Wildcats – Keep Calm and Carry On
Restored from the Empower Network archive (2011–2017), lightly edited to meet our current advertising standards. Views are the original author’s.
Keep Calm and Carry On…
Keep Calm and Carry on… the infamous battle cry of Great Britain during the beginning of World War II. It’s purpose was to boost the morale of the British citizenry with the dark cloud of the Nazi invasion of their island looming on their horizon.
It would now become the battle cry of another Band of Brothers, defending their own island, in the wake of a fallen comrade.
Just 4 games into this young 2012 season, the Wildcats had already faced their share of challenges. A heart-breaking loss to the 5-time defending state champs in the opener, buses breaking down en-route to another game… all of these obstacles serving to bring the young team closer together.
But nothing will test the mantle of these brothers more fiercely than dealing with the loss of one of their Senior leaders.
Keep Calm and Carry On…
His senior year wasn’t supposed to end like this. Too much football left to play, too many goals not yet accomplished.
Senior Austin Denis was doing it all. On both sides of the ball. Playing Running Back, Defensive Back and Wide Receiver, Austin was having the year of his life. The pure love of football was on full display with Austin.
Touchdowns, interceptions, sacks, tackles for losses… Austin had blocked a kick or a punt in every game so far, including a blocked punt that he scooped up and took to the house for a touchdown against the defending State Champs in Aloha Stadium.
He was a playing like a man possessed. A machine on a mission.
***********
And then a seemingly meaningless game against Ka’u suddenly become very meaningful.
Just 2 minutes into the game, Austin was hustling to cover a loose ball. It was hard to see exactly what happened… another player got blocked into another who fell on Austin and he went down.
Hard.… and everyone knew it was bad.
Within seconds… the Jungle had become deathly silent.
The Wildcat players on the field immediately gathered round and huddled over their brother, not wanting anybody but them to see his badly broken leg… almost willing their love for him to somehow lessen his agony.
But it wasn’t just the agony of a broken leg that tore at the hearts of this band of brothers… it was the searing pain of knowing that the joy of an MVP-like Senior season was snuffed out in a single unfortunate moment for their brother.
The ambulance was called in. A thousand unspoken prayers reached for the heavens. Tears flowed unashamedly from heart-broken teammates.
Words fail me in my attempt to capture the pain that this close-knit community experienced in watching one of their sons leave the field for the last time in Wildcat Green.
Keep Calm and Carry On
The game still had to be played. The Coaches gathered up their stricken players. Head Coach Cliff Walters brought in Pastor Tex to offer up a prayer. The Wildcats broke their huddle with, “One, two, three, AUSTIN!”
“Keep Calm and Carry On” was the message to the team.
And carry on they did.
By the end of the 1st quarter, it was 34-0.
By half-time, the lead had stretched to 73-0, a new record for points scored in a single half.
Yet it wasn’t an act of anger or vengeance against Ka’u… it was simply the cool determination of each and every Wildcat players to play each play as Austin played. With passion.
The Wildcats scored in every way imaginable – RB John Kamoku lead the rushing attack with 3 scores in just 4 carries, including a 49-yard TD jaunt. QB Li’i Karratti continued his stellar play with 4 TD’s in just 10 passes. 4 different players caught his TD passes – Kenan Gaspar, Domonic Morris, Chase Takaki and Dishon Cho.
Keep Calm and Carry On…
The Defense was just as determined to play each play as if it was their last.
Senior lineman Kawika Kealoha returned an interception 32 yards for a score and added a sack. Junior DB Jordan Miyahira-Young scooped up a fumble and rumbled 69 yards for another score. Senior Ryan Torres-Torioka had 2 interceptions and sophomore Koa Basque added a 4th.
The starters started subbing out midway through the 2nd quarter. The younger players hit the field like a second infantry wave, each one determined to leave their mark on the game for Austin.
Sophomore Bubba Ellis-Noa returned the 2nd half kick-off for a touchdown.
Freshman Luka Vartic returned a punt 38 yards for a touchdown.
Over 21 different players had tackles for the defense, including Lopaka Command, Brandon Awa, Kevin Medeiros, Bubba Hing, Landon Deniz, Winchester Aquino, Kala Ikeda, Laimana Grace, Chayne Bohol, Hiapo Johnson, Makoa Chapa, Brandon Kauhihao, Eric Edumund, Isaiah Basque, Aaron Mills.
When the dust had finally settled, the scoreboard read 86-0… tying another Hawaii state record.
Keep Calm and Carry On…
The tendency of someone reading that score in the paper the next morning who didn’t attend the game might be to criticize a team for “running up the score”.
But those who were at the game know the real story. It wasn’t about “running up the score”... it was about playing their hearts out for a fallen teammate.
A Letter to the Editor of the local West Hawaii Today summed it up like this:
“The natural inclination when you look at an 86-0 score is to assume the winning team ran the score up. Generally, when you look a little closer you see a coach who was doing everything he could not to run the score up and wincing every time the losing team made a mistake. You see 2nd, 3rd, 4th string players and freshmen brought up from the J.V. getting an opportunity to make big plays and taking advantage of it.”
Keep Calm… and Play On
For the Wildcats heading into the heart of their BIIF schedule, the game only served to sharpen their focus…to help them understand how quickly it could all be taken away. They walked off the field even more determined to realize their preseason goal to “Start and Finish in the Stadium”.
The Konawaena Wildcats were already a team with a mission.
And now, to a man, they believe they’re a team with a destiny.
As a tearful Senior Team Captain Mikey Rabara told a reporter after the game,
“We will win a State Championship for Austin.”
I know the season’s only 5 games old, but this was without a doubt the hardest story I’ve written yet. Emotions rose to the surface with every other sentence…
Later that night at home, as I was saying night-time prayers with our 2 young sons (ages 6 & 4, both huge Wildcat fans), my oldest son, Grayson, leaned over and whispered to me,
“Dad, don’t forget to pray for Austin”
Austin, know that you and your family are in the prayers of not just my family, but in the prayers of your entire community. You’ve united us, both young and old. We’re locking hands together and praying that God bless you with a speedy recovery.
Keep Calm and Carry On…
Because we know you’ll be standing there with your Band of Brothers… back in Aloha Stadium in November.
Keep Calm and Carry On.
Wildcats, Keep Calm… and Play On.
Just as Austin would want you to do.
*******
Wildcat Fans, you can catch all the Wildcat stories right here-
Konawaena Wildcats – 2012 Game Scores & Recaps
