Goal standard

The standard has been set. Seven straight Division II state championships have made that the mark the ‘Iolani football team strives for each year.

The Raiders enter the season ranked No. 8 in the Star-Advertiser Preseason Top 10 despite returning only four starters on offense.

The key positions are accounted for, beginning with senior quarterback Reece Foy (5 feet 11, 170 pounds), a three-year starter.

Foy, who threw for 2,235 yards as a junior, is 16-7 as a starter.

“He’s a three-year starter so we don’t have to change the offense,” ‘Iolani coach Wendell Look said. “He knows the ins and outs of it and we’ll let him run it.”

Also returning are running back Kody Mento (5-8, 175), who led ‘Iolani in rushing in five games last season, and receiver Tanner Nishioka (6-0, 175), who had one of two 100-yard receiving games for ‘Iolani.

But the key returnee might be center Spencer Kiehm (5-9, 180), the only starter back on the offensive line.

“Having him back is a big plus because for us, the center position is like the quarterback of our offensive line,” Look said. “Last year I think we averaged about 205 (pounds) on the offensive line and this year it’s probably going to be more like 190.”

It’s a situation Look has grown accustomed to over his 22 years as head coach.

Even with a lack of size in the trenches, Look has managed to win 152 games and hasn’t had a losing record since 2003.

Not only has ‘Iolani dominated Division II, including eight straight ILH D-II championships, it also has played spoiler against its ILH Division I counterparts.

The Raiders have four wins against Punahou, Saint Louis and Kamehameha in the past four years and were the only team to beat Kamehameha in 2009, when the Warriors won the state D-I title.

In order to achieve similar results this season, ‘Iolani will rely on an experienced defensive secondary.

Both starting safeties, Josh Conlan (5-9, 165) and Andrew Okimura (5-11, 165) and cornerbacks James Los Banos (6-0, 160) and Max Look (5-7, 145) return, as does middle linebacker Josiah Situmeang (6-1, 200).

“That’s kind of the meat of it right there,” Look said. “I think we’ve got returnees in key spots and I think that’s important. Now we’re focused on the younger guys getting going and they have to learn quickly and adapt to playing at the varsity level.”

After opening the season against Konawaena in the Father Bray game next Saturday, the Raiders will test themselves at Waipahu the following week.

‘Iolani will also have to go on the road for key games in the ILH, playing at both Punahou and Kamehameha.

The Raiders only play twice at home all year, but are still the team to beat in Division II.

They are 16-1 all-time in the Division II state tournament, losing only to Campbell in the 2004 final.

“The standard has been set for our program, but the focus is on the day-to-day work to keep that standard,” said Look. “It’s not so much as the guys don’t want to be the class not to accomplish the goal, but it’s how you get there and that’s by going out and working hard every day.

“Do that and good things will happen.”