LIHUE — When Kapaa High School’s varsity football team arrives at Aloha Stadium on Friday for the Division II championship game, they’ll be joined by a couple more Kauai locals. Saint Louis School seniors, offensive lineman Nate Herbig and receiver
LIHUE — When Kapaa High School’s varsity football team arrives at Aloha Stadium on Friday for the Division II championship game, they’ll be joined by a couple more Kauai locals.
Saint Louis School seniors, offensive lineman Nate Herbig and receiver Lanakila Wilson, are two Kauai natives who will be playing for the Division I championship. Saint Louis will take on Kahuku for the Division I crown following the Division II title game between Kapaa and Radford.
“Every time before the game, me and ‘Kila see each other on the sideline before the kickoff. We always tell each other the same quote — hardly home, but always reppin’,” Herbig said in a phone interview Wednesday.
“It’s my senior year, and I’m already 0-1 in the state championships. I don’t want to lose again. I want to go out with a bang,” he added.
Prior to enrolling to Saint Louis last year, Herbig was with Kauai High School during his sophomore year when the Red Raiders fell short to OIA’s Kaiser in the Division II championship game.
Wilson, who is from Lihue and was at Kauai High last year, joined Saint Louis this season.
“Coming to Saint Louis, I had an opportunity to meet the coaches and the coaching staff that came in, which was (head coach Cal Lee and assistant coach Ron Lee.),” Wilson said. “They’re two legends at Saint Louis. That’s a big reason why I came. I know the kind of championships they bring to the school.”
Wilson added the difference between Division I and Division II football was very noticeable and he had to adjust.
“When I first came here, the pace of the game was a lot faster than it was at the D2 level. That was the thing I had to get used to,” he said. “It was hard at first. But the constant reps and the push from the guys here as well, the competition is great. I always pushed myself to get the starting job.”
Herbig said Wilson made an immediate and positive impact for the team.
“Lanakila, he definitely came here and he helps our team,” he said. “He made some big catches down the stretch to help our team. He loves it. It’s always our dream to play on the big stage at Aloha Stadium.”
Saint Louis defeated Mililani, 56-30, and Kakuku toped Waianae, 13-0, in the semfinals last week to set up the Division I title game.
“Practice has been straight forward and really focused for the guys,” Wilson said. “We all want a ring on our finger. Leading up to Mililani, we were dead focused because we had a two-week bye. Coming into this week, there’s nothing different.”
Both Wilson and Herbig, who is originally from Kalaheo, said they’ll be cheering for Kapaa in the Division II game and hopes the Kauai boys can sweep both games.
“I want to do this for my team and for our (people) back home. I want Kapaa to win, and I want the Kauai boys to get two this time, to get D2 and D1,” Herbig said, who earlier this year verbally committed to Stanford University.
“This time, I hope a Kauai team can win. I know I’m from Kauai High and (Kapaa) is like our rival. But at the end of the day, we’re all from Kauai and we’re all trying to put ourselves on the map,” he added. “I hope Kapaa can get that W, and hopefully we can get it done on our part, too.”
