Quarterback Chayce Akaka and the Bears will host running back Jurick Valdez and the Seariders in the opening round of the First Hawaiian Bank/HHSAA Division I Football Championships. ScoringLive photo illustration

Purchase image 1 of 1

Although Baldwin and Waianae run different offenses, it is not as if their defenses will not be familiar with them when the two teams meet in the opening round of the First Hawaiian Bank Division I state football tournament.

Kickoff is 4:30 p.m. Friday at Hawaiian Airlines Field at Aloha Stadium. Hilo and Mililani will follow at 7:30 p.m.

The Baldwin-Waianae winner advances to the semifinals against top-seeded Kahuku, while the winner of Hilo-Mililani will take on second-seeded Saint Louis in the Nov. 6 semifinals.

The Bears (8-3), ranked tenth in the Hawaiian Electric Division I Power Rankings, run a four-wide receiver set with a nice balance of running and passing in part to the athleticism of sophomore quarterback Chayce Akaka.

"He's only 14 (years old)," Baldwin's first-year coach Pohai Lee said of Akaka. "He'll make 15 in December. He's an athletic kid."

The No. 6 Seariders (8-3) have primarily run the ball this season. It's a game-time decision as to who gets the handoff first. The Seariders have used as many as 10 different running backs behind quarterback Jaren Ulu.

"With our kids, we have some big kids and some hard runners, so we try to run more, try to shorten the game," Waianae first-year coach Walter Young said. "Our key is shorten the game with long drives and we'll be OK."

But each team is prepared to face the other's offense.

Baldwin has been using a spread formation for decades, while the rest of the league has basically stayed with the run. Lee said his team is used to preparing for running teams. Except the Seariders are extraordinary when executing their dives, traps, counters and sweeps.

"The MIL is primarily a run-base league," Lee said. "We've seen that quite a bit, but Waianae has a stable of running backs. So it's going to be tough. They have a system, so we have our hands full."

Running backs Jurick Valdez and Javen Towne lead the Seariders in rushing attempts and rushing yards, combining for 194 carries for 1,050 yards. Then there are backs such as Jorell Pontes-Borje and Ezekiah Moniz-Hopeau, who have just under half as many rushes as Valdez and Towne, but average most yards per carry (8.8 and 7.6, respectively).

When Waianae throws, Isaiah Freeney has been the obvious target with a team-leading 22 receptions for 621 yards and six TDs. No other Waianae receiver has double-digit receptions.

One of the Bears' key players on defense who will have the task of controlling Waianae's running game is linebacker Kawena Alo-Kaonohi.

Waianae has been exposed to spread formations from playing against teams in its own Red Division of the Oahu Interscholastic Association, such as Leilehua, Kaiser and Castle, as well as against Mililani in the OIA tournament. The Seariders have had to deal with athletic QBs, such as Kaiser's Nic Tom and Mililani's McKenzie Milton (in previous seasons). Now they will have to deal with Akaka, who led the Maui Interscholastic League in passing (1,640 yards, 20 TD to 4 INTs) and was third in rushing (344 yards, 5 TDs).

"We'll just have to contain him, keep him in the pocket." Waianae's Young said. "Make him make plays from the pocket. Don't let him get outside."

To keeps defenses honest, the Bears have the second-leading rusher in the MIL in running back Kamaki Gouveia (640 yards, 9 TDs). But their most dangerous player might be wide receiver/returner/defensive back Laakea Kahoohanohano-Davis, who is tied for the MIL lead in scoring with 66 points (six TDs) with Gouveia.

The Seariders' defense has allowed 266.5 yards per game, nearly equal against the run and pass.