HILO — The Hilo High Vik Queens flag football team dominated play in the east side division of the BIIF last year, finishing with an 8-1 record only to fall to HPA in the semifinals of the BIIF championship tournament. The team made the state tournament where they lost in the first round to fourth-seeded KS Maui, which was a valuable learning experience .
This year’s team features a number of returnees, but most of the girls are still learning the game and need reps in practice and games to develop the instincts to play a more controlled, complete brand of football. With that in mind, last year’s All BIIF East Side Coach of the Year, Casey-Leigh Sabate-Haunio, stepped down from the position to focus on developing the Hilo Queens — a club team — to give local girls of all ages more opportunities to perfect their flag game and perhaps go on to secure college opportunities.
Kimo Akaka Jr. is the new head coach, and he is excited for the opportunity. One of the things he is looking forward to is the chance to coach his daughter, Carly Akaka, an All-BIIF wide receiver in 2025.
When asked what it will take for this year’s team to be successful, Kimo Akaka said: “It’s all about the fundamentals, back to basics, nothing fancy, just buckle down on the key skills.”
Carly Akaka, a junior, was recognized for her offensive skills last year, but this year she will be called upon to lead the defense from the middle linebacker position — as well as making the tough catches in traffic while on offense. Her favorite memory from last year’s team was making it to states, and when asked what she likes best about playing flag football she said, “scoring touchdowns against the other team.”
Last year’s starting quarterback, Kai’ulani Kahanu, an All-BIIF honorable mention, is returning. However, she is pursuing college volleyball opportunities and may miss a game or two along the way when she has volleyball commitments. When she is not available, sophomore Nalei Ka‘apana-Suzoi will move in from her slot position to take over at quarterback. Ka‘apana-Suzoi, who also plays cornerback, said it’s going to take, “hard work, learning from the games they play and getting better every week,” for the team to be successful this year.
In their first contest of the year with limited practice time and without their starting quarterback, the Vik Queens fell to Kealakehe 28-7 in a game that was closer than the score would indicate. The defense came up with some big stops, but in the end, too many turnovers on offense made it difficult for Hilo to score.
The Vik Queens will rely on lessons learned during last year’s campaign while continuing to develop their skills and team chemistry in 2026. The team is excited for the season and the goal is a return to the state championships, but with an improved outcome.
You can follow the team on instagram at @hilohighgirlsflagfootball.