Star-Advertiser sports writer Paul Honda previews every game in this weekend’s First Hawaiian Bank/HHSAA Football State Championships.
Division I
Aiea (9-3) at Konawaena (9-1), Saturday, 7 p.m.
Before Aiea makes its third off-island road trip of the season, coach Wendell Say is in the midst of a busy time.
“It’s registration week for the 2023-24 school year,” the longtime Aiea counselor said on Tuesday. “I’ve got a dozen or so classes to talk to.”
Aiea (9-3 overall) will battle BIIF champion Konaweana (9-1) at Julian Yates Field on Saturday in the Division I semifinals of the First Hawaiian Bank/HHSAA Football State Championships.
Konawaena is a mystery to most teams outside the Big Island. Since losing at Granger (Utah) in preseason, the Wildcats ran the table in BIIF play. Coach Brad Uemoto’s team outscored league opponents 557-20,
“This group ranks up there with one of the best teams we’ve had in recent years. We have talent and experience on both sides of the ball,” Uemoto said. “We knew this group was going to be special as incoming freshmen.”
Say sees similarities in Konawaena and another OIA team.
“They look like Kaiser. The quarterback (Keoki Alani) is good. The receivers are good. They run similar stuff that we do and they can go uptempo, too,” Say said. “We just got to be sound defensively and, hopefully, put some pressure on their QB.”
With defensive tackle Sila Unutoa back from a one-game suspension, Aiea’s defense will be at near-full force. The presence or absence of defensive back Bishop Foumai could be worrisome for Na Alii.
QB Ezekiel Olie has passed for 3,127 yards and 31 TDs with just seven picks (242-for-344). RB Kaimana Lale-Saole is nearing the 1,000-yard mark (909 yards, 10 TDs), while Jayden Chanel (65 receptions, 1,089 yards, 13 TDs), Geronimo Ulgaran (83, 941, nine) and Rico Figueroa (59, 729, nine) provide one of the best receiving corps in the program’s history.
“The first thing that stands out is that they are disciplined,” said Uemoto, who had the chance to scout teams in person while Konawaena had byes over the past two weekends. “They are athletic with a lot of size. A great quarterback and a bunch of weapons at the receiver positions. Outstanding offensive linemen and solid running backs. Their front seven will give us problems physically and their secondary flies around. We will have to play sound football on offense to move the chains.”
Konawaena enters the game 2-8 all-time in the state tournament with an 0-2 record in Division I. Aiea is 4-4 all-time with its only win in Division I coming last week against Lahainaluna.
