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There’s no sign of things slowing down at Kapolei.
Coming off a program-best 10-3 season and a trip to the state football semifinals in the Open Division, the Hurricanes are poised again to challenge for a championship.
Darren Hernandez, the only head football coach Kapolei has had in its now 16th year of existence, has taken a long time building the Hurricanes into a legitimate Division I contender. With six defensive starters holding at least one FBS scholarship offer, the challenge now isn’t to build, but to win.
“That’s the trick, right,” Hernandez said. “For each coach and their program, they want to get better than they were the year before and for us it’s going to be an exciting time because we had a young team in certain areas and those guys come back.”
Defensively, the Hurricanes, ranked No. 6 in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser preseason top 10, are loaded from front to back. The defensive line is anchored by 6-foot-5 senior defensive end Kukea Emmsley, who committed to Boise State on Wednesday.
Defensive tackle Aaron Faumui (6-2, 280), whose offer sheet of six schools includes Wisconsin, transferred from Orem (Utah) after winning the Division II state title as a sophomore at Radford.
Linebacker Rocky Savea (6-2, 230) holds offers Oregon State and Texas Tech and sophomore Bam Amina (6-0, 205) recently picked up his first scholarship offer from San Jose State.
Senior defensive lineman Junior Tuia (Fresno State) and junior defensive end Treven Ma’ae (Arizona State, Hawaii, Navy, Utah State) also have a potential future in Division I college football.
“Obviously on paper they look good, but can they play together as a unit? Can they run to the football and be accountable to each other?” Hernandez said. “That’s the key, because I’ve seen a lot of talented players not play together as a team.”
Yet the biggest addition came just last week when Dylan Toilolo, a returning first-team All-State linebacker at Saint Louis as a junior, showed up to a Kapolei practice. Since he’s a transfer going from the ILH to OIA, he is allowed to play right away.
Hernandez said they will use him primarily at strong safety.
“When I got the call from the mom that they were going to transfer, it was like Christmas in July,” Hernandez said. “We never dreamed we would have a chance to get a kid like Dylan Toilolo.”
Toilolo said he’s still getting used to both the position change and his new teammates.
“It’s tough on me because I miss my brothers at Saint Louis,” Toilolo said. “Especially because I changed my position too, it’s been kind of hard, and I’m still getting used to it, (but) I feel like (changing positions) will help me get a scholarship, which is my goal.”
The million-dollar question is how Kapolei will replace Taulia Tagovailoa at quarterback. Tagovailoa threw for 3,919 yards and 42 touchdowns as a sophomore before transferring to a school in Alabama for his junior year.
Another Saint Louis transfer, Kaniala Kalaola, is competing with returnee Nainoa Fong for the starting job under new offensive coordinator Amosa Amosa, who replaced June Jones after Jones took a job at Saint Louis.
“Right now (Kalaola) is leading the charge, so if the season would start tomorrow, he’d have the edge to start,” Hernandez said. “He’s really coming around and doing what he’s got to do.”
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KAPOLEI HURRICANES 2017 SCHEDULE
>> Aug. 4: at Campbell, 7:30 p.m.
>> Aug. 12: at Waianae, 6:30 p.m.
>> Aug. 19: Castle, 6:30 p.m.
>> Aug. 26: at Farrington, 6:30 p.m.
>> Sept. 2: Leilehua, 6:30 p.m.
>> Sept. 9: at Kailua, 6:30 p.m.
>> Sept. 15: Mililani, 7:30 p.m.
>> Sept. 29: at Nanakuli, 7:30 p.m.
>> Head coach: Darren Hernandez, 16th season (22nd overall), 113-94-2
>> Last year: 10-3 (6-1 OIA Red); beat Moanalua 49-9 in OIA D-I quarterfinals; lost 33-27 to Farrington in OIA D-I semifinals; beat Waianae 27-15 in OIA D-I third-place game; beat Punahou 33-21 in first round of state tournament Open Division; lost 54-7 to Kahuku in the semifinals of the state tournament Open Division
>> Key offensive returnees: Isaiah Ahana, Sr., WR, 6-2, 200; Tino Pule, Sr., OL, 6-1, 300; Tamatoa Mokiao-Atimalala, So., WR, 5-10, 175; Keanu Barboza, Sr., WR, 5-11 190; Josh Kansana, Sr., RB, 5-11, 195
>> Key defensive returnees: Kukea Emmsley, Sr., DE, 6-5 235; Dylan Naehu, Sr., DL. 6-2, 275; Teriq Lacaden, Jr., DB, 5-11 195; Bam Amina, So., LB, 6-0, 205; Junior Tuia, Sr., DT, 6-2, 275; Treven Maae, Jr., DE, 6-4. 225; Rocky Savea, Sr., LB, 6-2, 230
>> Hurricanes with Division I FBS college offers: Kukea Emmsley, Sr., LB; Aaron Faumui, Sr., DT; Rocky Savea, Sr., LB; Junior Tuia, Sr., DL; Julius Buelow Jr., OL; Treven Maae, Jr., DE; Bam Amima, So., LB
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