Lahainaluna is leaping into Division I football, or so they hope.
The four-time defending state champions in D-II have offered a proposal to the Maui Interscholastic League with the intention of moving to D-I for the upcoming football season, according to co-head coach Dean Rickard.
“We sat down as a coaching staff and talked about it. We listened to what the kids, what their thoughts are. They ask how come we can’t play (in D-I). I think we’ve had some pretty good seasons so it’s time to see,” Rickard said on Tuesday night. “My understanding is that we put in requests after the second (state) championship.”
The MIL, comprising of administrators from Maui, Lanai and Molokai, will vote on the proposal.
“We’re just waiting for word to see what they decide. It was nice to see it in the form of a proposal. Our AD (Scott Soldswisch) submitted it and it’s up to voting by the board. I’m not sure who makes the final decision. I’m sure there’s a lot of jockeying and stuff,” Rickard said.
The Lunas were very competitive against many of the state's top teams prior to the installment of the Open and D-II classifications. After D-II became an option in 2003, Lahainaluna reached the state final in football in ’07, ’12 and ’14. They broke the door down in ’16 with Tihada and Bobby Watson at the helm. Rickard was promoted to co-head coach in ’19 when Tihada stepped away.
Last season, the Lunas went 11-1, including 8-0 in MIL play against D-I and D-II foes. They outscored opponents 417-121. The depth of the program is another big plus.
“The last couple of years we’ve had 40 to 50 kids who turn out for JV,” Rickard said.
Rickard noted that previous co-head coach Garret Tihada had talked about moving up. Tihada, at the time, noted that a move by Lunas football to the MIL’s highest division might not go over well with other D-I gridiron programs.
“I’ve heard that too, but it doesn’t matter. You still go out there with the best you got. We were never trying to run away from anything,” Rickard said.
One suggestion from within the league was that the MIL send its champion to the D-I state tourney and its runner-up to the D-II state bracket. However, the HHSAA requires schools to declare classification for all sports before the academic year begins.
Lahainaluna co-head coach Dean Rickard
The future is something the Lunas normally don’t get heavily invested in when it comes to preparation on the field. D-I, D-II, they will prepare the way they always have.
“Hopefully, there will be a season. We’ll be fine with anything,” Rickard said. “For us as a coaching staff and players, it would be a letdown (to stay in D-II), but not to the point where we’re going to fret over it. It’s more for the community and the perspective of the fans. They’ll be, ‘How come?’ For us, it’ll be business as usual. We try to schedule good competitive (preseason) games against D1 schools to prepare. We owe Damien a game on Oahu, and hopefully any other D1 school. Kapaa wanted to continue.”
The possibility that football would begin later in fall, or even in winter, is something coaches are open to.
“We already do big boys league here in the spring on Maui. I think the HHSAA knows that without football, it’s hard to generate revenue. I think there’s a lot of thinking outside of the box this year, being creative with this season,” Rickard said. “We heard rumors of the season being cut short, cut in half. You’re looking at three or four games and then playoffs, just different options. We have an eight-game season. I’m all for the season being in the spring (if necessary), to tell the truth.”
The Lunas and every football program has been tipped off course.
“We should’ve been in spring ball. We haven’t seen our kids. It’s hard. A lot of coaches hear their kids saying they’re working out. The true athletes are taking care of themselves,” he said.
‘Iolani, which dominated D-II for years, reached the D-I state final in ’16 and last season. The ’13 D-II state champion, Kaiser, placed third in OIA D-II last season with a fairly young roster. Radford won the D-II state crown in ’15, but finished 0-8 in OIA D-I last fall in a rebuilding season.
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