Football

Latest news

Latest news

Bishop Gorman opens at No. 3 in nation

By Billy Hull on August 10, 2016

Two-time defending national champion Bishop Gorman in Nevada opens the season ranked third in the MaxPreps Super 25 Preseason Poll. Why is that relevant here? Two reasons. First, the Gaels are set to host Hawaii’s defending state champions, the Kahuku Red Raiders, in a much-anticipated showdown Sept. 17 in Nevada. Bishop Gorman begins the season on 39-game winning streak, which is tied for the fourth-longest mark in the country according to this Max Preps article. Kahuku is riding a 13-game […]

Kapolei vs. Waianae: The way the ‘Canes win

By Billy Hull on August 9, 2016

If you played the word association game right now with Kapolei football, just about every answer would revolve around either sophomore QB Taulia Tagovailoa or offensive coordinator June Jones for obvious reasons. The leader of the program throughout its entire existence, Darren Hernandez, shouldn’t have a problem with that. After all, who wouldn’t want the combination of Jones and Tagovailoa controlling an offense at the high school level? But when it comes to Saturday’s showdown against No. 4 Waianae, Hernandez […]

Campbell makes good use of upgraded field

By Nick Abramo on August 8, 2016

Campbell football head coach Amosa Amosa is happy to see his boys enjoying their time practicing on the upgraded field on campus. All of last season, the Sabers practiced at parks near the school and did not have any home games. They started slow, finished relatively strong and wound up a disappointing 2-8. Four of the losses were by nine points or less, and they beat Kaiser 27-21 in the first round of the Oahu Interscholastic Association playoffs. The Sabers […]

VIDEO: ‘Sledgehammahs,’ war clubs enter scene

By Nick Abramo on August 8, 2016

Darren Hernandez walked sternly on to the Kapolei football field when the stadium announcer gave the fans a nod that the team was heading out of the locker room. He was immediately followed by linebacker Tyler Vasega holding a huge sledgehammer over his shoulder and walking a proudly like Paul Bunyan holding his ax. A few seconds later, the rest of the players ran single file out to the field to warm up for their game against Campbell. By the […]

Honokaa has new FB coach; first game canceled

By Nick Abramo on August 8, 2016

Honokaa did not make a planned trip to Oahu to play football against Waialua last Saturday. According to Honokaa athletic director Keith Tolentino, the team did not have an adequate number of varsity players ready for the first nonleague game of the season. The Dragons had 19 players altogether of various experience level. However, Tolentino said the numbers issue will not be a problem for the rest of the season. The full varsity roster is about 38-40 players, he said, […]

Kahuku remains No. 1; Waianae up to No. 4

By Nick Abramo on August 8, 2016

Kahuku received all 15 first-place votes in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser Top 10 football poll released today. The Red Raiders, the defending Division I state champions, scrimmaged Farrington on Friday. They start their regular season this Friday at Leilehua (0-1) Despite a 70-9 win over the Mules, Punahou (1-0) remained in the No. 3 spot. Saint Louis, another team yet to play a full game, stayed at No. 2. The Crusaders were ahead of Mililani 7-0 when the lights went out […]

Aiea head coach Say ready to start 25th season

By Nick Abramo on August 8, 2016

Wendell Say will start his 25th season as Aiea’s head football coach on Friday as Na Alii visits Nanakuli (0-1). It’s been a long ride at Aiea for Say, who began with the school as an assistant in 1980. He was two years out of Linfield College, where he played football, when his friend, Marco Min, told him there was a job opening on Na Alii staff. I interviewed with Ray Higa, the head coach at the time, and he […]

The game that never was

By Billy Hull on August 8, 2016

It was nice to see a packed John Kauinana Stadium abuzz for an early-season showdown between two top-five teams. It was nice to see Saint Louis QB Tua Tagovailoa, the Elite 11 MVP and Alabama commit, spinning and sprinting away from tacklers like he was controlled by someone that couldn’t decide between hitting the B-button for the spin move or holding down the trigger for turbo speed. It was nice to see the always animated Rod York getting into the […]