Lahainaluna football is back! With the bitter taste of second place still lingering in their mouths, the Lunas are back focused and playing with a purpose - to capture that elusive State football championship. Many of the players dedicated their summers to working out and getting ready for this season. Hope the ride lasts past Thanksgiving!
The Lunas had played well in scrimmages against various Big Island teams on the Big Island a few weeks ago. Today was the first opportunity for their Lahaina fans to see the team.
Talent is there, led by senior All-State defensive end Hercules Mataafa, who already has several Division I scholarship offers under his belt, and junior Sione Makoa Filikitonga, who had breakout performances in the HHSAA playoffs last year after playing JV for most of the season. The Lunas are deep in the backfield, led by Jared Rocha, Christian Whitehead, Kaimana Ancog, Ekolu Chang, Ansen Cabanilla, and freshman David Kawabata.
Lunas are first and foremost a running, mis-direction team. But they return several players capable of making players at the receiver position. Scott Isaac Medeiros-Tangatailoa, Jared Purdy, Amateo Flores, Zach Martin, Pono Lolohea and speedster Emerson Liburd look to provide deep threats for Filikitonga and Fonohema.
The game will be won in the trenches and the Lunas have some talent. Mowat is considered one of the top two-way lineman in the league and as a junior, has stepped up into a vocal leadership role. JT Valmoja-Kaleikini, Vaituuloa Puteni, Sosaia Tupola, and Danniel Sulunga-Kahaialii are also dependable. Justin Hong, a valuable member of the line from last year, was in Oregon at the start of the school year and has yet to practice with the team. Hopefully, he will be able to return because he is a beast.
As always, the defense is solid. In addition to Mataafa and Mowat, they have dependable sure handed tacklers in Connor Rosen St. John, Bronson Kaina and a bigger Brandon Kaina. Senior Pousima Galoia will be a stopper in the middle, assuming he can get healthy. The defensive backfield looks to make plays again like last year, led by Fonohema and Ancog with help from Medeiros-Tangatailoa, Purdy and Jacob Ramirez.
The kicking game is also looking good with Jared Rocha handling the primary kicking duties. Fonohema was dependable kicking extra points last year. The team will look to Ancog to handle punting duties.
The team was bolstered by the return of several players who were not with the program last year for one reason or another. Among the returnees include senior Nathaniel Hapakuka-Nunuha, a former boarder who was a standout player for the JV his freshman and sophomore years. His cousin Manu Hapakuka-Lono also returns. He was a standout player his JV freshman year but was plagued with injuries and eligibility issues his sophomore year. Glad to see them back reunited with their buddies Purdy and Kaleikini. Also returning are junior Robert Campos Pedroza, who started at linebacker as a freshman but didn't play last year to concentrate on wrestling; senior Solomone Loketi, a talented athlete who will hopefully play the whole season; junior Ryan Delatori, who played JV his freshman year but concentrated on baseball his sophomore year and Kawika Kinimaka, who saw time at quarterback his sophomore year in JV and provides a capable back-up to Filikitonga and Fonohema.
First preseason game is scheduled for August 17, 2013 against Kapa'a at War Memorial Stadium.
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