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WAIALUA BULLDOGS
>> 2015 record and finish: 5-5 (4-4 ILH D-II); lost 23-6 to Radford in the OIA D-II semifinals
>> Number of returning starters: 14 (6 offense, 8 defense)
>> Number of returning seniors: 15
>> Number of starters lost to graduation: 8
>> Number of seniors lost to graduation: 12
>> Honolulu Star-Advertiser All-State selections lost to graduation: None
>> Honolulu Star-Advertiser All-State selections returning: None
>> OIA D-II All-Stars lost to graduation: Kaimi Kamai (second-team OL), Aaron Nunez (second-team DL)
>> OIA D-II All-Stars returning: Lancen Kuni (first-team DB), Dayton Kaopua-Lee (second-team LB)
>> Among 2016 key offensive returnees: Kapono Kamai (OL, Sr.), Tavesi Toia (QB/SB, Jr.), Daytin Vidad-Albeso (SB, Sr.), Sam Merrill (WR, Sr.)
>> Among 2016 key defensive returnees: Lancen Kuni (DB, Sr.), Dayton Kaopua-Lee (LB, Sr.), Matthan Hatchie (DT, Jr.), Brendan Souza (LB, Sr.), Julian Fely-Menor (S, Sr.), Kymani Ayonon (S, Jr.)
>> Bulldogs with Division I FBS college offers: None
>> All-time state championships: None
>> All-time Prep Bowl (1973-1998) championships: None
>> All-time OIA championships: 6 (*including one co-championship; all D-I — 1941, 1947*, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955)
>> 2016 conference: OIA D-II
Head coach LINCOLN BARIT on the Bulldogs’ outlook for 2016:
“Things are going fine so far. We’ve got a few kids that come out, 20 of them. Not all of the kids are coming out, with Waimea Bay in the summer and all the beaches they go to. We’ve got those select few committed boys coming out, the ones that are returning from last year.
“We were expecting to have 33 players on the varsity, but some may decide not to play this year, so we’re looking at about 30. Before school ended, 37 had signed up for the JV and during summer we had about 12 show up.
“Every day, we talk to the leaders, the seniors, and tell them to try and get in touch with the players to come out. The sooner, the better. What we gotta do is conditioning. That’s the most important thing. The boys will be playing both ways, so that will be a top priority.
“Last year, we had good leadership from our seniors, so this year, we’re trying to emphasize to the upcoming seniors that this is their team and they’ve got to lead and be mentors to younger boys. We had a young team last year, 12 seniors, but they did a good job and we made the playoffs. We tell the juniors going to be seniors that they can do the same thing. As long as they lead, the younger guys will follow.
“Our goal last year was to make the playoffs and hopefully states and it’s the same this year. We’ve got a good corps of skill-position players returning, but we’re lean on linemen. We told the boys, we gotta get over the hump and make it to states. We’ve been making the playoffs and if we can get there again, we’ve got to work as hard as we can to get to states.
“Lancen (Kuni), a returning All-Star cornerback, doesn’t have the height, but he has good speed. He’s a polished player who also plays basketball and is an all-around athlete. We’ll be running him at slotback too. Dayton (Kaopua-Lee) is a terror at linebacker too, and Kymani (Ayonon) is an awesome safety.
“Aside from wins and losses and our goals to make the playoffs and states, we are working on teaching the players to become good citizens and make sure they get a good education. Most guys won’t be playing football after this.”
2016 Waialua football schedule
Check here for the latest schedule updates: http://bit.ly/2958rWe
>> July 28: Pac-Five (scrimmage only)
>> Aug. 5: Honokaa
>> Aug 13: vs. Kaimuki, at Kaiser Stadium
>> Aug. 19/20: Bye
>> Aug. 27: Kalani
>> Sept. 2: Pearl City
>> Sept. 10: Kalaheo
>> Sept. 16: at Roosevelt
>> Sept. 23: Waipahu
>> Sept. 30/Oct. 1: Bye
>> Oct. 8: vs. McKinley, at Ticky Vasconcellos Stadium
2016 Waialua varsity football staff
>> Head coach: Lincoln Barit (35-78, 14th season)
>> Offensive coordinator and quarterbacks: Tafao Lele
>> Defensive coordinator and linebackers: Terry Onizuka
>> Wide receivers: Ian Fujinaga
>> Wide receivers: Tony Nery
>> Running backs: Keoki Barit
>> Running backs: John Rosa
>> Offensive line: Daniel Kapika
>> Offensive line: Alika Schultz
>> Defensive line: George Hatchie
>> Defensive line: John Supebedia
>> Defensive ends: John Kaaiawaawa
>> Inside linebackers: Jacob Barit
>> Outside linebackers: Justin Barit
>> Defensive backs: Todd Sales
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