PUKALANI — The Kamehameha Schools Maui football team played its final game of the 2021 season on Dec. 30.

Just six and a half months later, the Warriors started practice for the 2022 season — their 61-7 loss to Kapaa in the First Hawaiian Bank/HHSAA Division II state championship game was clearly on their minds Wednesday.

The Warriors appeared to be enjoying their second practice of the day under a blazing afternoon sun beaming down on the Kanaiaupuni Stadium turf.

“We had such a late finish last year we didn’t have much time to recoup, but I think these kids are anxious just to get back to a regular routine, coming out of this whole COVID thing,” Kamehameha Maui head coach Ulima Afoa said. “So, that obviously adds to the excitement, that they’re just tired, they’re kind of like worn out over the whole COVID thing.

“They just want to get back out here and compete, get back to some sense of normality.”

It is the first traditional start calendar to a Maui Interscholastic League football season since 2019, due to the pandemic.

“It feels really good because we didn’t get to experience all this stuff because of COVID,” junior wide receiver Frank Abreu said. “But this year is kind of our first time, so it feels good to finally feel what it’s like to actually play high school football and experience all the opportunity.”

Still, 61-7 is stuck firmly in their collective craw. COVID exposure from their state semifinal game the week prior forced seven Warriors starters to stay home for the championship contest on Oahu.

“Oh, it’s motivating us a lot because that definitely wasn’t our game, I feel like we could have done a lot better,” Abreu said. “I just think that our head wasn’t in the game. It’s like, we weren’t executing, and I feel like we can come back and play a whole lot better.”

Abreu led the MIL with 26 receptions, 446 receiving yards and 17.2 yards per reception, on average, in the six-game league season.

He had three receiving touchdowns and his running mate, senior Po’okela Aiu, was second in receptions with 25, third in receiving yards with 269 and tied for first with five TD grabs.

“It’s great being back at it, we had pretty much a year off and we came back and we had to take another break, and it just threw us off completely,” Aiu said of the 2021 season, which didn’t start until October. “I feel like coming into the season we’re more prepared, we’re ready to fight every game and get back to where we were.”

For Aiu, the 2021 ending is simple to express.

“It’s everything — we know that that game we played wasn’t our game,” he said. “We just need to be better and that’s what we’re out here doing — we’re working hard every day to be better and to get back there and hopefully win it this time.”

Junior quarterback Makana Kamaka-Brayce is back and ready to roll for his junior season — he was MIL Offensive Player of the Year after passing for 1,370 yards, 16 touchdowns and just four interceptions, completing 88 of 131 passes in MIL play.

He was 20 of 29 for 365 yards, four TDs and no interceptions in a 48-24 win over Kaiser in the state semifinals. Then, he was 7 for 26 with two interceptions, no touchdowns and 96 yards while running for his life in the state final.

“It feels great, just being back in this environment, you know, working out in the stadium,” Kamaka-Brayce said. “Just being with the team and getting better throughout the summer feels great.”

Kamaka-Brayce said he spent much of the offseason attending camps and working on his agility.

“I went to a lot of camps in the Mainland and I just focused on my speed and agility because last year I wasn’t very fast,” he said. “I just focused on just getting faster and more in shape so I can pull through more towards the ends of the games.”

Across the street at King Kekaulike Stadium, Na Alii were also working out on their artificial turf Wednesday.

Senior running back Tysin Zackious is back at King Kekaulike after spending last season at North Torrance High School in California — he was part of an 11-2 team there.

“I had a normal season up there, so just for me for now, it feels good playing with these guys again,” said the 5-foot-6, 150-pound senior. “I played with them my freshman year and it just wasn’t the same playing without them.”

Na Alii endured an 0-6 season last year, but this year they have had the opportunity to put in their full offseason program.

“It is exciting, especially since we could get in an offseason,” head coach Tyson Valle said. “I think that was huge for our program. We still have some guys to come out and get their physicals taken care of, but just to have them here in the offseason, that was nice.”

Valle said his varsity roster numbers about 40 right now and the program will have a junior varsity team of about 25.

“Numbers are looking good, I’m glad that things opened up to allow the kids to play,” Valle said.

Last year’s starter at quarterback at the beginning of the season, Jacob Poouahi, who is 5-11, 200 pounds, has settled in at linebacker for his senior year.

“Honestly, it feels amazing being back out here, especially having a regular season,” Poouahi said. “Last year we only played a certain amount of games, but this year we have a full schedule and have been going strong.

“People are pretty excited and the team is very special.”

Poouahi said giving the hits is better than being hit.

“Yeah, I’ve always liked defense and I’ve always thought defense was for me, so I’ve always wanted to play linebacker and my sophomore season I was supposed to play linebacker,” he said. “The quarterback position didn’t really fit for me, so I’m just trying to ball out on the other side of the ball.”

* Robert Collias is at rcollias@mauinews.com.