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Nanakuli Golden Hawks

Head coach/Offensive coordinator: Kili Watson (4th season)
Defensive coordinator: Nick Griffin

Players to watch: OL Josiah Aleka (5-10, 275, Sr.), SB Allen Mahoe (5-6, 140, Jr.), SB David Kalili (5-6, 140, Jr.), LB Kextyn Cafa (6-1, 210, Sr.), DL Kanai Acosta-Mendoza (5-10, 180, Jr.)

Coach's words: "Like many other teams, we are eager to just get back out on the field during these challenging times. It'll be an exciting season for ourselves, along with everyone else." - Kili Watson

SL's take: The Golden Hawks came up one win shy of qualifying for the fourth and final spot in the OIA Division tournament in 2019. Their final two contests that season - a 45-14 loss at Kaiser followed by a 55-10 defeat at the hands of Roosevelt - have left a bit of a bitter taste in the mouths of the few players who do return from that squad. Two of the more experienced players are Kalili and Mahoe, both of whom were pulled up to the varsity as freshmen two years ago. Kalili has arguably the best hands on the team, while Mahoe's strength is incredible deceiving for his size. While Watson has always tried to avoid having players go two ways, he expects Mahoe and Kalili to do so as DBs. Mililani-transfer Joseph Lewis (5-9, 172, Sr.) adds depth to the SB position, but can also play WR. The RB duties will be split between Kaimi Asinsin (5-10, 190, So.) and Blaze Baltazar (5-6, 145, So.). The pair are complementary: Asinsin is a bigger back, while Balthazar is more of a scatback-type. Watson said all of the slotbacks can be rotated in at running back as well, and vice versa. Hansen Salausa (6-1, 190, Jr.) played QB at the JV level in 2019, but will be looked to contribute at WR this fall. Assuming the QB job is lefty Keahi Ah Sue (5-10, 175, Sr.), who has impressed Watson with his football smarts and strong arm. Unfortunately for the Golden Hawks, Ah Sue's top target, 6-foot-6 WR Mason Muaau, transferred late in the summer to Saint Louis. Aleka, who has been on the varsity squad since he was a freshman, is the lone senior on the OL, while Isaiah Enriques (5-8, 260, Jr.) is the only returnee on the DL. Acosta-Mendoza, however, has shown he can be an effective pass rusher off the edge. Cafa will be the key defender at the second level, but will get help from Kainalu Lewis (5-9, 165, Jr.). Another Mililani-transfer, Branztyn Reyes (5-9, 175, Sr.), will oversee the secondary from his safety position.

SCHEDULE

Sat Oct 23  Kalaheoat RadfordW, 49-0
Sat Oct 30  Kaimukiat FarringtonW, 41-6
Fri Nov 05  Pearl City L, 14-13
Sat Nov 13  McKinley W, 70-26
Fri Nov 19  Kaiser L, 38-32
Fri Nov 26  Kalaniat KaiserL, 34-21
Fri Dec 03  Waialua W, 58-7
Fri Dec 10  Radford W, 30-12

league games bold *non-league **HHSAA tournament


2019 TEAM STATS

AVERAGESOFFENSEDEFENSE
POINTS21.024.4
YARDS277.3249.7
PASS122.9193.1
RUSH154.456.6

TEAM CAPSULES


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