In this millennium, you can count the number of Kalani High's football wins on one ... finger.

Since the 2001 season, the Falcons are 1-46. They have won one of their last 52 games and take a 23-game losing streak dating to 2004 into this season.

For decades, the Falcons have tried to shake their losing stigma, but to no avail. The school's last winning season was 1972, when it went 6-4. (They had 4-4 seasons in 1996 and 1997 under then-coach Greg Taguchi.)

Second-year coach Glenn Oshiro is trying to help the school find its way back into the win column. Although the season opener is still three weeks away, he has seen changes that he hopes will be for the better.

"They dedicated themselves all summer," Oshiro said of the players' voluntary off-season workouts. "They realized they had to make the sacrifice. There was a feeling of urgency to try to put things together."

A scan at the roster shows the Falcons are their typical selves. Twenty-nine players as of Tuesday. Only five weigh at least 200 pounds, and only eight stand at least 6 feet. Oshiro said there might be a few more players turning out.

"We're going to do better this year," senior lineman Elliot Kaiapoepoe said. "Everybody showed choke improvement."

But for the Falcons to be successful, they need a good base. So Kalani has restored its junior varsity program. That means Oshiro does not have to throw freshmen and less-advanced sophomores into the fire of varsity football. He brought in Brandon Wilson to coach the JV, which has 28 players to date. Oshiro said Wilson's ties to the community will help maintain interest.

"We hope for a bigger turnout in the future," Oshiro said.

STILL IN THE GAME

Not too far away from the Kalani campus, the newest team in the state, 'Anuenue — the Hawaiian-language immersion school in Palolo — begins its second season of varsity football with optimism. After all, they return all but one starter from last year's inaugural team. Of course, Na Koa had just one senior on last year's team. Of this season's 24-player squad, 17 are seniors.

"We feel more confident and more comfortable going into this season," senior quarterback Ka'ehu Nauka.

Coach Kealoha Wengler said the O'ahu Interscholastic Association White, or Division II, is a perfect fit for Na Koa's program. There are about 100 high-school students in grades 9 to 12 at 'Anuenue with about an even split in gender. With 24 on the varsity and 18 on the JV, Wengler said just about every boy in the school is part of the football program.

Two years ago, 'Anuenue began with just a JV program. When it went varsity for the first time last year, there weren't enough players to field a JV squad. Wengler said having JV this year helps ease freshmen into football because they don't have to take their licks on the varsity.

Had 'Anuenue not fielded its own team, the players would have to play for Roosevelt.

"It's not the same as playing for your own school," senior running back/safety Kamaki Sherman said. "There's more pride in winning."

VERBAL COMMITMENTS

Kahuku All-State defensive back Shiloah Te'o (5 feet 11, 195 pounds) said he has give Brigham Young a verbal commitment. He said he attended a camp at the Provo, Utah, campus, as well as camps at USC, UCLA and Utah.

"BYU said I had a chance to start (as a freshman) if I worked hard enough," Te'o said.

Saint Louis defensive lineman Ryan Eastman (6-0, 255) has verbally committed to New Mexico State, his father, Bulla Eastman said. Others programs, such as UH, Arizona and Washington, though, are showing continued interest, Bulla Eastman said.

But the earliest verbal comes from Kahuku junior quarterback Jray Galeai (6-0, 175), who said he will accept an offer from BYU. Galeai said he is being recruited as a safety. The transfer from Timpview in Provo is the son of former Kahuku standout linebacker Ray Galeai.

ALL TIED UP

The OIA will not use overtime in regular season games after all.

Football coordinator Harold Tanaka said he erred when he told coaches at their annual preseason meeting that overtime was going to be enforced for tied games in regular season. It turns out the recommendation was not approved.

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com.