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Baldwin Bears

Head coach: Pohai Lee (6th season)
Offensive coordinator: Brandon Asuega-Stark
Defensive coordinator: John Jakubczak

Players to watch: WR Nathen Foster (5-9, 165, Sr.), DB Logan Randall (5-11, 135, Sr.), LB/RB Jonathan Bacos (5-10, 200, Sr.), LB/RB Ezra Laga (5-10, 205, Sr.), DB Jack Yoruw (5-10, 155, Sr.)

Coach's words: "Our expectations for the program haven't changed in regards to team goals. We'll definitely have our challenges ahead of us. After a year and a half without football, we have to re-learn every physical aspect of preparedness and how to be coachable. We're encouraged by the young talent and the attitudes that the players have been bringing to workouts this preseason. The MIL has continued to be competitive. It's no secret what Lahainaluna has done in the four years prior to COVID. Making the move to D1 definitely shakes things up. Maui High has a lot of numbers, size and talent. Kamehameha-Maui may have low numbers, but their coaches get the most out of their group and King Kekaulike has continued to progress year in and year out and they'll battle the entire 48 minutes. In all honestly, I believe the entire MIL could play D1 and compete; that's how much the league has improved over the years." - Pohai Lee

SL's take: The Bears returned to the state tournament in 2019 after a two-year absence. They posted a 5-3 record in league play to capture the MIL Division I title, before falling short in a play-in game against Leilehua, 34-7. Nearly all of the offensive production from that team has graduated, with the most prolific returnees being Laga (13 rushes for 89 yards, TD) and Foster (14 receptions for 161 yards, TD), who ranked third on the team in rushing and receiving, respectively, two years ago. Laga and Bacos will be looked to anchor the linebacking corps, which will also get a boost from LB/WR Isaac Kaalakea (6-0, 160, Jr.) and LB Toa Malosi Mataafa-Grove (5-11, 215, So.). Randall and Yoruw were both sophomores on varsity in 2019 and will be expected to serve as leaders in the secondary. Although relatively low in numbers this season, Lee is high on his core group of seniors; it's just a matter of finding the right mix of underclassmen to fill in the pukas. With a slew of sophomore talent up on the varsity, the young Bears will endure their share growing pains in 2021.

SCHEDULE

Sat Oct 23  Kekaulikeat War MemorialW, 22-0
Sat Nov 06  Lahainalunaat War MemorialL, 40-12
Sat Nov 13  Mauiat War MemorialL, 40-0
Sat Nov 20  KS-Mauiat War MemorialL, 34-19
Sat Dec 04@   Lahainaluna L, 29-22
Sat Dec 11  Mauiat War MemorialL, 32-22

league games bold *non-league **HHSAA tournament


2019 TEAM STATS

AVERAGESOFFENSEDEFENSE
POINTS19.522.8
YARDS183.3222.9
PASS121.3118.9
RUSH62.0104.0

TEAM CAPSULES


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