Konawaena's Dishon Cho celebrates after a play against Nanakuli. Brien Ing | SL

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Quarterback Li'i Karratti and Kaiser will face off against Konawaena Saturday at Kaiser Stadium. Eugene Tanner | SL

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When the Konawaena Wildcats travel to O'ahu to play Kaiser in the opening round of the First Hawaiian Bank/Hawaii High School Athletic Association Division II Football State Championships at Kaiser Stadium on Saturday at 7 pm, they will see a familiar face wearing blue and gold at quarterback.

Current Kaiser quarterback Kahoali'i Karratti played for the Wildcats last season and led them to the Division II State Tournament as their starting quarterback. He moved from Kealakekua to Hawaii Kai in the off season. Karratti has completed 64 percent of his passes (87-of-135) and threw for 1,258 yards and 10 touchdowns for Kaiser.

"He is excited for this opportunity, I know he has some friends on that team, but we don't want him to be overexcited. We have to make sure he controls his emotions while he plays," said Miano on Karratti playing his former team.

Coach Cliff Walters of Konawaena on the other hand said it will be a little strange seeing Karratti in a different uniform.

"We know their senior quarterback who was our quarterback for the past two years so we know him very well. We have to play him and it is an awkward situation. It's awkward for my boys, but it's a football game, when the whistle blows all that goes out the window," said Walters. "We have to treat him as a quarterback of a team, not our ex-quarterback. I don't want those emotions of the players not feeling good about that situation, which they don't, but I don't want their emotions to cloud their ability to play in that game. I told them it's another game against another quarterback and a tough team and good opponent."

Kaiser claimed the Oahu Interscholastic Association White Championship with a 41-21 victory over Pearl City. After a 21-7 opening season loss to Campbell, who made it to the Division I State Tournament, the Cougars reeled off ten straight victories and went a perfect 8-0 in league play. The Cougars have averaged 40.1 points per game and held their opponents to 8.9 points per game. For the first time in school history, they will get to host the opening round of the Division II State Tournament that has the Hawaii Kai community excited.

"I was pretty impressed with the JV team winning their championship and I was also impressed to see the excitement in the school. With that, it's been great to build a program from the ground up and the community is excited and very supportive," said Kaiser coach Rich Miano.

Kaiser relies on the running game and Fitou Fisiiahi and Thomas Leong have been the thunder and lightning for the Cougars' rushing attack. Fisiiahi will power his way down the field for hard-earned yards while Leong uses his speed and quickness to breakout for big runs. Fisiiahi so far has carried the ball 84 times for 646 yards and 15 touchdowns while Leong has 58 carries for 585 yards and 15 touchdowns.

Leong also leads all Kaiser receivers with 17 catches for 265 yards and two touchdowns and the Cougars utilize Leong on special teams as a kickoff and punt returner. He leads all Kaiser scorers with 137 total points.

Konawaena comes into the state tournament as the Big Island Interscholatic Federation Division II champion after rallying from 16 points down against Hawaii Prep Academy. They finished the regular season 3-1 in their league and 9-2 overall. Their only losses of the season came against Maui and Hilo.  

"We had to come from behind more than once this year. Like I said, my kids refuse to quit and will keep on fighting, we make you earn what you get," said Walters.

According to Coach Walters, Konawaena is a small school and they don't have that many kids in their program, but it's the third year in a row they won the BIIF and represented Division II in the State Tournament.

"I took it over three years ago and we didn't have a winning season. We built up a culture of winning and the players bought into the program and we expect to be BIIF champions even if we are or not. I call them pit bulls from the mountains, they're a small team but they put up a big fight."

Konawaena airs it out on offense and senior quarterback Brandon Howes has been putting up big numbers for the Wildcats and he completed 51 percent of his passes (137-of-268) and threw for 2,490 yards and 24 touchdowns. The Wildcats have averaged 31.5 points on offense and averaged 281 passing yards.

Senior receiver Chase Takaki has been a go-to target and he leads the receivers with 43 catches for 811 yards and nine touchdowns. Sophomore Cameron Howes has also caught 24 passes for 407 yards and six touchdowns.

"They are the champs from the Big Island and they have a good program so we think it will be a good challenge. We need to make sure we step up and it will be an exciting game," said Miano on Konawaena.

The Wildcats had some experience travelling to O'ahu. Last year they played 'Iolani in the preseason and took them to the end but came up a little short, 43-40.

“That is a difficult thing for our team to travel. It becomes a difficult task to come to O'ahu and to play a team like this, and it is a tough schedule for us. When the whistle blows, it's still a football game and I hope they play well,” said Walters.

The winner of this game will travel to War Memorial Stadium on Maui to face Division II's top-seeded Lahainaluna at 6 pm on Saturday, November 16.