Seabury Hall is getting some 11-man football experience.
The private school on Maui has been fielding an 8-man football team in the Maui Interscholastic League since the sport began there in 2013.
The Spartans will host an 11-man team from Canada for scrimmages on Aug. 5 and 11 and will be hosting an 11-man game against Hawaii Prep of the Big Island on Aug. 19 at War Memorial Stadium.
“We play a little 11-man simply due to the fact that there aren’t (many) 8-man teams to play,” Seabury Hall athletic director Robert Dougherty said. “In order to get our kids some game time, we have to search out smaller 11-man programs or JV teams here on Maui to scrimmage. We do not have any plans on (switching to) 11-man for the MIL.”
There are four MIL 8-man teams (two-time defending champion Molokai, Hana, Lanai and Seabury Hall) and three in the Big Island Interscholastic Federation (defending champion Ka’u, Pahoa and Kohala).
If another Hawaii league (Interscholastic League of Honolulu, Oahu Interscholastic Association or Kauai Interscholastic Federation) ever adopted the 8-man game, it’s possible a state championship tournament could be held.
The visiting Canadian squad is an under-17 team based in Edmonton and made up of players throughout Alberta. The team will be holding a camp on Maui Aug. 5-13.
The Spartans won two straight MIL 8-man championships in 2013 and 2014.
The 8-man season in Hawaii officially kicks off on Aug. 12, when Pahoa visits Molokai for an 11 a.m. nonleague contest.
MIL 8-man champions
>> 2013: Seabury Hall
>> 2014: Seabury Hall
>> 2015: Molokai
>> 2016: Molokai
BIIF 8-man champions
>> 2014: Ka’u
>> 2015: Kohala
>> 2016: Ka’u
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