The Star-Advertiser’s Paul Honda and Billy Hull break down Friday night’s football doubleheader at Aloha Stadium as ‘Iolani and Lahainaluna square off for the Division II state championship, followed by a battle of undefeated teams as No. 1 Punahou tangles with No. 2 Mililani in a rematch of last year’s state final, won by the Buffanblu.
The Lunas’ defense was relentless and everywhere, picking off five passes in a 52-7 win over Kamehameha-Hawaii in the semifinals of the First Hawaiian Bank/HHSAA Division II State Championships.
These press conferences are great for media in one sense: everybody gets a chance to talk to the high school coach of their choice. Of course, we’re talking coaches of teams that have made it this far. The first presser comes before the opening round of the state tourney. That’s borderline madhouse since there are six teams in Division I and six teams in D-II, and tracking down all 12 coaches is nearly impossible in a limited amount of time. […]
The end of an uphill season came with the ultimate reward for the Punahou Buffanblu girls volleyball team. Punahou stunned top-seeded Kamehameha in four sets to capture the New City Nissan/HHSAA Girls Volleyball Division I State Championships.
Farrington coach Randall Okimoto and Maui coach David Bui share similar philosophies. Both let their offensive linemen and running backs go to work. Both have tough-nosed linebackers.
For a long stretch, the Maui Sabers gave Farrington all it could handle. The MIL Division I champions jumped to a 6-0 lead, using a nice scheme in the trenches to create gaps right up the middle. That didn’t last, however. With their big RB, Onosai Emelio, hampered by a late-season knee injury, the Sabers rushing attack was stymied by Farrington — they finished with 120 rushing yards on 42 carries, 2.9 per try. Farrington limited Maui to 209 total […]
Defense wins championships? Defense takes a good team to the brink, but somebody’s got to get the ball into the end zone. The Kahuku Red Raiders were spectacular and steady on Friday, limiting Hilo to 37 yards on 30 snaps in the first half. But they trailed 10-0. For most teams, a solution would be a few gadget or trick plays. Perhaps more gambling on defense. Risk. Adverse risk. For Kahuku and coach Lee Leslie, the best option was the […]