The Hawaii high school football season kicks off this weekend, marking the first time in over three decades that Aiea will take the field without Wendell Say as the team's head coach.
After amassing 138 wins in 31 years, Say has retired from coaching and is now an administrator at Kamehameha.
Filling the void is long-time assistant Mika Li'ili'i, who says the green-and-white aims to perpetuate the culture set by Say while remaining a contender in the OIA's Division I.
"Yeah, I think what he left us with is pretty much in that way where it wasn't only about the game of football, but it was also life lessons along the way," Li'ili'i said. "Through this game of football, through coaching boys into men, they had that all instilled into this program. His speeches said it all after every practice or game—that it's not about you, it's not about winning or losing. It's not about this game, but it's about what we learned along the way, which I take from Coach Say every day."
Senior wide receiver Jheremie Cacpal shared his confidence in the team's potential under Li'ili'i's leadership.
"I've been playing for him ever since I was in middle school, and he was always like a strict coach. You know, I was scared of him, but along the years, I was his main guy and he could trust me," Cacpal said. "I tell all my family, all my teammates, I have a good feeling about this season, with Coach Mika as our head coach, and we have high potential."
Na Ali'i will play all of their scheduled home games at Radford due to construction on Aiea's home field. The season kicks off Friday night at Roosevelt.
In case you're wondering, Season 12 of "Cover2: Hawaii High School Football Weekly" will begin on September 5, airing every Thursday night at 9:30 on KHON-2. The season will run for 13 weeks and conclude with the Cover2 Awards Show and State Championship games preview on Thanksgiving night, starting at 9 p.m.