Excitement is definitely in the air on the Big Island's Hamakua Coast.

That's because it's been awhile since the Honoka'a Dragons called themselves Big Island Interscholastic Federation football champions.

A 37-14 win at Kealakehe on Halloween clinched the second-round title for the Dragons, who also won the first round to become the overall champs.

It was the school's first league title since 1974, a generation when:

• George Ariyoshi was just elected to his first of three terms as the state's governor.

• Richard Nixon resigned his presidency.

• "Hawaii Five-0" was in the middle of its 12-year run.

The Dragons (8-3 overall, 3-1 first round BIIF and 4-0 second round) will make their First Hawaiian Bank Division I state football tournament debut Nov. 20 against Farrington at Kealakehe's stadium.

This is big stuff for the school with an enrollment of 764.

"Talk is all over the island," Dragons coach Fred Lau said. "Everywhere you go, it's 'congratulations' or if they're alumni, they have something in their stores or in their yards saying 'BIIF champs.' "

Honoka'a athletic director Keith Tolentino said he anticipates the fans will be out in force, making the drive to Kealakehe. The reason Honoka'a isn't hosting the tournament game is because it doesn't have a stadium or a gated facility. The Dragons play their home games on an athletic field with some small bleachers. Yet, the school drew about 1,000 for homecoming, Tolentino said.

This is Honoka'a's fourth BIIF football title under as many coaches. The 1974 championship team was coached by Jim Barry, who later turned Ko-nawaena into a dynastic power in the 1980s.

The 1973 title team was coached by Clarence Mills.

The school's first championship squad was led by Rocky Sugino in 1957, the second year of the BIIF.

During its 34-year championship drought, the Dragons were for the most part a middle-of-the-pack-or-better team in the BIIF. They were 5-3 last year (6-4 overall) with the second-best overall record in the league. (Kea'au had the best overall record at 7-1 when Kealakehe vacated its title at the end of the school year after forfeiting its games for using an ineligible player.) Lau said the talent has always been around Honoka'a over the years.

"There's always been good athletes here, but what we lacked was discipline," said Lau, a 1971 graduate of 'Aiea. "The principal (Stan Ha'o), I coached him at 'Aiea High School. He was one of the people that came and asked me to apply. Most of the kids, I coached their fathers. I've been at Honoka'a (coaching) since 1983. I've coached off and on (over the years)."

And discipline has been enforced. In their title-clinching win against Kealakehe, six players were benched for academic or disciplinary reasons, according to a game story in the Hawaii Tribune Herald.

Aside from conduct, another key to the team's success has been "letting the coaches coach," Lau said.

"I don't coach a position," Lau said. "I just oversee everything. Every (assistant) coach selected the athletes they wanted on the field versus in the past, the head coach — not just this past, but several different coaches (over the years) would make the call and who would start where. The only way they wouldn't (start) is because of a missed practice or some disciplinary action that happened on campus that I had to take care of."

On the field, the Dragons use a "pistol" formation similar to Nevada, Lau said. Quarterback Sage Johnson has passed for 20 TDs and rushed for 12. Running back Hausia Sekona and wide receiver Eddie Morales also are key players, Lau said. Morales has been selected to play in the Aloha Prep Bowl on Dec. 12 at Aloha Stadium, Lau said.

Defensively, the Dragons use a 4-2 alignment. Some key players are linemen Chris Reed and Bob Uesi, linebackers Nona Ambrosio and Keomalu Akini, and defensive backs Ola Ambrosio and John Kalauili, Lau said.

"I knew we would do well, at least over .500," Lau said. "Just the discipline part turned around the program. Just controlling their emotions (made a difference) because they really play with a lot of emotion."