HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – The Kailua football team is riding a wave of success in 2025.
After three early season losses, the Surfriders ended their regular season on a five-game winning streak, securing the top seed in the OIA playoffs.
It’s a squad head coach Hauoli “Joe” Wong describes as tough and not afraid of a hard day’s work.
“That’s just a Kailua player in general, you know what I mean? That’s the way that we play,” Wong told Hawaii News Now. “Not cocky, not, by any means or boastful by any means, but just to have that chip, so you have that edge.”
Kailua has been firing in all phases, but it’s the trenches that have shined this season with defensive end Ben Honebein leading a defense that only allows 9.2 points a game on average.
“So it makes it really easy as a (defensive) lineman to rush the passer when you have like great DBs and linebackers,” Honebein said. “It makes everybody’s job easy and there’s no selfishness on our defense, everybody’s trying to eat.”
On offense, their line towers over opponents while helping Big Blue to an average of 21 points a game and an average of 182 rushing yards.
However, the group won’t be the first to take all the credit.
“Size is one thing, but also it’s our mental mindset. We can’t come out here being like we’re the best (offensive) line in the state, we’re the biggest,” Esaiah Wong said. “We just gotta come here humble with our heads down and keep working.”
The anchor of the Surfriders o-line is senior left tackle Esaiah Wong.
The 6′5 Cal commit is enjoying his final season putting on a Kailua uniform and playing for his dad, Coach Wong.
“Over the years it’s been cool, a little rough here and there, but overall it’s been good,” Esaiah Wong said. “I haven’t really reflected because I’ve been on this field since I was like maybe third grade, first grade.”
“It takes away, but at the same time too, this is what we signed up for. This is what he signed up for,” Coach Wong said. “This is what he wanted, where he wanted to be and where he always wanted to go to school.”
Sentiments aside, Kailua is gearing up for a run in the playoffs, trying to capture its first league crown since 2001.
“We didn’t raise no banner or nothing, so it means a lot this year for me, especially because you know I’ve been here. I’ve seen it,” Wong said. “You know, we want to raise two banners essentially.”
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