The 2025 season was a down year for Hawaii Preparatory Academy football.

The 2025 season was a down year for Hawaii Preparatory Academy football.

In the previous two seasons, Ka Makani won 14 combined games, cementing themselves as one of the island’s best and in constant contention for the Big Island Interscholastic Federation (BIIF) Division II crown. But after losing key senior leaders such as All-Hawaii running back Alaka‘i Aipia, the team’s down-to-down production took a hit, and the red and white finished the year 2-7, with both of their victories coming via forfeits

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Heading into Saturday’s 2026 opener against non-conference opponent Kalaheo, HPA is even younger than last year. The team’s roster has just four seniors, with several juniors and freshmen stepping into starting roles. Four-year starting quarterback Hayden Kalama and star wideout Christian Rhodes also graduated in the spring.

With several key departures and the younger players still learning their roles, longtime head coach Lincoln Kalama is taking a different approach to the new season. While previous Ka Makani teams had star power, Kalama wants this group to have a strong team-first mindset, emphasizing the importance of working as a collective unit to earn wins.

This season, no one is more important than the team — and Kalama has started to see the boys buy into the new mantra.

“This offseason was really good for us,” he told the paper. “We had the majority of our players together — working out in the weight room and on the field. We did a lot of activities as a team, so I think from last year, we’re looking pretty good. This is a really tight-knit team that helps each other.

“This year, it’s more of a team effort. It’s going to look a whole lot different.”

With HPA having four zero-point offensive outings in 2025, Kalama and company have been working extensively this offseason on how to craft a more potent offense. It’s easier said than done, however, as the unit has plenty of fresh faces that are still learning to gel — most notably first-year starting quarterback Joseph Robinson, who is a junior.

Despite the challenges of learning the playbook and getting on the same page with his receivers, Kalama has lauded Robinson’s early leadership in camp.

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“He brings great leadership to this team,” Kalama said of Robinson. “He knows his plays — he’s always telling people corrections and how to get better.”

Some of Robinson’s expected top targets consist of X-receiver Landon Wilson, Titus Fonoimoana and Wyley Ament in the slot and opposite receiver Manase Lagua, a freshman.

With HPA famously known to be a hard-nosed, aggressive run-first team, Kalama plans to deploy a committee of contributing backs — starting with August Zenk and Waika Takushi.

On the opposite side of the ball, Kalama believes the defense will be the team’s primary strength, as defensive linemen Kamea Leileiwi and Taiga Moriyama and linebackers Carson Hoover and Ament are expected to be the leaders of that unit.

Saturday’s 2 p.m. home kickoff against Kalaheo is Ka Makani’s only scheduled non-conference bout of 2026. The Mustangs will pose a tough test for HPA, as the guests finished with a strong 7-2 overall record and second-place Oahu Interscholastic Association (OIA) Division II finish in 2025.

While Kalama would certainly love his group to win, he hopes they first and foremost approach the challenge with a positive and competitive mindset.

“Getting a win would probably be the best thing for this game, but just having them work together, having them battle and not quit when things get hard is the goal,” he said. “Finding ways to win the small battles first.”

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HPA’s 2026 schedule can be found below. The slate is subject to change:

• 8/22 Kalaheo

• 8/29 at Waiakea

• 9/5 Kohala

• 9/26 Honoka‘a

• 10/3 Waiakea

• 10/8 at Honoka‘a

• 10/17 Ka‘u

• 10/24 at Kealakehe