Glance at the numbers and it’s obvious — Saturday’s Big Island Interscholastic Federation matchup between Konawaena and Hilo at Wong Stadium is going to be a battle.
Undefeated Division I Hilo comes in with the BIIF’s best offensive and defensive units, while Division II Konawaena is not far behind, having reeled off four straight wins after a season opening loss against Kamehameha.
The Wildcats have gone 3-1 against the Vikings in their last four meetings, but Hilo took the last contest 21-16, exactly one year ago Saturday.
As the calendar flips to October, these teams will be looking to take the momentum from this game into rivalry week and then into the playoffs.
Here is what to watch for in the clash of defending BIIF champions.
Konawaena in focus
With pride on the line, both teams come in hungry for a win, but the game has much bigger postseason implications for Konawaena. If the Wildcats win out, the team can secure home field for the BIIF playoffs. Hilo has already locked up first place.
The Wildcats’ offense has evolved every week and will have to be hitting on all cylinders to head home with a victory.
Despite some recent injuries, Konawaena has shown a deep arsenal of weapons at the skill positions, including many multitool players.
Shelton Grace has seen the majority of time this season at quarterback, but sat out against Honokaa last week with a shoulder injury he suffered against HPA. In the previous week, Grace had his most efficient game of the season, going 16 of 26 for 190 yards and two touchdowns.
If Grace can’t go against the Vikings, the Wildcats are comfortable with Cameron Howes under center. Howes has provided big plays in every facet of the game, and showed off that ability against Honokaa, being the catalyst in the team’s 27-point third quarter.
Howes hit a 40-yard pass to speedy wideout Luca Vartic to set up Konawaena’s first touchdown of the quarter, scored on a 25-yard interception return and connected with Kevin Medeiros for his second touchdown strike of the game.
Neither Grace or Howes are QB prototypes, but each bring athletic ability to the table and can complete shorter passes to get the team’s athletes in space to make plays.
For the first time since the season opener against Kamehameha, Vartic got a handful of reps at wide receiver last week. Vartic finished second in the state in the 100-meter dash last year and adds to the offense with his ability to get behind defenders running the streak.
While the squad has many key cogs, senior captain Bubba Ellis-Noa is Konawaena’s motor, playing running back, wide receiver and linebacker. Against Honokaa, Ellis-Noa even started at quarterback.
His stat line in that game was a testament to his versatility, going 2 of 3 at quarterback, before carrying the ball 12 times for 61 yards and two touchdowns and catching three passes for 26 yards. He also had a 35-yard fumble return touchdown and 3.5 tackles.
The team is able to be flexible with Ellis-Noa thanks to the emergence of junior running back Algene Kelekolio, who has received the bulk of the carries after a breakout performance against Keaau in the second week of the BIIF season.
On defense, containing Hilo running back Tristin Spikes and speedy dual-threat quarterback Sione Atuekaho takes speed and instincts, something the Wildcats’ defense has shown off in spades this season.
Ellis-Noa is accompanied at linebacker by Tate “Baba” Hing (5-5, 185 pounds), who leads Konawaena in tackles. Defensive ends Kevin Medeiros and Torin Tuppein have provided pressure on the quarterback, recording a sack in nearly every game this season.
In the secondary, corners Vartic and Kaneala Kaaihue have shut down opponents’ passing games all year and are not scared to get in on tackles.
Hilo in focus
The Vikings come in with the league’s most prolific offense — averaging nearly 40 points per game in BIIF contests — and the stingiest defense — holding opponents to 5.8 points per game. The defense shut out its last three opponents — Keaau, Kealakehe and Honokaa.
Hilo defeated winless Keaau 67-0 last week, but is likely still reviewing the tape from a 7-0 win at Kealakehe two weeks ago, where the offense was shut out. The only touchdown came on an Ofa Fahiua fumble return on the first play of the game.
The Vikings’ offense usually goes as Spikes — the returning BIIF Division I Offensive Player of the Year — goes. The shifty senior running back can run around defenders, or right through them for big gains.
While Spikes has been great this season, he struggled to find running room against Kealakehe when the defense made a concerted effort to key on him. With Spikes held to just 25 yards, the rest of the offense could not get going.
If Konawaena follows that blueprint, other playmakers will have to step up for Hilo.
As the year has progressed, Atuekaho has gained some rhythm with wide receiver Cohlby Espaniola. The two have hooked up for more than a half-dozen touchdowns this season. Atuekaho has also used his legs to pick up chunks of yardage and can make defenses pay on the speed and read options if they commit to Spikes.
The Vikings have playmakers in all facets of the game, and the defense has assisted with putting points on the board. Fahiua is an opportunistic linebacker who creates turnovers and is a top candidate for D-I Defensive Player of the Year.
Defensive back Melvin Kikau has returned a few interceptions for touchdowns, and Donavan Kelley can make game changing plays from his safety spot or on special teams.
Konawaena X-factor
Solving the puzzle
The Wildcats have averaged more than 30 points per game this season, and the offense has looked different and added new wrinkles in nearly every game by taking advantage of their best playmakers at every position.
Five games into the BIIF season, and no one has come up with the equation to beat Hilo. Kealakehe came close, but the Vikings still managed to get out of Kailua-Kona with a win.
If Konawaena can put its playmakers in the right spots, take advantages of mismatches and keep the sturdy Hilo defense off-balance, the Wildcats will have a good shot of doing what no other team has been able to do this season.
Hilo X-factor
Secondary playmakers
Through no fault of his own, Spikes was unable to get going against Kealakehe with two or more defenders keying on his movements. Because of that, the Vikings offense failed to get going.
Even when the team struggled against Kamehameha early on, Spikes was a steadying force, rushing for 132 yards on 27 carries, including the game-winning touchdown in overtime.
If Spikes is to find momentum, he will have to rely on his offensive line to open holes, which were virtually nonexistent against Kealakehe.
If the Wildcats manage to bottle up Spikes, the secondary playmakers will have to step up for Hilo. The offense should be able to use the back as a decoy and open the door for other players.
Atuekaho will have to be efficient with his completions, and other skill players will have to take advantage of the defense’s eyes being on Spikes.
The Vikings don’t have to rely on just its offense to put up points. The defense is capable of making game changing plays and Kelley is electric in the return game.
Matchup to watch
Konawaena offensive line vs. Hilo front seven
The young, but talented Konawaena offensive line has shown improvements every week but will face its biggest test against Hilo. The Viking’s “Wall of Seven” was touted as a historically good defense last year, but this year’s unit is on pace to keep up, if not surpass, its predecessor.
If the Wildcats’ big guys up front can open up holes and continue blocks to the next level, the skill positions will have room to work. Hilo can convert turnovers into points in a hurry, so the Wildcats’ ball carriers will have to keep the ball off the turf and give whoever is at quarterback time in the pocket to make sound decisions in the passing game.
Kealakehe at Keaau
Friday, after 5 p.m. JV
Kealakehe suffered a crushing loss last week against Waiakea on a last second field goal.
But don’t count the Waveriders out just yet. Kealakehe has played in every BIIF championship game since 2002 and is hungry for another shot at Hilo after a close loss.
Quarterback Markus Degrate had a breakout performance in the loss, recording 57 yards on eight carries, and was 12 of 23 for 154 yards with a TD and an interception passing the ball.
The Cougars are coming off a lopsided loss to Hilo and face an uphill battle the rest of the season as injuries have piled up. Against the Vikings, fifth-string quarterback Derek Kalani received the reps under center.
Honokaa at Kamehameha
Friday, after 5 p.m. JV
The Warriors are looking to rebound from a shocking 38-29 loss against HPA. After racing out to a 13-point lead just minutes in, the Warriors had trouble hanging onto the ball and could not find consistency on offense.
It was also the first game this season senior quarterback Micah Kanehailua did not account for at least two touchdowns in a game. He finished 13 of 34 for 207 yards, his only touchdown coming on a 76-yard pass on the second play of the game. The three-year starter broke the 1,000-yard mark for the season in the contest and will be looking to get the passing game back on track at home against the Dragons.
Honokaa played defending champion Konawaena to a halftime tie but fell apart after the intermission, giving up 27 points in the third quarter.
The Dragons have come a long way from a winless season a year ago but have to churn out consistent play to win the tough games. In the second of three-straight Division II matchups to close out the season, Honokaa will be looking to prove it is not just a three-horse race for the title.
Waiakea at HPA
Saturday, 2 p.m.
Both teams come in riding big divisional wins — HPA against Kamehameha and Waiakea against Kealakehe.
HPA recovered from a slow start by riding the play of senior Koa Ellis (13-34, 191 yards, three touchdowns) at quarterback and the powerful leg of Alex Brost, who had four field goals in the matchup.
Ka Makani tight end Nicky Palleschi was held to season-lows in catches and yards, but played a huge roll as a decoy, opening up opportunities for other players.
Waiakea kicker Tyler Kerr kicked a single field goal against Kealakehe, but the clutch kick came with eight seconds left and won the game for the Warriors.
The Warriors rushed for 231 yards on 56 attempts against a Kealakehe defense that allowed just 33 yards on the ground against the previous week against Hilo. Leading the way was running back Pono Auwae, who contributed 88 yards and a touchdown.