Waianae Seariders

Interim Head coach: Matt Murakawa (1st season)
Offensive coordinator: Bobby George
Defensive coordinator: Ryan Lancaster

Players to watch: RB/SB Alvin "Kolu" Quisquirin-Sabagala (5-9, 200, Sr.), LB Tamatele Nakoa (5-9, 185, Sr.), LB Chanceston Molina (6-0, 220, Sr.), WR Emanuel Carter (5-10, 170, Sr.), OT Josh Kopp (6-3, 300, Sr.)

Coach's words: "It has been a year like no other. We all feel blessed that we can have a football season again. This has really taught all of us not to take things for granted. We have not played football in two years, so I'm really not sure how we stack up to the other teams, but I do like how hard we are working and we are all excited to play games to see how good we are." - Matt Murakawa

SL's take: A new season brings a new coach for the Seariders - their third in four years. Mike Fanoga is out after one season; He departed for a college job in the state of Florida in late June, which left very little time for a coaching search. Murakawa, who was most recently JV head coach, was elevated to the varsity staff and tabbed as the interim coach by athletic director Kekoa Kaluhiokalani. Murakawa, a 1980 Waianae graduate, is a bit of a renaissance man, having left his job in the business world more than a decade ago to return to school and become a teacher. Now entering his ninth year teaching math at his alma mater, Murakawa is hoping the Seariders follow his lead and embrace the unfamiliar. In other words, throw the football. With George, a former all-state QB at Saint Louis on board in his first season as OC, Murakawa says the offense is "committed to throwing the ball." They have the QB to do it in Tarent Moniz-Babb (5-11, 165, Jr.), who has improved exponentially since his freshman year, when he ran an RPO-based system as the JV QB. Moniz-Babb worked extensively with George during the offseason and now has a better understanding of the offense, Murakawa noted. Of course, it helps to have a supreme talent like Quisquirin-Sabagala to give the ball to. As a sophomore in 2019, Quisquirin-Sabagala ran for 1,002 yards, including a school-record 245 yards and two touchdowns on 47 carries against Kamehameha and earned Second Team All-Hawaii honors. Expect Quisquirin-Sabagala get his share of carries, but also receiving targets out of the slot as the short pass operates almost like a run play in this offense. He possesses soft hands and has excellent body control for being a bigger back; His agility is evident with his ability to change directions on a dime. Carter can run the 40-yard dash in 4.4 seconds and is the downfield threat among the wideouts. Defensively, Murakawa subscribes to the theory that 'if you have guys, let them play,' so he simplified what he felt was an overly-complicated playbook in the hopes that the unit can 'play fast.'

SCHEDULE

Fri Oct 15	@ Mililani		L, 49-6
Sat Oct 23	Leilehua		W, 47-6
Fri Oct 29	@ Campbell		L, 39-0
Sat Nov 06	Kahuku		L, 50-7
Fri Nov 12	Farrington		W, 49-20
Fri Nov 19	@ Kapolei		W, 12-3
Sat Dec 04	Kahuku	at Farrington	L, 33-7
Sat Dec 11	Campbell	at Waipahu	L, 33-14