The season is done, and year 1 of the OIA-ILH football alliance provides us with immense data.
Coaches weigh in on whether it worked or not in today’s Star-Advertiser feature, which you can read here.
None of is surprising. ILH teams won 37 out of 50 matchups with their Open, Division I and D-II brethren from the OIA. (Note: This is based on games played before St. Francis was required by the ILH to forfeit its eight games in league/interleague regular-season.)
Ever since the public schools of the city — the great scribe Bill Kwon termed his town-side list of top football players as “City All-Stars” in the 1950s and ’60s — denounced any affiliation with the private-school sector and joined country public schools to form the OIA, the stories and lore of teams and players during that heyday have survived.
Even thrived.
So did the morsels of acrimony. Schools with district lines losing players to comparably wealthy institutions that appealed to a superior student-athlete. Some termed it recruiting. Some considered it appalling. The rift led to the split, and when the two sides shook hands to form the OIA-ILH football alliance in 2018, the appetites of sports fans, especially football fanatics, became whetted. Blockbuster football programs at Saint Louis, Punahou and Kamehameha, as well as lower-tiered regiments ‘Iolani, Damien, St. Francis and Pac-Five enjoyed a banquet of competition for a change instead of the usual fare of staples.
In ’70, Farrington, McKinley, Roosevelt, Kaimuki and Kalani were no longer regulars on the ILH schedule for private-school teams. As the ILH’s top teams grew stronger, the rest of the league became distant relatives. By the 1990s, Saint Louis became an unprecedented dynasty on the gridiron.
By ’01, the double round-robin format was whittled down. Higher-tiered teams continued playing each twice, and played the lower tier just once. Two years later, the HHSAA implemented Division II at the state tournament, a godsend for all the mid- and small-sized programs across the state.
By ’14, the ILH played its integrated schedule for the last time. From ’15 to ’17, all Saint Louis, Punahou and Kamehameha had was each other. It was still high-level football, but bland, to say the least. In ’15, Punahou had a three-week drought of game action from Aug. 15 to Sept. 4, and it would’ve been longer if not for a trip to California.
In ’17, Punahou’s schedule looked like this:
PUNAHOU 2017 SCHEDULE
vs. Moanalua, 8/4
vs. Torrey Pines (Calif.), 8/25
at Serra (Calif.), 9/2
vs. Kamehameha, 9/9
vs. Saint Louis, 9/16
vs. Kamehameha, 9/22
vs. Saint Louis, 10/7
vs. Kamehameha, 10/13
Season over
In ’18, the Buffanblu slate became a different animal.
PUNAHOU 2018 SCHEDULE
at Kahuku, 8/11
at Kapolei, 8/17
at Farrington, 9/1
at Mililani, 9/8
vs. Saint Louis, 9/15
at Campbell, 9/22
vs. Kamehameha, 9/28
at Waianae, 10/12
vs. Kamehameha, 10/19
vs. Saint Louis, 10/27
For Saint Louis, the ’18 schedule was longer as it defended its Open state title for a third year in a row.
SAINT LOUIS 2018 SCHEDULE
vs. Waianae, 8/10
vs. Narbonne (Calif.), 8/17
at Mililani, cancelled (hurricane), 8/25
vs. Kahuku, 9/7
vs. Punahou, 9/15
at Kapolei, 9/21
at Campbell, 9/28
at Farrington, 10/5
vs. Kamehameha, 10/12
vs. Punahou, 10/27
vs. Kahuku, 11/16
vs. Mililani, 11/24
Compare that to ’17.
SAINT LOUIS 2017 SCHEDULE
at Waianae, 8/5
vs. Baldwin, 8/12
vs. Kamehameha, 9/1
vs. Punahou 9/16
vs. Narbonne (Calif.), 9/23
vs. Kamehameha, 9/23
vs. Punahou, 10/7
vs. Kamehameha, 10/21
vs. Mililani, 11/10
vs. Kahuku, 11/18
Still, it’s the OIA that holds the trump cards, so to speak, in this arrangement. Saint Louis’ dynasty has re-emerged with the return of Coach Cal Lee, OC Ron Lee and staff. Lee spoke during the regular season about the absence of home games for ILH teams in interleague play.
Nationally-ranked Saint Louis won its crossover games by an average margin of 35.6 points. Against Kahuku and Mililani at the state tournament, the Crusaders’ average margin was 24.5 points.
Saint Louis vs. OIA (Open), 2018
W 69-6 Waianae (Aloha Stadium)
vs. Mililani, cancelled (hurricane)
W 30-14 Kahuku (Aloha Stadium)
W 30-22 @ Kapolei
W 55-7 @ Campbell
W 72-6 @ Farrington
W 49-22 Kahuku (Aloha Stadium)
W 38-17 Mililani (Aloha Stadium)
Record vs. OIA (Open): 7-0
Home: 0-0
Away: 3-0
Neutral: 4-0
PF: 343 (49 ppg)
PA: 94 (13.4 ppg)
Punahou vs. OIA (Open), 2018
L 28-41 @ Kahuku
W 34-21 @ Kapolei
W 40-14 @ Farrington
W 43-21 @ Mililani
W 43-14 @ Campbell
W 52-0 @ Waianae
Record vs. OIA (Open): 5-1
Home: 0-0
Away: 5-1
Neutral: 0-0
PF: 240 (40 ppg)
PA: 111 (18.5 ppg)
Kamehameha vs. OIA (Open), 2018
W 21-7 Kapolei (Aloha Stadium)
L 24-31 @ Mililani
L 22-26 @ Campbell
L 7-24 @ Kahuku
W 32-21 Farrington
W 27-0 @ Waianae
Record vs. OIA (Open): 3-3
Home: 1-0
Away: 1-3
Neutral: 1-0
PF: 133 (22.2 ppg)
PA: 109 (18.2 ppg)
ILH (Open) vs. OIA (Open), 2018
Composite record: 15-4 (.789)
PF: 716 (37.7 ppg)
PA: 314 (16.5 ppg)
In Division I, there was more balance, though the ILH won interleague games 11 out of 15 times. The ILH representative at the state tournament, ‘Iolani, lost in the semifinal round at Waipahu. Damien was 5-2 against OIA D-I teams, but scored 17 points or less in four of those contests.
‘Iolani vs. OIA (D-I), 2018
W 55-14 Waipahu
W 33-12 @ Kailua
@ Moanalua, cancelled (hurricane)
L 20-31 @ Leilehua
W 42-6 Radford
W 39-0 @ Nanakuli
W 41-14 @ Castle
W 30-3 @ Aiea
L 19-20 @ Waipahu
Record vs. OIA (D-I): 6-2
Home: 2-0
Away: 4-2
Neutral: 0-0
PF: 279 (34.9 ppg)
PA: 100 (12.5 ppg)
Damien vs. OIA (D-I), 2018
W 28-6 @ Radford
W 34-0 @ Nanakuli
@ Aiea, cancelled (hurricane)
W 13-10 @ Waipahu
L 13-31 Moanalua (John Velasco Stadium)
W 16-7 @ Kailua
L 17-23 @ Leilehua
W 26-10 @ Castle
Record vs. OIA (D-I): 5-2
Home: 0-0
Away: 5-1
Neutral: 0-1
PF: 147 (21 ppg)
PA: 87 (12.4 ppg)
ILH (D-I) vs. OIA (D-I), 2018
Composite record: 11-4 (.733)
PF: 426 (28.4 ppg)
PA: 187 (12.5 ppg)
In Division II, things get a bit skewed because of St. Francis’ disqualification for suiting up an ineligible player in five games. For the purposes of this comparison, St. Francis’ game scores (pre-forfeit) will be used.
St. Francis vs. OIA (D-II), 2018 (pre-forfeiture)
W 28-21 @ Radford
W 42-6 McKinley (Ticky Vasconcellos Stadium)
W 69-0 @ Waialua
W 27-13 @ Pearl City
W 13-0 Kaimuki (Skippa Diaz Stadium)
W 40-6 Kalaheo (Alex Kane Stadium)
W 52-0 Kalani (Kaiser Stadium)
W 20-14 @ Roosevelt
Record vs OIA (D-II): 8-0
Home: 0-0
Away: 4-0
Neutral: 4-0
PF: 291 (36.4 ppg)
PA: 60 (7.5 ppg)
* Official record in ILH D-II is 0-8.
Pac-Five vs. OIA (D-II), 2018
L 15-17 @ Roosevelt
W 28-8 Kalani (Kaiser Stadium)
W 13-6 Kalaheo (Hugh Yoshida Stadium)
L 24-28 McKinley (Ticky Vasconcellos Stadium)
L 13-19 @ Pearl City
L 27-31 @ Kaiser
W 14-6 Waialua (Aiea Stadium)
L 7-20 @ Roosevelt
Record vs. OIA (D-II) 3-5
Home: 0-0
Away: 0-4
Neutral: 3-1
PF: 141 (17.6 ppg)
PA: 135 (16.9 ppg)
* Official record in ILH D-II is 4-4.
ILH (D-II) vs. OIA (D-II), 2018
Composite record: 11-5 (.689), pre-forfeiture of St. Francis season.
PF: 432 (27 ppg)
PA: 195 (12.2 ppg)
All games, ILH vs. OIA (Open, D-I, D-II), 2018
Composite record: 37-13 (.740)
PF: 1,574 (31.5 ppg)
PA: 696 (13.9 ppg)
The overall scoring numbers in D-II are similar to D-I interleague play. In each division, the top ILH team didn’t reach the final due to tournament defeat or disqualification. Where the numbers become more even between the leagues is clear in the ILH’s second-best teams, Damien (D-I) and Pac-Five (D-II).
All leverage remains with the OIA, and as long as both parties are peaceable, Hawaii high school football moves into territory that its early game-makers rarely envisioned.
And finally…
Mililani vs. ILH (Open), 2018
W 31-24 Kamehameha
vs. Saint Louis, cancelled (hurricane)
L 21-43 Punahou
L 17-38 Saint Louis (Aloha Stadium)
Record vs. ILH (Open): 1-2
Home: 1-1
Away: 0-0
Neutral: 0-1
PF: 69 (23 ppg)
PA: 105 (35 ppg)
Kahuku vs. ILH (Open), 2018
W 41-28 Punahou
L 14-30 Saint Louis (Aloha Stadium)
W 24-7 Kamehameha
L 22-49 Saint Louis (Aloha Stadium)
Record vs. ILH (Open): 2-2
Home: 2-0
Away: 0-0
Neutral: 0-2
PF: 101 (25.3 ppg)
PA: 114 (28.5 ppg)
Campbell vs. ILH (Open), 2018
W 26-22 Kamehameha
L 14-43 Punahou
L 7-55 Saint Louis
Record vs. ILH (Open): 1-2
Home: 1-2
Away: 0-0
Neutral 0-0
PF: 47 (15.7 ppg)
PA: 120 (40 ppg)
Waipahu vs. ILH (D-1), 2018
L 14-55 @ ‘Iolani
L 10-13 Damien
W 20-19 ‘Iolani (Aloha Stadium)
Record vs. ILH (D-I): 1-2
Home: 0-1
Away: 0-1
Neutral: 1-0
PF: 44 (14.7 ppg)
PA: 87 (29 ppg)
Leilehua vs. ILH (D-I), 2018
W 31-20 “Iolani
W 23-17 Damien
Record vs. ILH (D-I): 2-0
Home: 2-0
Away: 0-0
Neutral: 0-0
PF: 54 (27 ppg)
PA: 37 (18.5 ppg)
Moanalua vs. ILH (D-I), 2018
vs. ‘Iolani, cancelled (hurricane)
W 31-13 Damien (John Velasco Stadium)
Record vs. ILH (D-I): 1-0
Home: 0-0
Away: 0-0
Neutral: 1-0
PF: 31
PA: 13
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzQ9kxs6RL8 🙂
interesting what sls numbers for and against would have been if they did not sub freely from begin of the 3rd quarters; and also of delaura’s.
Suspense… Yes, High Fives and Big Pats on the back… They are good. They literally are the best many communities have to offer. It’s Amazing that they are that good…. Not really, they are just very talented.
Again in the Open, you had IL H winning 79% of the games. Folks that 4-1. H PW should also list the $$$ each team spends on their program to include coaches pay,trainees team physicians,equipment etc. A team like Waianae would be last place and their record proves it. This report only proves that the $$$ ILH would improve their bottom line in the future. Best for OIA to walk away from the merge. The next thing is ILH would want 2 teams in the States. It’s a good thing Kahuku beat Punahou because we would hear the whining.
Last year people complained that the ILH rep had a 3 week bye going into states while the OIA still had playoffs. This year the bye was shorter but no one wants to play ILH teams anymore. Kahuku can pound everyone every year and everyone is happy. Same with mMililani. SLS goes on a streak and all the cry babies come out saying they shouldn’t play local teams anymore. Cry cry cry. Incoming crying on the way from note, coach c and the other screen names this loser has
But really, the ILH should go back to 1 league. St.Francis was destroying teams in D2, while Damien and Iolani were tops in D1. Let me ask you, do you think Damien and Iolani could beat Farrington or Waianae? Yes. But yet F and W was in the Open, with the ILH monsters getting cracks. So the ILH would have a 6 team league and let Pac5 play D2 OIA.
Interesting numbers. But, after St. Louis, Punahou, Mililani and Kakuku there is quite a huge drop in talent with the other Open teams this year. Does everyone agree?
#7 not really a drop as StL was 3-0 against Mill and Kahuku and Punahou was 1-1. So again on the top tier of the Open you still have a 80% ILH win rate. #walkawayfromthemerge.
Step 1. End the merger. Get the recruited ILH teams outta the way.
Step 2. Ban Mililani from OIA football because they supposedly recruits as well.
That leaves Kahuku as uncontested top dog again. Go-o RRFL.
#walkawayfromthemerge. #mergetheILH.
I wonder again. Has attendance and school revenue increased this season?
Spot points and keep the merger. Just being silly. But, until the state can finance schools better we need everything we can get.
Good times what you guys need is a bunch of crying towels look at teams like Alabama Clemson LSU etc.. do you hear people crying like you guys hell no when you have a good program everybody wants to go and play for that school all you cry babies and full of shit people if coach cal and staff wasn’t the best than nobody would go to st Louis said of being haters they should ask and learn how to build there program so guys will want to play at
2019 St Louis Academy schedule should be:
Mater Dei
Punahou
Kamehameha
St John Bosco
Mililani
IMG Academy
Kahuku
Bishop Gorman
Make it happen CAL !!!!!
Coach C,
Does coaching have to do with any of this? Granted STL has some studs, weight training program and coaching makes a huge difference. ALL OIA teams played a solid first half, then 2nd half comes the coaching adjustments and that to me in my opinion is where the OIA falls off.
Programs like Waianae struggles to retain kids due to grades and I’m sure coaching makes a difference too but their program has the size and athletes. I’m sure Cal Lee would still do well and win more than 1 game with Waianae. Saint Francis shouldn’t be D2, they can play D1. Along with Damien.
Everyone’s salty because they all talked about the ILH easy schedule and now what. Recruiting isn’t the issue. It’s coaching! Period! Campbell recruits all of Kapolei’s starters and Kahuku’s back up players, Mililani Recruits everywhere, Kahuku has kids from all over who lives with their “families” we all know how it goes.. just step up in coaching! STL did well this year hands down.
Like Mililani this year, they trAvelled to St.John Bosco. Why, because SJ B will not come to Hawaii. Like Kahuku who travelled to Bishop Gorman in 2016 and Timpview, those teams will not go over the Pacific for a game. StL needs to schedule a top 5 Calif team and not Narbonne. Hey Cal, can.
Braddah Bu all your comments are right on!
Coach C, what are you talking about Bosco doesn’t want to come to Hawaii? They came a few years ago and crushed STL with Josh Rosen at QB. Bishop Gorman, Narbonne, De La Selle, Country Day all came down; its time for STL to go up and prove they can hang…
Cal Lee is correct in his assessment of how the Open Division playoffs should be. Conventional wisdom will have 1 play 4 and 2 play 3. However, if St. Louis is ranked 1 that leaves the four OIA teams to battle it out for the rest of the seedings. What has happened is that the OIA champions’s then seeded 2 and the runner up 3. That would mean that both those teams would have to play each other again to make it to the Open final. Therefore, you get 1 vs. 3 and 2 vs. 4. I agree with Cal, that the ILH champions should play the OIA champions.
I think St. Louis is absolutely the best team right now, an could be for years possibly. Here’s what I don’t get. I don’t get why the ILH fanboys are pumping themselves up about it. Its like putting together a fantasy football team, when you gather talented players and put them on one team obviously you get a competitive advantage. So why so many high fives and putting down of other teams? When Kahuku or Mililani wins out against the ILH at the end of season its a huge accomplishment. That’s David slaying Goliath. I think that has been lost on ILH fans for a long time… Sure St. Louis 14 wins before was/is incredible. With teams of highly talented players in each position what excuse do you have not to win against teams that play with players (largely) from one geographic area? I’m not complaining about recruiting but I saying recognize that there is an advantage.
ILH fans on here trash talk as if they overcame some something larger than themselves in order to win. Win with class ILH Fans, take your win and shut the hell up already. Its over and everybody else is getting ready for next year. This topic is so over already.
SpamandRice, you obviously have not been on this blog for the past couple years. The OIA guys just as bad when they win. But good season everyone.
Where’s Aannyywwaayyss!
BbWwAahhaa
Why is it when St. Louis wins you see all the crybabies come out and comment ,that ilh should win with class, they should play so and so to prove themselves,they recruit,they steal all the talent,I could go on and on with the crying and whining.They should just be happy for the boys,It is what it is ,if thier the best so be it.Other teams just have to step up! Congrats BROTHERS🔴🔵
StopGruming… “Why is it when St. Louis wins you see all the crybabies come out and comment…” That sounds a lot like wah, wah, wah…
Thanks for proving my point exactly…
St. Louis wins (smashes even almost mercy rules) AND this ILH Fanboy “STOPGRUMBLN” STILL finds something to complain about?
SpamandRice
I’m not complaining just stating the facts braddah
SpamandRice hit the nail on the head !!
STOPGRUMBLN Said it is what it is, other teams have to step up! How can OIA teams step up if they can’t legally recruit top players like the ILH?
Some OIA teams are not that far behind stl/punahou teams! but there is a big drop off with OIA depth. Stl/punahou 2nd teamers can start at almost every OIA school where as most OIA schools have to play both ways to keep pace. all you non football playing bloggers have no idea?
Cal seen it first hand at Kalani that’s why he’s back at STL Academy. “DUH”
When Cal wins states coaching at a public school I will call him the best coach ever, until than he’s just a good coach..
Braddah Bu, yes coaching is everything. StL. May have twice as many coaches then say Kahuku. Special team,kicking,lbs.qbs.rbs.te.guards press box,trainers,medicle,technical support. Public don’t have that luxury. Where does recruits from Kauai,Maui and Big Island sleep? You need $$$$$ for that. A kid that sleeps at uncle’s house in Laie is not a recruit. It’s a family member that wants to be RRFL. Take the Latus,Welch,Tufaga,Wily but they sleep in RRzfi country. All good. Wish them and Alakai Gilman all played for their born district, but it it what it is. Good luck to them. One more thing about recruiting. Take all the best from your rivals even if you sit them
???
Like I said crying and whining ,when you at the top people always gone hate.parents are not forced to send thier son thier ,they can go and play for thier hometown school but thier parents choose not too, some kids playing in the OIA are not even playing at thier hometown school so please don’t talk about ILH recruiting
Like you said earlier, I not crying I just stating facts too.
Stopgrumbln, ALLILH & whoever else wants to answer this simple question:
If you have good athletes from all over the state on your team, do you think your team should win?
Answer yes or no?
And you think the OIA will finally realize they’ve been conned?
The OIA does not need the ILH.
#walkawayfromthemerge
???
Didn’t the Lee brothers win the Prep Bowl in 1979 at Kaiser…
Coach C for your information Latus live in Kaimuki and Wily lives Salt Lake. Stop guessing, you making yourself look stupid.
??? Yes! Same thing as if you have bigger and better players in your school district compared to another school district. But, again, coaching plays a big part.
Wake up. What?? Well I guess some RRFL people need to put recruiting and district exemption arguments to rest. But what will they complain about then? I know. St. Louis shouldn’t be in the league because no fair they’re an all boys school. That’s why they can field a 100 player team. LOL.
And the Tuitele’s lives at Mayor Wright Housing. And the Tagavailoa’s used to live in Ewa. So if a family makes a sacrifice to send their children to a private school to get a better education in order to get into better colleges, hats off to them.
The only way this merger will be more competitive is to let the Open division OIA teams legally recruit!!!
Yes OIA has some “Geographic Exceptions” but it is very limited and not enough to match stl/punahou. Make Open division recruiting legal and Mililani or Kahuku will win states in a minimum two years. Guaranteed !!
(FACTS) Just look at Campbell’s big jump in one year just by getting the Atimalala brothers and a couple others. Better yet, look at what Miano & Salanoa did with recruits (DII Champs)
???
Mililani and Campbell already recruiting. York and DJ are year around scouting for players to improve their rosters. As for the kapolei,Farrington and Waianae they have the roster to compete. Just need to develope a QB through the JPS league and keep him from getting recruited by other schools. Easier said then done once Cal Lee or other private schools come knocking…
@Coach put me in!!!
LEGALLY!! Coach York & Kahuku would get Way more talent!!
Punahou QB Muasau should transfer to Mililani instead of wasting another year as a backup!!!!!
Nothing will ever be totally fair with or without the merger. Does it need to be where every school has a cap on the number of players, coaches, staff, etc. ? Accept the fact, move forward and work to improve. Let’s not forget that the program is for the kids. Let them be safe and have fun.
How does a DOE school, ask taxpayers to fund 20 more students position because of DE status? And to assist families can siblings hop on the bandwagon so mom doesn’t drive all over the place?
P parent
i know for a fact Mililani has a coach who drop off players who don’t live in Mililani. As for Campbell those players who transferred from kahuku. DJ still lives in Punaluu.
@CrusaderParent
Head Coach RON LEE won at Kaiser NOT Cal !! and yes they had recruits and also got their main man Boyd Yap to transfer back from Kamehameha to Kaiser.
@Coach put me in!!! November 28, 2018 8:49 am
???
Easier said then done once Cal Lee or other private schools come knocking…
But you said STL Academy doesn’t Recruit so why would they be knocking??
#32.wake up wake up…..dad Sekele Wily,rrfl beast. Family Lai e born. Latu same . wHat coach get big house in Kaimuki? Oh,stl.campus? Watch out no sleep over on campus. The Catholic dioceses going down wkrldwide.
Now Kahuku has downgraded from Reload to Rebuild LOL. And it looks like that’s what it’s gonna be for the next 10 years. So sad! Why hasn’t their admin hit the road yet? Specifically their A.D.? Yikes!!!
Kahuku needs to stop complaining. The last 2 years they could have easily won, but it was bad coaching. They still have the talent, they just need to get a good staff together. The year Tua was a senior, Kahuku actually had a good chance. Even last year with Sol Jay, Kahuku had the game in the bag. Then Coaching mishaps of not emphasizing to the kids to STAY IN-BOUNDS!!! Kahuku could have easily run the clock out.
So please Kahuku don’t fall into the recruiting BS. Kahuku doesn’t need it. Fix your admin and your coaching. Plain and simple. Maybe kids leave cause they don’t want to play for the coaches or the admin. I remember when Siuaki was coaching they used to field a minimum of 70players every year. So go figure.
Facts are facts but when you’re losing, the facts sound like excuses!!! LOL