''We are working hard to find some leaders — that is something we really need to work on,'' coach Leo Delatori said to The Maui News. ''We need people to really step up and take the team. We had 45 (on varsity) last year and 35 of them were seniors. This season there are 10 seniors. For a lot of our guys this year, (leadership) is new territory.''

The Warriors managed just two first downs and 18 yards of total offense in a 36-0 loss to Valley Center, Calif., in their lone nonleague game last week. They open Maui Interscholastic League play tomorrow against the Trojans, the team formerly known as Pac-3.

''Valley Center was a very good squad, which was good for us,'' Delatori said. ''What it gave us was our first look at our personnel. With having a young squad, there were obviously a lot of mistakes. Correctable mistakes, so we have been working on that this week. We also realize we need to move some guys around to help the squad a little bit.

''I was pleased even though statistically we didn't look that good. We lost a lot of yards on fumbles and we lost 20 yards because a center snap went over our quarterback's head. But there were also a lot of positives.''

The Warriors will run the same veer attack that ranked fourth in the MIL last season ''with a little option thrown in, but nothing different than we have done in the past,'' Delatori said.

The search to replace graduated quarterback Keahi Raikes, who was second in the MIL with 1,139 passing yards and 10 touchdown throws, is a three-way competition between sophomore Eli Ferreira, and seniors Bryan Pali and Chawn Villalon.

''Right now we are looking at a couple of players,'' Delatori said. ''Eli Ferreira started for us last week against Valley Center, but we also have Chawn Villalon and Bryan Pali, who are taking a lot more snaps this week.''

Pali is one of a handful of seniors who played as sophomores on the Warriors' Division II MIL championship team in 2005. That team advanced to the state semifinals with a 14-7 win over Kauai at remote Hanapepe Ballpark, the first time a Kauai Interscholastic Federation team lost a state playoff game at home.

''I think that helps out a lot because I have seen the work ethic that that team put in to its practices,'' said Pali, a 6-foot, 190-pounder who will also see time at defensive end. ''I know what we have to do to be able to make it to that level. This year's team is a lot younger than past teams, but I think that is a good thing because it allows our team to grow.''

Delatori knows that there will not be an easy game in the MIL. The Trojans won their first game since 2004, 37-12 over Fort McMurray (Canada) two weeks ago, then put up a decent fight against West Hills, Calif., in a 37-16 loss last week.

''I don't think so, not with the way the league has been moving in recent years,'' he said. ''You know, you look at Baldwin and Lahainaluna — they are still at the top — but there is a lot more parity. That, to me, makes the MIL a lot more exciting to play in. They are doing a heck of a job down there at St. Anthony. Their kids are playing hard and that game is going to be a big challenge for us.''

Puli, a 5-6, 225-pounder, was the team's second-leading rusher last season with 348 yards and three touchdowns on 59 carries, and is back for his third varsity season at fullback.

''Our team is very small in numbers this year, but we have a lot of talent,'' Puli said. ''We learned last week that we need to do some serious conditioning. A lot of our guys didn't expect all that at one time. It was a good experience to get that over with, that loss. The seniors really have to step up to lead these guys. This year we have more leaders and I think we have what it takes.''

The team's 4-3 base defense was third-best in the MIL last season, allowing 267.5 yards per game. Medeiros, a 6-3, 235-pound defensive lineman, will get help from Pali, linebacker Keloni Kamalani, and defensive back Dana Ka'auamo.

''Us seniors, since there is only a little bit of us, we have had to become leaders quicker than last year,'' Medeiros said. ''There is a lot of young players and we have to teach them to work hard. I remember the seniors from two years ago and they were always like – all of them, even the ones who didn't play – they showed everyone what was going on. I think this team can be good. We may not have the numbers, but we have the quality.''

Besides Pali, Medeiros, Kamalani, Ka'auamo and Puli, the other other returners with varsity experience are offensive linemen Kamalu Kaina and Kainalu Camanse and defensive lineman Kupono Hong.

''For us right now, it is just that learning curve, a lot of the younger guys getting the experience, adjusting to the speed,'' Delatori said. ''As we go along, we will improve and we will get better.''

Division II in the MIL is now the home of Lahainaluna for the first time in a few years, and the Lunas have looked impressive in winning a pair of nonleague games by a combined 78-7 count.

''Lahainaluna, they look very good. They look strong,'' Delatori said. ''If you want to find a team that is in midseason form, they are at it right now, which is not surprising. This is a tough league and you have got to be at the top of your game every week playing anybody in this league. It just shows how the MIL is closing the gap with the (Oahu Interscholastic Association) and the (Interscholastic League of Honolulu). We have shown that we can compete with those schools.''

The bottom line for the Warriors is getting better on the run – and in a hurry.

''It is trying to get everybody up to speed,'' Delatori said. ''They are young and people are going to see mistakes that young players make, but they are improving every day and I expect them to come along very well. We have some kids who can play football — we don't have our normal numbers, but we have kids that can play.''

The Maui News has been previewing MIL teams since Sunday. For more previews and Maui news, click here.

Maui Interscholastic League

Tomorrow

Trojans at Kamehameha-Maui, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday