Coach Darren Hernandez enters his 21st season at Kapolei with plenty of data on Waipahu. He called the Campbell-Waipahu game two weeks ago as a TV color analyst.
The Hurricanes have bounced back from a 42-28 loss to Saint Louis with a 63-14 win over Radford. Liatama Amisone is back to his playmaking ways after finishing the 2022 season with a knee injury. The QB has passed for 527 yards with eight TDs and no interceptions while rushing for 138 yards and a TD, averaging 13.8 yards per attempt.
Amisone is an ideal QB for Hernandez, a mobile, strong-armed weapon. His favorite target so far is Kaina Kamohalii (16 receptions, 272 yards, four TDs).
Waipahu lost QB Bennett Strobel for the season with an ACL injury during a loss to Campbell two weeks ago. JJ Manu, who suffered a season-ending knee injury last year, will return to start against Kapolei, coach Bryson Carvalho said.
Manu will be surrounded by a multitude of potential game breakers from RB Anieli Teleaai to receivers Eric Stephens (eight catches, 146 yards), Tai Aipia Barrett (four, 85, two TDs), Chazen Rodillas-Vesido (five, 70) and Jayden. Chanel (five, 41, one).
No. 6 Kamehameha at Waianae
First-year Warriors coach Kaeo Drummondo and staff had a bye week to add fuel to the big blue machine. A 51-7 win over Moanalua two weeks ago could’ve softened Kamehameha’s resolve, but the title drought likely will keep them hungry.
Kamehameha last won state and ILH crowns in 2009 under David Stant. The Warriors won the Oahu Prep Bowl from ’74 to ’76 under Cal Chai, and won their first state title in ’04 under Kanani Souza.
Under Drummondo, Hilo went to the Division state finals three years in a row, winning the 2017 and ’19 Division I state championships, He later stepped down and was pencilled in as an offensive coordinator for Kamehameha, his alma mater, before he was hired as athletic director at Hilo.
He arrived at Kamehameha to fill a new, full-time role in charge of the football program. The bone-crunching defense and balanced offense typical of his Hilo teams are still in play. The Warriors rushed the ball 33 times for 237 yards against Moanalua while airing the ball out just 11 times.
Waianae hasn’t shied away from tough competition early on, but has been scoreless in losses to Kahuku and Lincoln (Calif.). The Seariders are determined to establish the run. Hadyn Dowsett (15 carries, 28 yards) and Shanestin Watson (22 attempts, 26 yards) are primary ballcarriers.
Coming into this OIA regular-season opener, Kamehameha has a two-game win streak against Waianae. The Seariders last beat the Warriors in 2016, 26-20, with Rico Rosario at RB.
Kamehameha leads the all-time series, 13-6.
