Football

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Latest news

Standout Saints unsure about future with school’s closure

By Paul Honda on January 8, 2019

They are humble gladiators with a simple dream, to bring the utmost success and glory to a tiny school in Manoa Valley. A lot changed, however, on Monday afternoon. When news hit campus, Jonan “Bubbah” Aina-Chaves may as well have been hit by a bolt of lightning. The prolific junior running back and his classmates learned that St. Francis would close its doors at the high school and middle school. The football team, which rose quickly to prominence over the […]

Polynesian Bowl hosts free showcase for student-athletes

By Billy Hull on January 8, 2019

The Polynesian Bowl Hall of Fame is hosting a Hawaii football showcase for current high school juniors and seniors this Sunday to kick off the 2019 Polynesian Bowl week in Hawaii. With help from Friends of Hawaii Charities, Inc., the Polynesian Bowl is bringing over a minimum of 20 NCAA D-II and D-III, NAIA and junior college coaches to attend the showcase that is free to participate in. Polynesian Bowl coaches, many of whom who are former NFL and college […]

Search ongoing for next Waianae football coach

By Nick Abramo on January 4, 2019

Waianae is looking for a new football coach. Seariders athletic director Kekoa Kaluhiokalani said Thursday the school is looking to go in a new direction. Walter Young, who replaced Danny Matsumoto four years ago, is out after posting a 26-22 overall record. Kaluhiokalani said the decision was made a few weeks ago and since that time, 20 applications for the job have poured in, including four from the mainland. In the first year of the OIA-ILH Open Division alliance, the […]


Q&A: Maninoa Tufono on Mexico’s passion for football

By Paul Honda on December 28, 2018

Maninoa Tufono, like his football and basketball teammate (and classmate) Duke Clemens, has been a busy Buffanblu for several months. The Punahou senior had 39 scholarship offers to play football in college, signed with Southern California, completed his season on the football field, and then put on his sneakers for the hardwood. But before No. 1 Punahou could begin its ILH regular season in basketball, Tufono took a trip to Mexico City with Clemens. He played in the Hall of […]

From Hawaii high schools to the NFL — an all-time list

By Nick Abramo on December 28, 2018

Nine players who graduated from high school in Hawaii are currently in the NFL —  Marcus Mariota, Tyson Alualu, Kamalei Correa from Saint Louis, Kaimi Fairbairn, DeForest Buckner and Manti Te’o from Punahou, Max Unger from Hawaii Prep, Shawn Lauvao from Farrrington, and Kamu Grugier-Hill from Kamehameha. Mitchell Loewen from Lahainaluna was waived by New Orleans on Thursday. Overall, there are 120 players from 35 different schools who have played in at least one regular-season game at football’s highest level, […]

Q&A: Punahou’s Duke Clemens on playing in Mexico

By Paul Honda on December 28, 2018

Life has been a whirlwind over the past few months for Duke Clemens. The Punahou senior was busy enough as his football team entered the OIA-ILH alliance’s revamped schedule, giving all ILH programs many more games. Then came official visits, including one to UCLA, which Clemens signed with earlier this month. Basketball season means Clemens is a key low-post scorer for No. 1-ranked Punahou. At 6-foot-4 and 290 pounds, he is an All-State offensive lineman on the gridiron, but on […]

MaxPreps’ final computer rankings for 45 Hawaii teams

By Nick Abramo on December 27, 2018

Some went up. Some went down. All of Hawaii’s high school football teams finished the year ranked by the MaxPreps computer. Twenty-seven of the 45 schools — starting with No. 6 Saint Louis and finishing with No. 12,837 Waialua — improved their ranking from a year ago. Eighteen teams slid. The computer rankings are separate from the website’s Xcellent 25, a poll voted on by humans in which the Hawaii Open Division state champion Crusaders are No. 7 nationally. MaxPreps’ […]

Saint Louis finishes No. 7 in MaxPreps Xcellent 25

By Billy Hull on December 24, 2018

Three-time defending Hawaii state champion Saint Louis (11-0) ends the 2018 prep football season ranked No. 7 in the country in the final MaxPreps Xcellent 25. The football season ended on the mainland with North Shore (Tex.) winning the 6A D-I state championship on a game-winning TD pass on the final play of the game against Duncanville to finish as the MaxPreps national champion. The Crusaders, who have won 26 games in a row, finished at No. 7, which matched […]