Ka`u Forfeits Football Game Against Kamehameha-Hawai`i

The Ka`u High School football program announced Tuesday night that they will forfeit Friday night’s game against Kamehameha-Hawai`i, saying that they “do not have enough players to participate” in the gridiron contest.

This is not the first time that participation numbers have been a concern for Ka`u. Before the season started, the school considered backing out of playing football for the entire season because of poor early turnout. Athletic Director Kalei Namohala told Big Island Now that they, like Kohala High School, had set a target number of 30 kids before the season started. Ka`u made their decision on the last possible day to declare that they would be able to play this season.

The Trojans were able to field enough players to hit the field for every game this season until this week. And, they had taken their lumps at times. They were held scoreless in their first four games this season before picking up their first win via a forfeit by Kohala High School.

The improvement showed, however. They scored 30 points in a 40 point loss to Hawaii Preparatory Academy on October 6, the first time they scored on the season. They scored a touchdown the following week in a 91-8 loss to ninth-ranked Konawaena in a game that made people question whether the Trojans belonged on the same field because of their depth. Last week, they were shut out by Honoka`a at home, with the score showing 78-0.

The Trojans’ season will end with a record of 2-8, both overall and in league play. Both of those wins come via forfeit from Kohala High School, who announced several weeks ago that they were forfeiting the rest of their season because of dwindling numbers that risked the safety of their players. The second forfeit win for Ka`u will come on November 3, the day the Trojans were supposed to play at Kohala High School.

In an e-mail Tuesday night, the football program said “our administration and coaching staff have decided that the safety, health, and welfare or our student-athletes comes first.”