Hawaii Prep World will be releasing summer previews of all 29 Oahu varsity football teams in advance of the 2017 season that kicks off in early August.
28TH IN A SERIES
WAIALUA BULLDOGS
>> 2016 record and finish: 7-3 (5-2 OIA D-II); beat Kaimuki 19-14 in first round of OIA D-II playoffs, beat Waipahu 36-35 in OIA D-II championship game, lost 40-0 to Damien in first round of the D-II state tournament
>> Number of returning starters: 6 offense, 5 defense
>> Number of returning seniors: 9
>> Number of starters lost to graduation: 6 offense, 7 defense
>> Number of seniors lost to graduation: 22
>> Honolulu Star-Advertiser All-State selections lost to graduation: None
>> Honolulu Star-Advertiser All-State selections returning: None
>> Among 2017 key offensive returnees: Joshua Franks, Jr., C; Kyler Dicion, So., WR; Zyler Lawrence, So., WR; Hunter Apau, Fr., WR; Tevesi Toia, Sr., QB
>> Among 2017 key defensive returnees: Matthan Hatchie, Sr., DT; Emilio Lorenzo, Sr., DE; Kymani Ayonon Sr., S; Dayton Supebedia, Sr., CB; Jonah Maples, Jr., LB
>> Bulldogs with Division I FBS college offers: Matthan Hatchie, Sr., DT
>> All-time state championships: None
>> All-time Prep Bowl (1973-1998) championships: None
>> All-time OIA championships: 7 (*including one co-championship; D-I — 1941, 1947*, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955; D-II — 2016)
>> 2017 conference: OIA D-II
>> 2017 state tournament declaration: D-II
Head coach LINCOLN BARIT on the Bulldogs’ outlook for 2017:
“We’ve got 34 on the varsity and we had 37 sign up in February for JV. We’re hoping they show up because the JV numbers are low. When school starts, there could be a lot of players coming late.
“In the summer 7-on-7 passing league, our numbers are low. Hopefully, it’ll pick up when school starts.
“With winning the (OIA D-II) championship last year, we have a bull’s-eye on our backs. We are the defending champs. We’ve been working out and lifting weights the whole summer, and looking good, especially Matthan Hatchie. He is our go-to guy on defense and he has a full-ride offer from UH.
“We’re going into the season one game at a time. Like last year, we’ve set goals. We’d love to win one game at a time, make the playoffs, make the OIAs, make the states and then try to win the states. Our goals haven’t changed much.
“The community was so very supportive and awesome last year. In all the years I’ve been coaching at Waialua, I hadn’t seen the support like I saw last year. The bus ride up to the stadium, everybody was there. It was so awesome. And on the way back, too. They were there cheering us on. We took a ride around town. Real supportive. I’m so grateful and thankful for the community and the school administration, the players and the coaches and their wives and family. That’s all the support you need.
“We’ve got a young team. We have certain players that we gotta build our young boys around them. The quarterback, Tevesi Toia, and our running backs and receivers have experience. Our O-line is thin, but we’ve got great coaches in Micah (Hatchie) and Alika (Schultz) and they will put it together and make it work.
“With (Matthan) Hatchie and (Emilio) Lorenzo at ends and (Jonah) Maples at linebacker and (Kymani) Ayonon and (Dayton) Supebedia as the DBs, we will try to build the younger boys around them. Those guys will be the leaders on defense.
“There are a lot of good teams in our conference. They’re well coached and have good support. It should be a good race. I wish everybody luck. Hopefully we make it to the playoffs and we will try to repeat. We’ll let the season take its course.”
2017 Waialua football schedule
Subject to change. Click here for the latest schedule updates.
Friday, July 28
>> Waialua at Radford, 5 p.m. (scrimmage)
Saturday, Aug. 5
>> Waialua at Waiakea, 2:30 p.m. (nonleague)
Saturday, Aug. 12
>> Waialua vs. Kaimuki, at Skippa Diaz Stadium, 6:30 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 25
>> Waialua at Pearl City, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 2
>> Waialua vs. Kalani, at Kaiser Stadium, 6:30 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 8
>> Waialua at Waipahu, 7:30 p.m.
Friday Sept. 15
>> McKinley at Waialua, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 22
>> Waialua vs. Kalaheo, at Kailua High field, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 6
>> Roosevelt at Waialua, 7:30 p.m.
2017 Waialua varsity football staff
>> Head coach: Lincoln Barit (42-81, 15th season)
>> Offensive coordinator: Keoki Barit
>> Quarterbacks: Tafao Lele and Harry Katekista
>> Defensive coordinator: Terry Onizuka
>> Linebackers: Jacob Barit and Justin Barit
>> Running backs: Ian Fujinaga
>> Wide receivers: Tony Nery and Manny Diaz
>> Offensive line: Micah Hatchie and Alika Schultz
>> Defensive line: George Hatchie and Mark Talaeai
>> Defensive line: John Supebedia and John Kaaiawaawa
>> Defensive backs: Andrew Perry
>> Special teams: John Rosa
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