Word of Life: I was lucky enough to see their win over Nanakuli in the season opener a month ago. That was a trip. Never seen the Double Wing before. Their discipline, efficiency and sportsmanship left me in awe, frankly. No program gets more out of its talent and limitations than WLA.

Kohala: I haven't see them play since forever, but in the 1990s, they had speed. Always had some speed and a little bit of size. There's always been a Manantan in the program, whether it was coach (Anthony) or player (currently, Kamalani is a QB). The win at HPA was huge.

Hawaii Prep: Massive line compared to most BIIF schools, and as I wrote in yesterday's Star-Bulletin, Bern Brostek's son is a 6-2, 290-pound freshman. Bern has been a line coach there for several years now. I remember him and the other Iolani boys climbing over the fence to come play on the 8-foot baskets with us back in the early 1980s. Can you picture a 275-pound gorilla dunking on an 8-foot basket? That was Bern back then. Him, Rodney Maae and some other guys. You pretty much got out of the way when Bern was taking off for a dunk.

Waialua: Haven't seen the Bulldogs this season, but they hold their own usually. Some injuries this year, but they have good coaching (Lincoln Barit) and more size than they did back in the '80s and '90s.

Anuenue: They almost never throw the ball and duplicated Word of Life's offense. Smart move. The run-and-shoot didn't fit their current personnel. Another program that gets the most out of its potential.

St. Anthony: Lost a ton of players who transferred out in the off-season. What's left is a hard-core group of players who refused to give up. It's a tough pill for Trojan old-timers to swallow, but these kids have my respect. They love the game, period.

Ka‘u: The biggest obstacle for these Trojans is distance. So many kids live 10, 15, 30 miles away that transportation after practices and games is a huge issue. Mark Pollard proved back in the '90s that there IS talent in Ka‘u and it can become a competitive program with dedication and motivation. Jon Roddy is the right man for the job today. He played under Mark and understands what needs to be done. Football can change lives, especially in places where kids can go astray, where trouble is easily accessible.

I know the townies on this board don't think much about it, but having been on the Big Island for many years, it matters a little more to me that football and other activities succeed there than say, in Honolulu. There are more options for kids here in town, like part-time jobs and school clubs. Small schools in small places need magnets for the kids.

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