unpaid pre-season D-II football

[unpaid]

Here is my pre-season evauluation of D-II teams based on my way too subjective system. Transfers are becoming more common so if you see a player that you know has gone to another school chime in!

1.Kapaa.If defense wins championships ,then the Warriors have the most returning impact players and they are all on defense. It will be hard to run or pass against 260-lb Sosaia Koli,Mana Kupihea,245-lb Kapena Texeira,LB Mosese Fifita, and DB.Bryce Dato. Who is coming up on offense for the Warriors?

2.Kamehameha-Hawaii. If offense puts fans in the stands then the Warriors are in a good position.The line leads the way with 6-3 250-lb Russel Montibon and 5-10 250 lb Jayden Madriaga blocking for RB Kaeo Batacan.Whoever winds up at QB will have Bayley Manliguis to throw to.

3.Nanakuli. The defending OIA D-II champs are poised to repeat this year and maybe make bigger noise at states.Standouts are 310-lb roadgrader OL Kalae Wong,LB's Randy Manewa and Alexcio Paulo-Myers ,both in the 170-180-lb range. WR Clifford Cunningham is a dependable target to throw to.

4.Radford. I am bumping Radford up a few spots from where I thought they would be due to transfers coming in.That said,the Rams were going to be formidable on offense with two big,fast,rangy WR's in 6-3 Thomas Reid III and 6-2 Solomon Loggins.Apparently,Blaise Manabe is coming in from Kalani so the WR depth takes a step up. The Rams have to replace a graduated QB but that should not be a problem for HC Fred Salanoa,a QB himself...he will find a QB on the roster.
OL Talatonu Von-Koppel and DL Dillon Sunday headline the trench returnees. Radford hasn't really had a consistent RB threat since Jordan Rellin toted the ball for the Rams in the early 2000's,but Ace Faumui,a Kalani transfer,might be the guy that keeps opposing defenses from keying in on the Rams passing game.Jordan Walker LB 6-1 205 keeps a close watch on the defense.

5.Lahainaluna. I know you're thinking is he crazy? They only have two impact players returning in my view. I think the program is good enough to overcome that...but the Lunas got shredded by graduation.OL Junior Moala 5-9 270-lb and TE/DL Nau FIliau 6-2 205 will lead the youngsters coming up.

6.Konawaena. The Wildcats will look to RB Algene Kelekolio and players coming up from a good JV squad to get back to states.

7.Damien. Iolani is finally out of ILH D-II for at least this year ,so there are three schools who have been waiting to see who else could get to D-II states. Damien has been trending upward while Pac-Five has trended down somewhat, and St.Francis is still going through birthing pains in their program.The Monarchs will count on the play and leadership of DB Jarin Manuel and RB Kapena Kawaakea to get to states this year.

8.Kalaheo. The Mustangs are my sleeper team this year.They have size on the OL with 6-3 270 lb Nathaniel Goob and RB/Utl Caden Smith can hurt you in more ways than one.

9. Honokaa. Lots of two and three year players back. Maybe they will break through to states this year.

10.Kauai. Don't have a ton of information on this team.but recent history suggests that they are not ready to hibernate just yet. Let's see what they have in the tank for 2015.

[Getreal$]

Good start unpaid....I just have a few comments and updates.

#2 KSH- Baptiste graduated and their secondary is the question (Iaea, Kalai, Baptiste graduated) mark along with QB(Kanehailua Graduated). Rumor is they are looking to start a kid at QB that has never played football before. But lucky for him their strength is the OL. A good test for them is a preseason game against Kalaheo at Kalaheo.

#6 Konawaena- loaded this year with probably the best athlete in Cameron Howes leading the way. I don't see anyone but maybe Hilo and Kealakehe competing with them this year. KSH will be hard pressed to repeat with Kona and Honokaa loaded with talent, and solid at the QB position.

#9 Honokaa- lots of talent and a three year starting QB back for his senior season. Hopefully they can put it together this year.

[gopunahou]

I wonder how long it'll be before every ILH team that AIN'T Punahou, St. Louis, Kamehameha, and Iolani will choose to play 8-man football. Most of the teams on this list look as if they'd benefit heavily from going that route. I think some OIA teams will do it before ILH ones but ILH ones should join them.

[unpaid]

Thanks for any transfer updates or corrections. I have updated my team capsules accordingly.

[unpaid]

gopunahou,

I think for the near future,the ILH D-II teams that are most likely to go 8-man will be teams other than Damien and St.Francis.
Damien has fielded 11-man teams since their inception in the early 1960's. St. Francis has had a rocky start but seem determined to stay 11-man for now.

The question is how long will Pac-FIve exist.How many of the schools that feed that team will be content to be part of an amalgam of schools that feed players to make up an acceptable roster size.

I feel that at some point ,individual school pride will kick in ,and given the circumstances of small enrollment at the majority of ILH schools,they will choose 8-man and Pac-Five will go away as schools smaller than Damien eventually want to have their own football team,even if it is an 8-man team.

[SRJC]

Your not crazy most of the lunas talent will come from incoming freshmen the big boys not eligible to participate on pop warner.
Freshmen Ikaika Viela is highly regarded
I think a breakout year for sophomore siale Hafoka.
Yes the strength will be its defensive line with returning DL Matini Kaai & Nau Filiai

[politclyincrekt]

gopunahou,

I think for the near future,the ILH D-II teams that are most likely to go 8-man will be teams other than Damien and St.Francis.
Damien has fielded 11-man teams since their inception in the early 1960's. St. Francis has had a rocky start but seem determined to stay 11-man for now.

The question is how long will Pac-FIve exist.How many of the schools that feed that team will be content to be part of an amalgam of schools that feed players to make up an acceptable roster size.

I feel that at some point ,individual school pride will kick in ,and given the circumstances of small enrollment at the majority of ILH schools,they will choose 8-man and Pac-Five will go away as schools smaller than Damien eventually want to have their own football team,even if it is an 8-man team.

It wasn't too long ago when Pac-Five was a team to be reckoned with. I was at McKinley when they beat Kaimuki 48-19 and McKinley 66-40 (both were OIA Division I at the time). Not saying they were a power or anything in recent memory, but only recently has Damien began contending with Pac-Five.

[gopunahou]

Thanks for responding unpaid. I don't know about Damien wanting to play with 11 if the Pac-Five scuools decide to go 8-man. Things are changing over they've got girls. Since their inclusion of girls began, they no longer play D1 teams in basketball, baseball, or volleyball as they used to. They might go 8-man if other schools do since they play many of these Pac-Five schools that could 8-man rather than the likes of the Big Four.

And politklyincorrect, one major thing that's causes Pac-Five to decline is the lack of St. Francis players.

[politclyincrekt]

I think that there's too much pride at stake for it to be a viable option for the Monarchs, but Damien joining Pac-5 would make more an interesting dynamic in the Division II. Or even some public schools joining Pac-5 for football would be interesting too (I'm looking at you, Roosevelt).

[gopunahou]

I think that there's too much pride at stake for it to be a viable option for the Monarchs, but Damien joining Pac-5 would make more an interesting dynamic in the Division II. Or even some public schools joining Pac-5 for football would be interesting too (I'm looking at you, Roosevelt).

Pride can only do so much to keep Damien from going 8-man or joining Pac-Five. With girls now attending that school, Damien's chances of fielding a team with as many players as Iolani can are slim and none. The numbers have dropped since the beginning of the decade. And because there are girls over there, Damien's teams in other sports (basketball, volleyball, and baseball) aren't playing the likes of St. Louis, Punahou, Kamehameha, and Iolani.

[politclyincrekt]

I think that there's too much pride at stake for it to be a viable option for the Monarchs, but Damien joining Pac-5 would make more an interesting dynamic in the Division II. Or even some public schools joining Pac-5 for football would be interesting too (I'm looking at you, Roosevelt).

Pride can only do so much to keep Damien from going 8-man or joining Pac-Five. With girls now attending that school, Damien's chances of fielding a team with as many players as Iolani can are slim and none. The numbers have dropped since the beginning of the decade. And because there are girls over there, Damien's teams in other sports (basketball, volleyball, and baseball) aren't playing the likes of St. Louis, Punahou, Kamehameha, and Iolani.

But inclusion of girls at the school will increase the student base (including money) which, on paper, would make 11-man football still viable at Damien, right? Sure they allowed girls to attend the school because financially they needed to, but is enrollment still dropping at Damien?

And personally, I'd like to see Damien compete in Pac-Five before creating at 8-man league here on Oahu. Imagine if Anuenue and Damien both joined Pac-Five football.

[unpaid]

Opening weekend AUG 7 and 8 has ,maybe, a preview of this year's D-II final with my preseason No.1 Kapaa traveling to Oahu to play my preseason No.3 Nanakuli.

Homefield is somewhat diluted here because the game is to be played at Kapolei. So, it's not at Nanakuli's homefield. Nevertheless, you can drive from Nanakuli to Kapolei. Kapaa fans have to cross some water...so I get that....but the game still isn'T at the Golden Hawks home field. I call that a wash.

Kapaa's defense looks to be rock-solid this year. The offense is a question mark. Nanakuli ,in terms of impact players is split in two...they will have two studs returning on offense and two on defense. Both teams apparently have to replace a starting QB.

So, do I pick the team with 5 returning impact players on defense, or do I pick the team with 2 impact players on offense and 2 on defense?. Could be a toss-up, but based on my subjective system ,I will go with Kapaa in Kapaa- Nanakuli I in interleague on opening weekend. Will there be a Kapaa-Nanakuli II at states this year?

[gopunahou]

But inclusion of girls at the school will increase the student base (including money) which, on paper, would make 11-man football still viable at Damien, right? Sure they allowed girls to attend the school because financially they needed to, but is enrollment still dropping at Damien?

And personally, I'd like to see Damien compete in Pac-Five before creating at 8-man league here on Oahu. Imagine if Anuenue and Damien both joined Pac-Five football.

Possibly, but if the student base increases, the school will need more land. As far as football and sports go, I think Damien would do 8-man if the option were available. They've been playing the same kind of teams HBA, UH-Lab, and Hanalani play in other sports (and avoiding the Big Four).

[unpaid]

I have updated the Konawaena team capsule based on the KHON2 story.

[HS Football Fanatic]

I think that there's too much pride at stake for it to be a viable option for the Monarchs, but Damien joining Pac-5 would make more an interesting dynamic in the Division II. Or even some public schools joining Pac-5 for football would be interesting too (I'm looking at you, Roosevelt).

@politclyincrekt: As I see it, no way would Roosevelt join Pac-Five. The Roosevelt alumni would storm the school and occupy the Admin bldg, and who could blame them? I can't see any school that had its own team for years, submit to joining Pac-Five.