Keaau’s incremental progress on the football field is reason enough for hand claps and raised eyebrows.
In a rebuilding project, which has produced neck strains from looking up, the Cougars are on a nice trajectory. They were winless in 2014 and ’15.
A year later, they won two games and last season finished with a 3-4 record, which begs an eyebrow-raising question: What’s next?
The Cougars have gotten good at beating the teams they need to beat: Waiakea, Honokaa, and Hawaii Prep.
The Warriors went winless last season, and the Dragons and Ka Makani have occupied the lower half of the BIIF Division II standings for a long time now.
Keaau, which joined the BIIF in 2001, is the only school to not have won a league title, if you discount the 8-man football programs: Ka‘u, Kohala, and Pahoa.
Even Honokaa captured the BIIF crown in 2009 when the Dragons jumped up to Division I.
However, the Cougars finished second in 2005, ’06, and ’10. Leo Abellera was the coach during the first two title appearances, so he knows what a championship team looks like.
Abellera was the coach from 2005 to ’09 and returned for his second tour in 2016, so instead of inheriting a title contender he’s slowly building one.
Last Tuesday, the Cougars hit the road and scrimmaged at Hilo. Abellera didn’t remember the exact score but reported his team got “throttled,” and that the Vikings capitalized on every gap left unchecked.
That’s what champions do: impose their will against underdogs or even matches and find a way against teams with better talent or schemes.
In 2016, the BIIF got rid of football’s free ride program known as the four-team playoffs. Now, the top two teams in each division advance to the BIIF championship.
So maybe the mindset shifts a bit for the Cougars, who don’t necessarily have to beat Hilo in the regular season. They just have to defeat their main competition in Kealakehe, which finished 4-3 and toppled Keaau in the head-to-head meeting, or Waiakea.
As far as tradition goes, the Waveriders have always been bigger and blessed with more depth than the Cougars, who lost to them in the three BIIF title games.
The Vikings have won the last five BIIF titles, so their personnel has changed over the years. But some things have remained the same such a consistency on offense, discipline on defense and a good habit of not beating themselves.
That’s why on a recent practice after the Hilo refresher course, the Cougars were hard at work on the basics: working on gap assignment.
It’s the best way to give a defense a fighting chance to make sure all the doors are closed. It’s one thing for a runner to gain 100 yards and break through tackles. At least, there’s a chance for a fumble or a strip.
It’s another thing if a defender overplays a gap and a runner makes a cutback and rampages for an explosive gain.
“We’ve got over 50 kids, and our offensive line looks pretty good,” Abellera said. “Half the team are linemen so that’s a good thing.”
Abellera is a math teacher at the school and doesn’t need an arithmetic formula to tell him that ball possession is a great neutralizer for underdogs.
Hilo’s quick-strike aerial attack and Kealakehe’s jumbo O-line can’t do damage if they’re on the sideline.
Maybe his O-line of returning left tackle Adam Antonio, left guard Vance Rojo-Simer, center Sonatane Lopeti, right guard Cody AhNee, and right tackle Hunter Nasworthy win their share of battles, especially those critical third-and-short situations to extend drives that champions always seem to make.
Abellera is also taking a calculated roll of the dice and switching Iokepa La‘a from quarterback where he sparked the offense to slotback.
Bryant Respicio-Mercado, a 6-foot-1 junior who was on the JV last year, will be the new QB for the spread offense.
“Bryant looks good,” La‘a said. “He’s got an arm.”
During that revisit to basics practice, Respicio-Mercado was in his red “hands off the QB” jersey throwing simple out routes to his receivers.
He stood tall in the pocket and efficiently placed balls over his target’s shoulders and into their hands. Of course, it’s different throwing under pressure from a pass rush.
“There’s a lot of pressure being the QB,” Respicio-Mercado said. “But I can’t ever get down after a bad play and bring the team down. I think we’re going to do good this year.”
The Keaau coach likes his poise, something that can’t be measured and a leadership trait teammates pick up on.
“He’s pretty calm on the field,” Abellera said. “He’s even-keeled. He doesn’t get too excited or down on himself.”
La‘a will be a prime target at slotback, and another starter is Isaiah Akana, who’s from basketball. Nathaniel Castillo will get the nod at running back.
Patrick Mears, another hoopster who started in the secondary, will also spend time catching the ball.
Stanley Wilbur and Folagi Aumave-Laulu are returning starters on the D-line. Noah Armstrong will draw reps as well.
Shaden Abejon, a transfer from Oahu’s Castle, will start at corner along with Justin Kasai.
Mason Silva, a freshman, will start at linebacker, and Abellera sees promise in the youngster.
“He’s got good athleticism,” Abellera said. “He’s a good athlete.”
Reginal Shook, and Kapono Cordeiro, and Storm Quilinderino will also spend time at linebacker.
Mears will start at safety along with Aiden Armstrong.
Wilbur has stepped up as the defensive leader.
“He leads by example,” Abellera said. “He doesn’t talk much.
“We just want to be sound on defense, line up right and be in the right position as well.”
That’s pretty much the outlook for the Cougars, who don’t talk much and if they’re in the right place — in gap assignment and the standings — the What’s next? question might have a good answer.