Kohala Cowboys

Head coach: Jay Blanco (1st season)
Offensive coordinator: Dominique Acorda
Defensive coordinator: Edwin Valenzuela

Players to watch: RB Legend Iibron (5-10, 145, Sr.), QB Kona Ledward (5-10, 150, Sr.), RB/DL Tamatasi Sauta (5-10, 257, Jr.), WR/LB Damien Padilla (5-3, 158, Sr.), WR/DB Onipaa Tavares-Matsuda (5-10, 156, Sr.)

Coach's words: "They are more mature, confident and hungry. They're ready to take the next step to be one of the top contenders in Division II. Our coaching staff believes in these athletes because they have a strong competitive nature, where they know how to push themselves and each other beyond their breaking point to reach their goal. I think Division II is wide open. With the year off due to the pandemic, every team is starting from scratch. Anybody can take it this year, it's just a matter of who can come together the quickest as a team and execute. We believe that we are right in the mix as being tops of the division." - Jay Blanco

SL's take: After back-to-back winless 8-man seasons in 2017 and 2018, the Cowboys enjoyed a resurgence in 2019, when they posted a 3-5 record in their first year of 11-man football, good enough for a third-place finish in the BIIF D2 standings behind Kamehameha-Hawaii and Hawaii Prep. Blanco had been an assistant with the program for five years before he was tabbed as the successor to former coach Chad Atkins in September of last year. Blanco believes his offense can be dynamic through the air, but also play smash-mouth football when it has to, while the defense is a well-balanced one with size up front and speed on the back end.

SCHEDULE

Sat Oct 23	Pahoa	L, Forfeit
Sat Oct 30	@ Kau	W, 27-0
Fri Nov 05	@ Honokaa	L, 29-6
Sat Nov 13	Hawaii Prep	L, 24-14
Sat Nov 20	@ KS-Hawaii	L, 21-7