MIL Football Division I Preview: After emotional season, Lunas look to start fresh

LAHAINA — As Kahi Magno peered into the television camera while sitting at the top of the stands in Sue Cooley Stadium on Monday, he smiled knowing that the first official practice for his Lahainaluna High School football team was minutes away. 

Magno had just been issued his new shiny red helmet, shoulder pads and practice jersey prior to his TV interview.

After the Lunas lived through a 2023 season the likes of which had never been seen in the Maui Interscholastic League — from the doubt of whether they would even make it to the field after the deadly Aug. 8 fire to the invitation of the team’s four captains to Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas — they were enjoying a little bit of routine on Monday.

Magno and a couple of his teammates are used to the interviews and media attention after last season when the team was a media darling around the nation in the wake of the fire.

“It’s very exciting, we’re one step closer to the season,” said Magno, a 5-foot-7, 165-pound senior running back/safety. “We have our helmets and then once we get our pads we can practice 100 percent.”

As pads began popping for MIL football teams in the first official week of practice, the feeling of a return to normalcy was a welcome respite seemingly for all involved this week.

Magno admitted that he was relieved to be back at practice after all that the Lunas went through last year — they spent a month attending Kūlanihāko‘i High School and practicing on a soccer field in Kīhei, did not start official practice until Sept. 7, did not play a game until Sept. 30 and did not play at home until Oct. 21.

“It honestly feels good to be back knowing that last season could have been my last if it didn’t work, but now that I’m here it feels good to be on the field one more time,” Magno said. “It was confusing back then when we heard that we might not have a season. Me and a couple of the boys were actually thinking of transferring schools to play, but once we heard that we were going to be playing then we were all excited and willing to do anything it would take to get back on that field.”

Despite all the distractions and hurdles, the Lunas ran through their five MIL games outscoring their opponents 168-26 before losing a heartbreaker in the state tournament, 29-28, to Kapa‘a. Their MIL-record winning streak is now 44 games in a row, dating back to 2016.

The Lunas said goodbye to veteran defensive coaches Bobby Watson and his son Kenui Watson as well as 29 seniors after last season. Jeff Kihune is the new defensive coordinator.

“It’s great, it’s always good to get out here the first day,” Lahainaluna head coach Dean Rickard said. “Like everything else, and I’m sure all the other teams are facing it, too, you see all the new players. And they’re not really new players, they’re the players that all went missing throughout the summer workouts, but yeah, it’s exciting to start a new year without the distractions. … Last year after the fire, it was chaos. And you talk about logistical nightmares and, you know, those are things that we wouldn’t want to see any program go through.

“So, this year is totally welcome because we are at our home stadium, we know school is going to be here. It’s just so good to be back out here without having to worry about the little things and just worry about getting ready for the season.”

The Lunas will play preseason games on Aug. 16 against Kapolei at 4 p.m. and Aug. 23 against Valley Central, Calif,. at a time to be announced, both at Sue Cooley Stadium. 

They open MIL play Aug. 31 against Molokai, also in Lahaina, at 7 p.m.

Simione Olakauatu, a 6-3, 300-pound senior two-way lineman for the Lunas, said that the normal start to the season “definitely kind of feels weird, thinking back to this time of the year last year it kind of feels different. You know, we just have to keep moving forward.” 

Like many of his teammates, Olakauatu lost the house he lived in to the fire. He and his family now live in Kahoma Village.

“The last 11 months kind of doesn’t feel real,” Olakauatu said. “Living in the hotels especially, I mean that was my first time ever being in a hotel. I was there until April. Football is kind of a way for us to be united, back with the boys again doing something we all love, keep our minds off of whatever’s going on.”

Olakauatu and his teammates are aware of the Lunas’ MIL winning streak and take great pride in their run of dominance in Maui County.

“It means a lot, I mean I’m not the first to play for this team, so I want to carry on that legacy,” Olakauatu said. “My older brothers have played with those teams and I just want to keep it going.”

BIG TURNOUT AT MAUI HIGH

Among the MIL Division I ranks, the numbers of participants varied from the 60 or so total players for the junior varsity and varsity ranks for Lahainaluna on Monday — a number that is expected to grow — to the 80 or so total for Baldwin, and the group of 110 out for Maui High. 

Over the 2021 and 2022 seasons, Maui High was 11-4 overall with its only losses to the Lunas. Last season, the Sabers finished 2-7. The crowded football field in the back of the Kahului campus showed that there is a renewed pep in the step for 2024 for the Sabers.

Maui High will travel to Kea‘au on Hawai‘i island for a preseason game on Aug. 24 and then will open MIL play at Kamehameha Maui on Aug. 30.

Senior quarterback Nathaniel Russell said the possibilities are numerous for Maui High, which is operating under new offensive coordinator Donald Mahoe, a former University of Hawai‘i teammate of Maui High head coach Aylett Wallwork.

“I’m glad to be back out here with my team, working,” Russell said. “We have a big season ahead of us. I can’t wait for it. We’re all excited. We’ve got a handful of guys coming out this year, some first-time players, some returnees, but we’re all excited to play. We’re ready for the season.” 

Russell will have a couple of impressive weapons to use in receivers Charlie Peterson, a senior, and Jonah Cariaga, a junior — the pair combined for 34 receptions last season.

“We just have to get back to work, like always, just work hard, have some sportsmanship for each other, pick each other up when we are down,” Russell said. “Just teamwork.”

Russell then took a deep breath and smiled as he scanned the crowded practice field.

“We have a lot of ballers this year, we’ve got a chance this year, we just have to work together and play hard,” Russell said.

Peterson agreed with his quarterback’s assessment of the Sabers. The 5-10, 170-pound senior is on a mission to be a leader for Maui High.

“It’s definitely a big thing because we lost all of our seniors who were picking us up — every time we were down they always were there, so I’ve got to fill in,” Peterson said. “I grew up with those guys … They pushed me to be at a certain level and now I’m just at their level pretty much.”

Peterson said with the big turnout, things are looking up for the Sabers in 2024.

“I think we just have to trust in each other,” he said. “We have the talent to be where we used to be, but we have to just trust in each other because we can make it happen.”

Wallwork is entering his third season at the MHS helm.

“We were just happy with the way the offseason was working out,” Wallwork said. “In past years we had 20 kids show up every day, this year we had like 40, 50. The first day we gave out helmets we had 110. So, I mean, you only can put 11 on the field though. We’re just going to try our best, try to build on what we did the last couple years.”

BRINGING BACK BALDWIN PRIDE

Baldwin enters the season riding a 22-game losing streak that dates back to 2021. The Bears, who went 0-8 last year, will host Kaua‘i in a preseason game on Aug. 24 and open MIL play Aug. 31 against King Kekaulike.

“I’ve seen a lot of pretty new talent coming up in these freshmen who have been here, like, consistently, so it’s pretty exciting because hopefully we will turn it around and do better,” said Antone Sanches, a 5-10, 150-pound senior who will possibly see time at defensive back, running back, wide receiver and quarterback.

Sanches’ father Kyle Sanches played and coached for the Bears and his grandfather Gary Sanches is a veteran track and field coach for the Wailuku school. 

“My dad played here, my papa coached here, so it’s big deal — it’s been Baldwin pride since I was a little kid,” Antone Sanches said. “Gotta bring it back somehow. My dad and papa said ‘Just finish it out, just make sure you put everything in so you don’t regret it later.’ This team can be great.”

Antone Sanches said the Bears’ coaching staff that is dotted with former players for the school is leaning into the season as it begins.

“Especially like coach (Kai) ‘Baby’ (Maiava), you can just feel like the Baldwin pride, the Bear pride — he brings that every single day, so that we understand this is Baldwin High School and we were champions once,” Sanches said. 

Junior linebacker Ethan Bacos will be a key defender for the Bears.

“I feel like the vibe is better, like way more intensive,” Bacos said. “I was a freshman on varsity and it was just really sad, losing two seasons in a row. The coaches are really excited this year, knowing it’s their third year. They are coming in hot, giving us everything we need to do to win, taking us there. They hope for us to succeed.”

Baldwin head coach Cody Nakamura sees reason for optimism.

“It feels good to be out here, we’ve got a bunch of new players, a bunch of returning players, so we’re excited for the upcoming season,” Nakamura said.

Nakamura added, “I sure hope so, that’s the goal” when asked if a few wins are in the cards this season. “We’ve got a bunch of players on their third season with us as a coaching staff, so we’re hoping that this is the year for the change.”