Kekaulike Na Alii

Head coach/offensive coordinator: Tyson Valle (5th season)
Defensive coordinator: Joe Nekaifes

Players to watch: QB Jacob Poouahi (5-10, 186, Sr.), RB/LB Oakley Dillion (5-10, 185, Jr.), OL Mark Ragudo (5-8, 310, Sr.), C Ivan Yap (5-9, 245, Sr.), DB Calvin Tamayose (5-6, 160, Jr.)

Coach's words: "This season we are expecting to see a more dominant running game offensively and a much more aggressive defense. We feel we will stack up very well this year." - Tyson Valle

SL's take: The 2019 season was a breakthrough one, to be sure, for Na Alii. They ended a 41-game losing streak in their very first game of the season - and came to Oahu to do it - with a 30-0 win over McKinley at Farringtons Edward 'Skippa' Diaz Stadium at Kusunoki Field. Although it was swept by Lahainaluna, Kamehameha-Maui and Baldwin, King Kekaulike won both meetings against Division-I Maui High. It did, however, see a large number of players complete their eligibility in both 2019 and 2020, including All-Hawaii second team utility selection, Trey Hunter. The arrival of Tysyn Estrella (5-9, 240, Sr.), who was an All-MIL second team all-star DL at Lahainaluna two years ago (as selected by The Maui News) provides a much-needed boost to both sides of the ball as he will be part of a stable of RBs in the offensive backfield, in addition to a key part of the linebacking corps on defense. Austin Gomes (5-7, 150, Jr.) and Rysin Zackious (5-4, 150, Jr.) will both play inside receiver, or SB, while the former will also take some snaps at QB and the latter will rotate in at RB. The offensive line should be a strong point with a pair of well-seasoned seniors in Ragudo and Yap, who, as sophomores, were All-MIL Honorable Mention and Second Team selections, respectively. Tamayose will be tasked with leading a very young defensive secondary. The defense as a whole - which allowed 31.2 points per game in 2019 - is a question mark. It was toasted for 51, 41 and 40 points in King Kekaulike's final three games of that season, but its offense didn't fare much better, as it averaged a meager 16.2 points per game. With talent on the o-line and a number of capable ball-carriers, Na Alii should fare well in its run game, but a lack of experience at the rest of the skill positions will be a tough task to negotiate this fall.

SCHEDULE

Sat Oct 23	Baldwin	at War Memorial	L, 22-0
Fri Oct 29	Lahainaluna		L, 48-7
Fri Nov 05	@ KS-Maui		L, 58-27
Fri Nov 19	Maui		L, 36-0
Fri Dec 03	KS-Maui		L, 38-0
Fri Dec 10	@ KS-Maui		L, 31-0