Konawaena Hosts Sabers In DII State Tournament Friday
By Jack Danilewicz
E-mail this story | Print this page | Comments (0) | Archive | RSS | Share
Del.icio.us
|
Behind Enemy Lines - Scouting Konawaena
As they prepare to host Campbell on Friday in a First Hawaiian Bank Division II State Tournament matchup, the Konawaena High football team’s cohesiveness can’t be underestimated.
Indeed, scouting reports practically took a back seat to injury reports for Konawaena head football coach Aaron Nagata and the Wildcats this year.With as many as 14 players out at one time with various ailments, the ‘Cats have gotten by with grit, clawing their way to a Big Island Interscholastic Federation Division II league crown.
“The boys are playing well together,“said Nagata, whose team takes a 10-2 record into Friday night. “It’s been a very challenging year.
We’ve been at it 17 weeks, and hopefully our bye week helps us (injury-wise).”
As of last Thursday, 11 Wildcats were still being held out of practice for various reasons, but Nagata was hopeful many would return in time for this weekend. The winner of Friday’s game advances to a semifinal matchup against top-seeded Iolani Nov. 28 at Ticky Vasconcellos Stadium on the Roosevelt campus.The DII state championship game is set for Dec. 5 at Aloha Stadium.
For their part, except for the aforementioned injury issues, Konawaena’s current season has been one of the school’s best football-related stories of all time.
It all began in Week One with a tone-setting 9-7 win over Division I Kealakehe, in which place-kicker (and defensive regular) Kawika Karratti booted a game-winning 35-yard field goal with 15 seconds remaining.
“It was definitely a stepping stone for these boys - we hadn’t beaten them in five or six years,“Nagata said of Konawaena’s win over Kealakehe, one of two wins over DI schools for the ‘Cats.
Friday’s game with Campbell (10-1) is Konawaena’s first opportunity to host a state playoff game and its first appearance in the tournament since 1999. Asked if the Campbell game was the biggest in the program’s history, Nagata said, “It’s the biggest game ever for these boys.”
The Wildcats’ hopes on Friday could hinge largely on their stellar defense, which is giving up just 9.3 points per game through 12 outings and yielding only 8.0 points per game in their BIIF encounters. “We have a feisty defense,“Nagata added. “They’re playing with a lot of heart and getting their nose to the ball. They know we have one of our toughest challenges this week.”
One of the areas hardest hit by the injury bug for Konawaena this year has been in the offensive line, where underclassmen filled in for starters for much of the season. Quarterback Thomas Deniz remained “day-to-day"as of late last week, meanwhile, having been injured in Konawaena’s game with Kamehameha. If he can’t go, regular slotback Sam Unger will move behind center.
How well the Konawaena offense fares Friday night could go a long way in determining the outcome as the Wildcats drive to control the clock and keep the ball away from Campbell’s offense.
“We definitely want to keep them off of the field,” Nagata said. “They’re explosive and a threat. Hopefully, we can make the proper adjustments.”
E-mail this story | Print this page | Comments (0) | Archive | RSS
Most Recent Comment(s):
