Aspiring championship for the BIIF football team, Cougars, in the year 2025
In the opening weeks of the 2025 football season, Kea'au High School's team has faced some challenges. After a nonleague home game against Waianae on August 16, they suffered a loss with a score of 37-6, and their game against Campbell on August 23 ended scoreless at halftime or was possibly a forfeit or canceled since the score was 0-0[1][2][4].
Competing in the Big Island Interscholastic Federation (BIIF), Kea'au is one of the top teams on the Big Island under the guidance of head coach David Murray. However, they have yet to post a winning overall record[3]. As they aim for the BIIF championship in 2025, the team is looking to address early-season performance gaps and improve in upcoming conference games[6].
Coach Murray believes that playing tough Division I competition from Oahu in back-to-back weeks to open the season will help sharpen the team and raise their standards[3]. Junior running back Charlie Salazar, who rushed for 834 yards and scored eight touchdowns in 2024, shares Murray's optimism and believes that if the team sticks to their plan, they will be successful in the new season[3].
The offensive line is a identified strength for Kea'au High School, and senior defensive lineman Damien Fronda, a 2024 All-BIIF First Team selection, expects to lead the team in the 2025 season[3]. Coach Murray also anticipates a number of other players to step up and elevate their games this year[3].
Kaiven Abadilla-Torres and Aiden Kaakimaka-Chan, former JV players, are expected to perform well this season[3]. Fronda believes that entering each game with the proper "mindset" is key to the Cougars' success[3].
Kea'au High School will start their season with a non-conference matchup at home against Waianae at 1 p.m. on Saturday[7]. The team, their coaches, and support staff are putting in the work to ensure success during the 2025 BIIF football season. Despite the early setbacks, the Cougars remain determined to bring home the championship trophy.
References: 1. [source1] 2. [source2] 3. [source3] 4. [source4] 5. [source5] 6. [source6] 7. [source7]
- Despite the early struggles in the 2025 football season, Coach David Murray believes that playing tough Division I competition from Oahu will help sharpen the Kea'au High School team and raise their standards.
- Junior running back Charlie Salazar, who scored eight touchdowns in the 2024 season, shares Murray's optimism, believing that if the team sticks to their plan, they will be successful in the new season.
- The offensive line is identified as a strength for Kea'au High School, with senior defensive lineman Damien Fronda, a 2024 All-BIIF First Team selection, expected to lead the team in the 2025 season, emphasizing the importance of the right mindset for the Cougars' success.
