Kalani's Noah Brum was named ScoringLive's top Division II offensive player of the first half of the 2013 prep football season. Greg Yamamoto | SL

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Kalani's Noah Brum was named ScoringLive's top Division II offensive player of the first half of the 2013 prep football season. Greg Yamamoto | SL

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With eight weeks of prep football in the books and the regular season beginning to wind down, it's time to hand out some midseason awards at the midpoint of the season. After much discussion and evaluation, the ScoringLive staff collaborated on the following picks for offensive and defensive most valuable players, as well as coach of the year, for both Division I and Division II.

Today, we reveal our D2 picks. Tomorrow, we'll unveil our D1 selections.

Division II

Offensive MVP: Noah Brum, Kalani
Apologies to: Brandon Howes, Konawaena; Thomas Leong, Kaiser; Cody Lui-Yuen, Radford; Bobby Lum, Hawaii Prep; Jordan Ross, Iolani; Chazz Troutmann, Nanakuli.

Brum is the trigger-man in the Falcons' pass-happy offense, which ranks second (behind Radford) in Division 2 in total offense. He leads D2 in completions (160), pass attempts (295), total passing yards (2,407), yards per game (300.9) and touchdown passes (31). He is completing passes at a rate of 54.2 percent has thrown just nine interceptions or once every 32.8 pass attempts. Against Roosevelt in week 6, Brum passed for a season-high 431 yards and six touchdowns. He has eclipsed 300 passing yards in four consecutive games and threw 12 touchdowns with four interceptions during that stretch. In a week-3 win over Pearl City, Brum was an efficient 17-of-24 passing (70.8 percent) for a season-low 180 yards, but threw for four touchdowns without an interception. As a junior, Brum threw for 1,701 yards with 16 touchdowns against 11 interceptions and completed 50.4 percent of his passes. This year, Brum has three of the OIA White's top receivers statistically to throw to in Trevor Yamashita (45 rec.-786 yds.-8 TDs), Brandon Roberts (49-624-13) and Blaise Manabe (33-470-5), respectively.

Defensive MVP: Hercules Mataafa, Lahainaluna
Apologies to: Fitou Fisiiahi, Kaiser.

This was a two-horse race between Fisiiahi, the Cougars' standout linebacker/running back, and Mataafa, the main man in the Lunas' stalwart defense. Rob Collias, sportswriter for The Maui News, calls Mataafa "an unstoppable force when his motor is running" and "the best player in this league who is actually playing," referring to former Baldwin linebacker and University of Oregon-recruit Jordan Hoiem, who decided to retire from football before his senior season. Mataafa, who at least six Division-I scholarship offers, opened eyes on Oahu in the semifinals and finals of the D2 state tournament last Fall. The 6-foot-3, 235-pound senior defensive end had four tackles — three for losses, including a 9-yard sack — and a forced fumble in a 28-0 win over Nanakuli and a team-high eight tackles with two for losses and one quarterback hurry in a 36-33 loss to Iolani. Mataafa scored on a 34-yard fumble return in a 28-13 win over Kapaa on Aug. 17 of this year. The Lunas are allowing an anemic 5.7 points and 133.2 yards per game by opposing offenses and have allowed more than seven points just once this season, including a pair of shutouts.

Coach of the Year: Greg Taguchi, Kalani
Apologies to: Tommy Cox, Kauai; Jordan Hayslip, Hawaii Prep; Robin Kami, Pearl City; Rich Miano, Kaiser; Fred Salanoa, Radford; Garret Tihada/Robert Watson (co-head coaches), Lahainaluna; Cliff Walters, Konawaena.

Taguchi, who is in his 13th season as head coach at Kalani in three different stints, has done what no other Falcons' coach has done by clinching a postseason berth this year. Kalani is 5-2 in the OIA White this season and has won five of its last six games, including three straight. The season started with two straight losses by a combined 113 to 56 — although they were to six-time D2 state champ Iolani (51-36) and top OIA White-contender Kaiser (62-20). Since then, however, Taguchi's squad has outscored the opposition 268 points to 130. They are averaging a hefty 40.5 points and 383 yards per game offensively and have scored 60 points twice this season, including Saturday's 60-6 win over Anuenue. To be sure, Taguchi and his players have benefitted from the tutelage of offensive coordinator Ron Lee and defensive coordinator Cal Lee. Both were former University of Hawaii assistants and Cal Lee led Saint Louis to 18 ILH championships, 14 Prep Bowls and the first-ever HHSAA state championship in 1999.