BIIF Investigating Hilo Football Prior to Title Game

Friday night’s BIIF Division I Championship Game between Kealakehe and Hilo will be played as scheduled at Wong Stadium, amid an investigation by the league into the Vikings’ football program.

A Hilo High football parent told Big Island Now Wednesday that a “spur of the moment mandatory meeting” was called that afternoon for parents to attend. Head Coach David Baldwin, Athletic Director Kurt Kawachi, and Principal Robert Dircks were in attendance.

It is not clear what exactly is being investigated. BIIF President Shawn Suzuki, principal at Konawaena High School, could not go into detail, only saying that the “school and the league are in the process of gathering information and will make a determination ASAP, if a determination is even necessary.”

The parent said that at the meeting, it was described that the issue in question “was
not to do [with] a player specific violation, but for an administrative one.”

A BIIF spokesperson said Thursday that the championship game is still on for Friday at 7 p.m. The investigation, however, has not been completed, and no timetable has been given for when a decision could be reached.