Despite a week of heavy rain around the islands, Waialua coach Lincoln Barit has probably seen his share of sunshine.
Barit spent the week preparing his Bulldogs for a clash with reigning OIA White champion Nanakuli. The Golden Hawks have weapons all over the field, but none of them are as important as running back Sunshine Anuenue.
Anuenue is averaging 120.5 yards per game in his last two contests after being bottled up by Kapaa in the opener. The Golden Hawks won the two games he went over 100 yards, they lost the one he was limited to 38.
Not that running over the Bulldogs has ever been too difficult over the years. Keala Watson has had a back reach the magic number once in the two times he has matched wits with Barit, and the only time he fell short was in 2013 when Eric-Au Hoon-Kaawa was only credited with 97.
Watson won both of those clashes, by 29 points last year and by three the year before. Barit hasn’t beaten Nanakuli since 2011.
Barit’s boys handled the Nanakuli running game pretty well before Watson took over, limiting Derrick Mane to 65 yards in 2011 and Lalo Respicio to 48 in 2007. Barit is 0-2-1 the the three times he has allowed Nanakuli’s top runner over the century mark and 2-1 when he has held the Golden Hawks down.
The top two rushing games in Nanakuli’s history have come against its rival to the North, albeit before the current coaches took over. Robert Naeole thrashed Waialua for 274 yards in 1999 for second on the list and Rusty Lawson had 272 against the Bulldogs in 2001.
Chazz Troutman holds the school record with a 302-yard game against Anuenue.
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