Big Island Interscholastic Association athletic directors have approved a new league football schedule to include a minimum of seven Thursday night league games.
The league’s AD’s voted Tuesday on the new schedule, three days after meeting with coaches. Most members of the Big Island Football Officials Association were present at Saturday’s discussions. BIFOA president Randy Morris says that right now, there are only 15 total officials available to work games. Some of those officials are not yet qualified to work varsity games.
“[The BIIF] just wants what’s best for the kids, and we can only offer so much,” Morris said when describing the league’s cooperation with the officials. “They were very workable with whatever we could come up with.”
Six regular season games were moved to Thursdays. Waiakea is the only school to host two Thursday night games. On Sept. 3, Waiakea will host Kamehameha-Hawai’i. Two weeks later, the Warriors will host Hawai’i Preparatory Academy.
Kea’au will host the first Thursday game on Aug. 27 against Honoka’a. Cougars Stadium will also host an 8-man game on Thursday, Oct. 1 when Ka’u hosts Pahoa.
Kamehameha-Hawai’i and Hilo each have one Thursday home game.
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Additionally, a Division I or Division II semifinal will be played on Oct. 15.
There is one instance where one group of officials will work at two venues on the same day. On Sept. 26, the group of officials that will work the Kohala/Pahoa 8-man football game will officiate the Kealakehe/Kea’au 11-man game the same evening.
“For us, it wasn’t hard at all,” said Kamehameha-Hawai’i AD Kimo Weaver in describing the group’s work to adjust the schedule. “Thursday games aren’t anything new. It means you have to plan your week a little bit quicker so you have an extended week the following week. You need to plan a little different.”
The unknown is whether gate revenue will be affected for games that are held on Thursdays. Weaver noted that Friday crowds are usually stronger than Saturday crowds, but it is unknown how different Thursday attendance will be.
One other game, a non-league game between Waiakea and Kamehameha-Hawai’i, was moved to Thursday, Aug. 20. According to Weaver, the game was moved to accommodate the school’s open house, held the next day.
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Big Island Interscholastic Federation football schedule
Non-league schedule
Saturday, Aug. 8
Maui vs. Kealakehe – 7 p.m. (ESPNHawaii.com)
Waialua vs. Honoka’a – 7 p.m.
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Waiakea vs. Moanalua – 7:30 p.m.
Kamehameha-Hawai’i vs. Kalaheo – 7:30 p.m.
Kea’au vs. Lahainaluna – 7 p.m. (ESPNMaui.com)
Saturday, Aug. 15
Waimea vs. Waiakea – 3 p.m.
St. Francis vs. Konawaena – 7 p.m. (ESPNHawaii.com)
Kealakehe vs. Iolani – 2 p.m.
Hilo vs. Punahou – 7 p.m.
Kamehameha-Hawai’i vs. King Kekaulike – 7:30 p.m. (ESPNMaui.com)
Thursday, Aug. 20
Waiakea vs. Kamehameha-Hawai’i – 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Aug. 21
Ka’u vs. Hilo JV – 5 p.m.
Kamehameha-Kapalama vs. Hilo – 7:30 p.m. (ESPNHawaii.com)
Saturday, Aug. 22
Vincent Massey (Canada) vs. Kealakehe – 7 p.m. (ESPNHawaii.com)
Damien vs. Hawai’i Preparatory Academy – 2 p.m.
Konawaena vs. Kauai – 7:30 p.m.
Honoka’a vs. St. Francis – 6 p.m.
Kohala vs. Molokai – 7 p.m.
Regular season schedule
Thursday, Aug. 27
Honoka’a vs. Kea’au – 7:30 p.m. (ESPNHawaii.com)
Friday, Aug. 28
Kamehameha-Hawai’i vs. Kealakehe – 7:30 p.m. (ESPNHawaii.com)
Konawaena vs. Waiakea – 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Aug. 29
Hilo vs. Hawai’i Preparatory Academy – 2 p.m.
Ka’u vs. Kohala – 2 p.m.
Thursday, Sept. 3
Kamehameha-Hawai’i vs. Waiakea – 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 4
Kealakehe vs. Honoka’a – 7:30 p.m.
Hilo vs. Konawaena – 7:30 p.m. (ESPNHawaii.com)
Saturday, Sept. 5
Kea’au vs. Hawai’i Preparatory Academy – 2 p.m.
Kohala vs. Pahoa – 2 p.m.
Thursday, Sept. 10
Hilo vs. Kamehameha-Hawai’i – 7:30 p.m. (ESPNHawaii.com)
Friday, Sept. 11
Hawai’i Preparatory Academy vs. Kealakehe – 7 p.m.
Waiakea vs. Honoka’a – 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 12
Kea’au vs. Konawaena – 7:30 p.m. (ESPNHawaii.com)
Ka’u vs. Pahoa – 2 p.m.
Thursday, Sept. 17
Hawai’i Preparatory Academy vs. Waiakea – 6:30 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 18
Kea’au vs. Kamehameha-Hawai’i – 7:30 p.m. (ESPNHawaii.com)
Konawaena vs. Kealakehe – 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 19
Honoka’a vs. Hilo – 7:30 p.m.
Kohala vs. Ka’u – 2 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 25
Konawaena vs. Kamehameha-Hawai’i – 7:30 p.m. (ESPNHawaii.com)
Hilo vs. Waiakea – 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 26
Honoka’a vs. Hawai’i Preparatory Academy – 2 p.m.
Kohala vs. Pahoa – Noon
Kealakehe vs. Kea’au – 7:30 p.m. (ESPNHawaii.com)
Thursday, Oct. 1
Pahoa vs. Ka’u (at Kea’au HS) – 7 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 2
Kamehameha-Hawai’i vs. Honoka’a – 7:30 p.m.
Kealakehe vs. Hilo – 7:30 p.m. (ESPNHawaii.com)
Saturday, Oct. 3
Konawaena vs. Hawai’i Preparatory Academy – 3 p.m.
Waiakea vs. Kea’au – 5:30 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 8
Kea’au vs. Hilo – 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 9
Waiakea vs. Kealakehe – 7:30 p.m. (ESPNHawaii.com)
Honoka’a vs. Konawaena – 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 10
Pahoa 8-man vs. Kamehameha-Hawai’i JV – 5 p.m.
Hawai’i Preparatory Academy vs. Kamehameha-Hawai’i – 7:30 p.m.
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