Waiakea’s football team celebrated homecoming last season with a resounding thud, losing 35-0 to rival Hilo. Even with a driving rain, the defeat wasn’t all that hard for Warriors coach Moku Pita to take.
Later in the season, the Warriors absorbed a 43-16 loss at Kealakehe, closing a two-win regular season. No matter, Pita figured, we’ll get ‘em the next time.
With all four BIIF teams in each division guaranteed a spot in the playoffs, Pita didn’t hide the fact that he treated the regular season as a series of scrimmages that determined home-field advantage.
This season, however, the tuneups end with the preseason.