Hilo has prepared for the Cyan Miyasato Era all along, but it’s arriving sooner than expected.
The Vikings had every intention of playing their freshman quarterback in their preseason opener against Punahou, a game that eventually was cancelled. Hilo’s coaches were encouraged by what they saw from Miyasato once he was thrust into duty when all-BIIF senior Ka‘ale Tiogangco was injured in the BIIF opener, a game the Vikings came back and won against Konawaena.
With Tiogangco injured and out for an “extended period,” according to coach Kaeo Drummondo, Miyasato has the keys to the offense indefinitely.
Tiogangco missed the last three quarters of Hilo’s 35-6 victory against Honokaa last Friday after being tackled on a quarterback keeper. He had his left arm in a sling after the game and Drummondo said Tiogangco suffered a shoulder injury. The coach wouldn’t rule out Tiogangco for the rest of the season, but he added, “The doctors say it will be several weeks.”
In three quarters against the Dragons, Miyasato finished 6 of 14 for 56 yards, including a touchdown pass to Lukas Kuipers and an interception that was overturned by a roughing-the-passer penalty.
“He has all the physical tools,” Drummondo said. “He just needs confidence.
“We’ll simplify the offense and tailor it around him for now.”
The three-time defending league champion Vikings (4-0 BIIF Division I, 4-1) have room for error, needing just one win in their three remaining regular-season games to clinch a spot in the BIIF championship. They welcome Waiakea (2-2 Division I, 2-5) back to its old home, Wong Stadium, at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the teams’ annual crosstown grudge match.
“We’ll try to give (Cyan) some different looks,” Warriors coach Moku Pita said, “but Hilo is still a very good team.”
Miyasato can’t match the running threat that Tiogangco does operating out of the read option, but Hilo’s staff likes Miyasato’s look as a passer, which is one of the reasons they decided not to send him to junior varsity for a developmental year.
“It’s something we saw in him over the summer,” Drummondo said. “When he went in against Kona he was a little shaky, but it was to be expected.
“He has settled down from there.”
For three years running, the Vikings have prided themselves on building depth and reloading, and they will be put to the test again.
The task of helping Miyasato find his comfort zone starts up front with offensive lineman Chandler Kelii, Koa Kapahu, Kaiea Vera, Tilini Livai and Trestan Mahoe. And the freshman signal-caller had all the snaps he needed in practice to lock down his timing with receivers Kuipers and Kalei Tolentino-Perry and running backs Kahale Huddleston and Nainoa Kane-Yates.
Hilo’s first-string defense hasn’t allowed a score the past two games — against Hawaii Prep and the Dragons.
“It’s kind of a young defense,” said linebacker Rylen Kaniaupio, “but I think we’re getting better as we go.”
The game is more important for Waiakea, but it’s not a must-win in terms of the chase to reach the title game. With a victory against Keaau (2-2 Division I) already under their belt, the Warriors’ next home game against Kealakehe (1-3), which hosts the Cougars on Saturday, figures to loom larger. Waiakea finishes at home against Honokaa.
“We can’t go 1-2,” Pita said. “Hilo is not just a rivalry game now, it’s an important game.”
Another win also would give the Warriors their most BIIF victories under Pita since he took over before the 2013 season.
Using Gehrig Octavio and Makoa Andres at quarterback, Pita said the Warriors not only gained confidence last week by beating HPA, but also by the way they did it. Andres’ 23-yard touchdown pass to Octavio provided the go-ahead score in the fourth quarter for a 21-19 win.
“They came back,” Pita said, “and that is something they haven’t done before.
“Now I know we have our heads on straight like I know Waiakea can.”