When OC-16 televises its first-ever Interscholastic League of Honolulu football game tomorrow night, it will mark another historic milestone for the Pac-Five program.

And as in every other Wolfpack milestone, a Botelho will be right in the middle of it.

Actually, this time, three of them will.

Ku Botelho is a senior starting defensive back for Pac-Five, which is coached by his father, Kip. Grandpa Don "Spud" Botelho — Pac-Five's coach from 1974 to 2002 — also will be on the field, overseeing the 7 p.m. game at Kamehameha as the ILH's executive director.

But it should be no surprise to see the Botelho trio front and center, as their name has been synonymous with the Pac-Five program since its inception 33 years ago. Only this time, the whole state will be watching on TV.

"It'll be good for 'Coach Bo' and the program to be recognized," said 'Iolani coach Wendell Look, who played against Don Botelho's Wolfpack teams in the 1970s and has coached against Don and Kip since the mid-1980s. "He got it started and kept it going, and it's nice for Kip to carry on that legacy."

It's a legacy that began in 1974, when Don Botelho left Damien after nine seasons to take over a program that started the year before as the "HUMMERS" — combining players from Hawai'i Baptist, University High, Maryknoll and Mid-Pacific Institute.

When Botelho took over, Our Redeemer was added and the team became known as "Pac-Five."

"I had people tell me it ain't gonna work," Don Botelho said. "And it wouldn't have worked if it weren't for the cooperation of the administrations from all the different schools. It was tough those first few years."

The idea to allow athletes from smaller private schools to participate in football on a unified team was a good one, but executing it proved to be a challenge.

In its first two seasons, Pac-Five went a combined 1-17 in the ILH — losing by scores like 48-6, 41-6 and 35-0 — with the only victory coming against Damien in the 1975 finale.

But by Kip Botelho's senior season in 1979, the Wolfpack developed into a legitimate contender and went 6-4 in an especially competitive ILH.

"We beat Kaiser (26-14) in the preseason, and they went on to win the Prep Bowl," Don Botelho said. "I think that was the turning point for the program."

Kip, a receiver/defensive back who was named to the All-State team on defense, played two seasons of junior college ball at Merced (Calif.) before returning to the University of Hawai'i. A knee injury ended his playing career, so he joined his dad's coaching staff in 1982, helping guide Pac-Five to ILH and Prep Bowl championships in 1982 and 1985.

Don Botelho retired as coach in 2002 to become ILH executive director, and Kip took over as head coach in 2004.

Ku, meanwhile, had been born into the Pac-Five program and grew up as a Wolfpack water boy before finally suiting up himself as a seventh-grader on the intermediate team.

"Every day (as a child), I would hang out here with everybody (at Pac-Five)," said Ku, who attends Mid-Pacific. "It's the only team I ever wanted to play for."

He's done well carrying on the family name, scoring three touchdowns on defense this season, including two interceptions taken back to the house.

"He plays smart, a typical coach's son," Look said. "He puts himself in good position, and he's able to cover one-on-one and also knows when and where to help."

Don and Kip say the Botelho football player has gotten bigger and stronger with each generation.

"My playing weight was about 155-160 (pounds)," said Don, who played for Roosevelt and UH. "Kip was about 175-180. Ku is 195."

Since the ILH office is located just a long field goal away from Pac-Five's practice field at MPI, the Botelhos can spend quality family time every day while enjoying the sport they all love.

"Football has been our life," Don Botelho said, and Kip added, "Our heart is here, with Pac-Five."

Read Wes Nakama's blog on prep sports at http://blogs.honoluluadvertiser.com

Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com.