Waianae football HC Nihipali on making OIA playoffs: “We Needed this for the Community”

The winds are changing out on the West Coast of Oahu.

Waianae secured its first winning record in the regular season since 2017 when it came away with an important 24-15 road win over Radford at John E. Velasco Stadium last Friday night in both team’s OIA Division I finale.

Combined with Kailua’s 37-13 win over ‘Aiea the following day, the Seariders’ win over the Rams gave them a 4-3 record in league play and secured one of four playoff spots in the postseason tournament. 

Waianae DB Deegan Anduha celebrates after recovering a fumble against Radford in the fourth quarter. | Michael/HSRN

They will play at top-seeded Leilehua this Friday as the Seariders seek their 19th OIA crown and first since 1997.

Waianae first-year coach Vince Nihipali, who grew up playing pop-warner football for the Waianae Tigers and watching the Seariders under legendary coach Larry Ginoza, got emotional talking about what a playoff berth meant for his hometown.

“We need something, and I say we because I’m from Waianae also… we needed this for the community, for the team, for the school and I’m just so proud of them and the coaching staff,” said Nihipali, who was hired in early April.

The Seariders line up in a jumbo package against Radford. | Michael Lasquero/HSRN

A grounded approach, both on and off the field, has been the formula for success for the Seariders in 2024.

After back-to-back losses to start October to bring its OIA record to 2-3, Waianae has implemented a run-first approach the past two weeks and averaged 298 yards rushing in wins over Nanakuli and Radford. A number of ball carriers including Alika Idica Jr. (583 rush yards) and Slater Kaleiohi (478 rush yards, 11.7 yards per carry) can line up behind center for the Seariders in their jumbo, heavy-set packages.

The Seariders did not score a single offensive touchdown in the second half against the Rams, but kept the clock churning and imposed their will in the trenches.

Versatile Slater Kaleiohi (10) takes the direct snap in Waianae’s heavy-set formations against Radford. | Michael Lasquero/HSRN

“I knew our best set when we need to is the heavy set,” said Nihipali. “I didn’t want to come out in it early, I thought we could get some passes going but we dropped some balls, but I said ‘let’s buckle down, let’s go play old-school ball,’ and went into it and it worked and I think we wore them out.”

Nihipali said the players’ work ethic helps fuel their ability to run those packages.

“These kids when I got hired in April, they’re out here every day. There’s never a problem with these boys man, they work hard,” said Nihipali. “They’re still boys right, they still need some guidance, but they always come into practice and they work hard, they want to go into heavy. When I say ‘we’re going into heavy,’ they get a spark in their eyes and they want to go.”

Waianae football head coach Vince Nihipali patrols the sidelines against Radford. | Michael/HSRN

Nihipali continued: “they’re a very physical group of kids. Tough, and I’m from Waianae. These are tough kids. It’s not easy for them, just life in general, coming out here and playing with your boys and your teammates and playing a game like this against a good team shows resiliency.”

Keeping the chains and the clock moving also gives the defense ample time to get rest and prepare for when it has to get back on the field.

It was complimentary football at its finest in the second half against Radford when Waianae got at least three turnovers.

Waianae LB Chaunston Kido-White goes in for a blitz up the middle against Radford. | Michael Lasquero/HSRN

Chaunston Kido-White’s 60-yard pick-six helped grow Waianae’s 14-9 halftime lead into a 24-9 advantage midway through the third quarter while Deegan Anduha recorded an interception and a fumble recovery in the fourth quarter to derail any rally by the Rams.

“All year the defense has played well. They get a turnover when they need a turnover,” said Nihipali. “When they needed to make the play to seal it, they made a play to seal it.”

Kickoff between the Seariders and Mules on Friday at Hugh Yoshida Stadium will be 25 minutes following the 5 p.m. junior varsity contest.