12 Kainalu Ke OL/DL 6-0 268 Sr.
13 Kaimanu Medeiros-Dancel RB/LB 5-10 179 Sr.
14 Evan Manoha OL/DL 5-8 172 Jr.
20 Kaliikupapalani Apia-Dolan WR/DB 5-10 169 So.
21 Chisum Silva WR/DB 5-8 129 Sr.
22 Kupono Palakiko-Leffew RB/LB 5-8 187 Sr.
23 Jordan DeRamos QB 5-9 163 Jr.
24 Isaac Kailiawa DL 5-6 149 Jr.
25 Derek McIntire WR 6-1 178 Sr.
30 Patrick Pasion WR/DB 5-2 104 So.
32 Rigan Kaapana WR/DB 5-6 149 Sr.
33 Randall Kahele WR/DB 5-6 148 Sr.
34 Lanni AhYee OL/DL 5-0 214 Sr.
34 Richard Souza OL/DL 6-0 223 So.
35 Jamal Buyuan OL/DL 5-5 207 So.
40 Isaiah Santiago WR/DB 5-8 146 Jr.
42 Nainoa Ke OL/DL 5-8 224 Fr.
50 Trieson Pascubillo OL/DL 5-8 210 Jr.
51 Austin Martin OL/DL 5-11 190 Fr.
52 James Kuahiwinui OL/DL 5-8 177 Fr.
53 Isaiah Naboa OL/DL 5-6 225 Fr.
60 Gia Padilla OL/DL 5-5 124 Jr.
66 Kaweni Ibarra OL/DL 5-8 167 Sr.
80 John Kaawa-Kaluao OL/DL 5-7 159 Jr.
Schedule
Home games in caps
Aug. 30 KOHALA, 6:30 p.m.
Sept. 5 at Seabury Hall, 7 p.m.
Sept. 12 PAHOA, 6:30 p.m.
Sept. 26 KAMEHAMEHA JV, 6:30 p.m.
Oct. 4 at Pahoa, 2 p.m.
Oct. 11 at Kohala, 2 p.m.
Oct. 24-25 Eight-man finals
Entering his second year as an eight-man football coach, DuWayne Ke still considers himself learning on the job.
In fact, he laughs at the suggestion the Trojans might have an advantage against Kohala and Pahoa, a pair of eight-man start-ups in the Big Island Interscholastic Federation.
“No way are we ahead of the learning curve,” he said. “One year under my belt, but one year don’t mean nothing.”
He did, however, come away with two key takeaways from last season, which is why Ke is stressing the importance of conditioning and versatility more than ever this year.
“After the first quarter, everybody gets nuts with each other,” he said. “You can lose the game within the first two quarters, and you can tell how the game is going to go by halftime.
“The second half, the strongest survive, but it’s not about size, it’s conditioning.”
The Trojans run their share of wind sprints, and Ke not only demands they practice hard all the time, but he wants them to practice at all positions.
Ke’s goal is to have all 31 of his players, especially the 13 seniors, prepared to play at four different spots.
“They’re tripping,” he said. “I tell them that’s eight-man football.”
Senior Kupono Palakiko-Leffew watched last year as the speed of the game took a toll on players.
“Just in case someone gets injured or tired out, we can swap them right out,” he said.
Ka‘u operated out of the spread with double slots last season, but it could feature more of a powerhouse look with two running backs this time around.
“We’ll have some surprises,” he said. “I’m game with anything.”
Quarterback
Ke said he could pull numbers out of a hat to determine the offense, and then hand the reins over to junior Jordan DeRamos to run it efficiently.
DeRamos is a dual-threat quarterback who doubles as team motivator.
“He trains hard,” Ke said. “He brings his teammates up. Don’t have to train him that hard because he trains himself.”
Running backs
Palakiko-Leffew, a 5-foot-8, 187-pounder, was the Trojans’ big-play threat last season, twice reaching the end zone on plays that covered more than 60 yards.
“When I go out there and run it’s an indescribable feeling,” he said. “When I’m running down the field past the safety, everything else blocks out and all I can see is touchdown.”
Cy Tamura is another option, but Ke would like the senior to develop more consistency.
Wide receivers
There is plenty of competition for playing time with seniors Rigan Kaapana, Makana Gravela, Anthony Emmsley-AhYe and Kaimanu Medeiros-Dancel and sophomore Kaliikupapalani Apia-Dolan in the fold.
Medeiros-Dancel and Apia-Dolan are the tallest options at 5-10.
Last season, Ka‘u often used four wideouts, with two in the slot, but only one or two are needed when the Trojans feature a powerhouse backfield.
Offensive line
Senior Kainalu Ke, 6-0, 268, is a surefire bet to return to anchor the line, but the rest of the spots up front are up for grabs.
Trieson Pascubillo, Jamal Buyuan and Rodney Kuahiwinui are in the mix for the other two spots.
“They still have to show me,” Ke said. “I’m really strict, and they haven’t shown me enough yet.”
Defensive line
Ka‘u played a two-man front last season, but they’ll go with three and sometimes four this year.
Kainalu Ke is a mainstay here as well, with Evan Manoha locking down one of the spots at end.
James Kuahiwinui and Isaiah Naboa could get playing time as freshmen, while Gia Padilla, who played junior varsity as a freshman at Hilo High two years ago, could make an impact at end.
Linebacker
There are three seniors if not some uncertainty at the spot.
Palakiko-Leffew figures to start at linebacker, unless he moves up to help bolster the line, while Tamura could play here or move back to safety.
When those two are playing elsewhere, Kaweni Ibarra will help fill in the blanks,
Defensive backs
If Ka‘u is as versatile as Ke hopes it can be, then the options at cornerback will be plentiful.
Kaapana and Apia-Dolan are two of the best on the team at staying with their man in coverage.
One of Ke’s favorite parts of preseason camp was watching sophomore safety Kainalu Medeiros-Dancel mature.
“He got that position because he worked really hard,” Ke said. “He really turned it around the past three weeks.