When Kahuku traveled to Utah to play Timpview two weeks ago, the game was moved from Friday to Saturday to better accommodate such a high demand for tickets.
For Boise State junior Kekaula Kaniho, it worked out perfectly. The Broncos had a Friday night home game and Kaniho had four tackles and a pass breakup in a 14-7 win over Marshall.
That left a full day Saturday to make the six-hour drive to Utah.
Utah senior defensive end Bradlee Anae was just an hour north of Timpview, but the Utes had an 11 a.m. game on Saturday against Northern Illinois, beginning eight hours before kickoff of the Kahuku/Timpview game.
After Anae exploded for three sacks and a forced fumble in a 35-17 win, he didn’t stick around to celebrate.
He had a North Shore reunion of sorts to attend.
“I was there, man,” Anae said in a phone interview Tuesday. “I stood up all game long. I haven’t stood up for that long before in my entire life, but it was worth it. We came out with the dub.”
>> CLICK HERE FOR TODAY’S HAWAII GROWN FEATURE ON UTAH’S BRADLEE ANAE IN THE STAR-ADVERTISER
Anae got there in time to address the current group of Red Raiders, who then went out and beat Timpview 34-14 with a sea of Red in the crowd.
Approximately 6,500 people attended the game with additional bleacher seating for approximately 2,000 people added just for that game.
Anae caught up with many former teammates from Kahuku’s 2015 squad that beat a Tua Tagovailoa-led Saint Louis team 39-14 for a state title.
“It was pretty cool to see everyone,” Anae said. “I have a picture of a lot of us and it was just a North Shore reunion, man. It was special.”
That team was special with Anae (Utah), Keala Santiago (Hawaii, Utah), Hirkley Latu (BYU) all seniors and Aliki Vimahi (Utah), Kesi Ah-Hoy (Oregon State) and Kaniho (Boise State) part of an impressive junior class.
Of the 87 players who graduated from high school in Hawaii playing at the Division I-FBS level on the mainalnd, 12 are from Kahuku — the most of any public school.
Three of those 12 play at Utah — Anae, Santiago and Malik Haynes.
Below is a list of Hawaii high schools with the most graduates currently on Division I-FBS rosters on the mainland.
Punahou 17
Saint Louis 15
Kahuku 12
Kamehameha 8
Kapolei 6
Maui 4
Mililani 4
Kamehameha-Hawaii 3
‘Iolani 3
Leilehua 2
Waianae 2
Radford 1
Lahainaluna 1
Kapaa 1
Farrington 1
Campbell 1
Kalani 1
University 1
Kaimuki 1
Pearl City 1
Kailua 1
Waimea 1
For the complete list of FBS and FCS players, click here.
RRFL 24/7!!!!
#RR4L
If you counted all the boys who went to private schools like Tafua, Tufaga, Uluave…smh, pretty impressive.
…and even Fehoko.
this is what real community looks like. nobody recruited. nobody bought and paid for like some other “schools.” a real brotherhood as opposed to a “brotherhood.” RRFL
Win or Lose The Kahuku Red Raiders ” The Pride of The North Shore ” !
I was at that 2015 state championship football game. That was the 15 yard penalty haka game. My lasting memory is how the Kahuku fans would not let their team lose. The game started out horribly for Kahuku. 3 and out on their first 2 offensive series, St Lulu blocked a punt for a TD. St Louis was driving the ball their first 2 offensive possessions but Kahuku got 2 huge turnovers. You would have figured by that point that the Kahuku side would be dead quiet. No way. No way were they going to allow their beloved team lose. It was as loud raucous at that point of the game as it was at kickoff. The Kahuku side was standing the entire game, except for halftime. I will always cherish seeing win-at-all-costs St Lulu go down to defeat in the biggest game, The aforementioned Pesa Lefau stole the show in the pregame haka. He broke off his routine halfway through to give St Louis a staredown.