OK, NFL and college and casual football fans who only get out to see high school games when a relative is playing, this message is for you.
Tonight (Friday, Nov. 13), there are two games at Aloha Stadium, and if you want to watch a high school football show but have been putting it off, this is it. The orange and blue sections on both sidelines are expected to be packed.
The second game at 7:30 p.m. is definitely the main event, when No. 3 Mililani (10-2), the Oahu Interscholastic Association runner-up, and Interscholastic League of Honolulu champion and top-ranked Saint Louis (8-1) go at it in the Division I semifinals of the First Hawaiian Bank/HHSAA Football State Championships.
OIA champ and No. 2 Kahuku (11-0) takes on a challenge from No. 6 Waianae (9-3) in the first D-I semifinal at 4:30 p.m. In a regular-season matchup, the Red Raiders rolled to a 30-0 win.
Whatever the result tonight, you can expect the final to draw another big crowd next Friday.
The biggest crowd for a state tournament game was 25,571 in 2008, when Punahou defeated Leilehua 38-7 for its first state title.
The largest attendance for an Oahu Prep Bowl (the precursor to the state tournament) was 32,812 in 1978, when Waianae defeated Kamehameha 14-6.
mahalo Nick, like nice and short read to charge up all the fans.