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Punahou’s Lakalaka to miss most of season

By Nick Abramo on August 3, 2016

Star-Advertiser Preseason Top 10 Countdown Today: No. 3 Punahou Punahou will be without the services of senior outside linebacker Seyddrick Lakalaka for most of the season, Buffanblu head coach Kale Ane said Monday. Lakalaka, who has a foot injury, was a big part of the team that finished 8-2 and lost 27-23 to Saint Louis for the ILH championship last season. “Seyddrick will be out for a long period of time, we think,” Ane said. “Looks like the majority of […]

Slade-Matautia is a weapon from any angle

By Paul Honda on August 3, 2016

At 6-foot-1 with lightning-quick reflexes, Isaac Slade-Matautia was, arguably, the most dangerous defender for the Saint Louis Crusaders on the basketball court during the 2015-16 season. A left-hander with solid handles, mid-range accuracy, instinctual passing and shot-blocking, ball-hawking defensive skills, Slade-Matautia fits the bill of a what-coulda-been on the hardwood. He’s not going to miss the game all that much, though. Now, as a 220-pound senior — he has picked up roughly 20 pounds since that long hoops season — […]

Yam or Young? Kamehameha’s good problem

By Paul Honda on August 3, 2016

The last thing, in all likelihood, that first-year Kamehameha head football coach Abu Ma‘afala wants is a quarterback controversy. Controversy? At the high school level? Preposterous, maybe. But in the islands, and especially to a historic program with roots deeper than deep on so many levels, there is widespread passion about Kamehameha football. With senior Thomas “Boogie” Yam and junior Justice Young intertwined in a battle for the starting position, Ma‘afala has only gone as far to say that there […]


Aleki emerges as Warriors’ force

By Paul Honda on August 2, 2016

Star-Advertiser Preseason Top 10 Countdown Today: No. 4 Kamehameha Andrew Aleki was an important cog in a deep, talented defensive unit at Kamehameha a year ago. This season, the 6-foot-3, 225-pound senior defensive end/linebacker is a leader on a defense with just four returning starters. “He can do it all. Put his hand in the dirt. Drop back into coverage. Use his pass rushing ability,” first-year Kamehameha head coach Abu Maafala said. “His versatility is great because it allows us […]

Scrimmage to Ponder: Kamehameha-Mililani

By Nick Abramo on August 1, 2016

Well, it was just a scrimmage, and that means most everybody on the bench played. But you can learn a lot of stuff. You can see where teams are at with your own eyes. For instance, you can finally meet Kamehameha first-year head coach Abu Maafala, who you’ve only spoken to on the phone. You can learn what he is up to as the Warriors head man. Then, you can get reacquainted with the guy you’ve known for about six […]

Kahuku opens season ranked No. 39 in nation

By Billy Hull on August 1, 2016

The last preseason MaxPreps high school football rankings were released Monday with no big changes. Defending HHHSAA state champion Kahuku remained at No. 39, where it’s been most of the offseason, heading into the official start of the season Friday in Hawaii. Hawaii is the first state to officially start its high school football season although the Red Raiders don’t open play until Aug. 12 at Leilehua in their OIA opener. Kahuku will scrimmage Farrington at Carlton E. Weimer Field […]

Emptying the notebook: Tua Tagovailoa

By Dave Reardon on August 1, 2016

You can read Dave Reardon‘s Sunday Star-Advertiser column on Tua Tagovailoa here. Sunday’s column was on Tua Tagovailoa, the “It” guy of Hawaii high school football, and maybe even the nation. Here are a few outtakes from him and his quarterbacks coach at Saint Louis, Vince Passas: Tua only plays football. “I was playing tee-ball and I hated it. Too slow. Played basketball for fun, still do. I ran track one year.” He said his religion and his family keep […]