For the first time since Kahuku in 2012, the No. 1 team in the state never changed throughout the entire football season.
Open Division state champion Saint Louis (10-0), which completed its first undefeated season since 1996 with a 31-28 victory over Kahuku on Saturday night (Sunday morning) at Aloha Stadium, held its No. 1 ranking in the Honolulu Star-Advertiser Football Top 10 all year.
The Crusaders have been No. 1 for 18 consecutive weeks dating back to last year’s win over Kahuku in the state final.
That’s the longest consecutive streak at No. 1 since Punahou went 28 weeks in 2013 and ’14.
The Crusaders also jumped a spot to No. 20 in the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 this week.
Kahuku, which has only lost once to a team not ranked in the top 25 nationally since 2014, predictably finished at No. 2. The Red Raiders have now finished five of the last seven seasons ranked either first or second.
The OIA, which failed to win a state football title for the first time since 2010 (Saint Louis, ‘Iolani), had three of the top four ranked teams with Mililani at No. 3 and Waianae at No. 4.
Kamehameha, which matched its highest ranking to finish a season since its state championship winning team in 2009, was fifth, followed by No. 6 Punahou, which finishes with its lowest ranking to end a season since 2010.
The Division II winner, Lahainaluna, one of four teams ever to repeat as a state football champion, finished ahead of Division I champion Hilo at No. 7. The Vikings, whose only loss this season was against Konawaena, are No. 8.
The Wildcats, who lost to the Lunas 75-69 in seven overtimes, jump into the rankings at No. 9 to end the year, followed by Campbell, which ends the season ranked under first-year coach Darren Johnson for the first time in three years.
Konawaena had never finished a season ranked in the top 10.
The Sabers finished five votes ahead of Damien (eight) for the final spot. Waipahu received two votes.
Honolulu Star-Advertiser Top 10
| FOOTBALL | ||
|---|---|---|
| Updated: 9/19 | ||
| RANK | SCHOOL | VOTES |
| 1. | Kahuku (12) | 129 |
| 2. | Mililani | 109 |
| 3. | Campbell | 107 |
| 4. | Kamehameha (1) | 82 |
| 5. | Punahou | 78 |
| 6. | Kapolei | 62 |
| 7. | Saint Louis | 57 |
| 8. | Konawaena | 36 |
| 9. | Farrington | 25 |
| 10. | Iolani | 12 |
Just my opinion. Puns @4 , Kam @5 and W @6.
TOP 3 is on point.
Hilo @7, Lunas @8
Kapolei @ 9, Campbell @10
Dont worry, I dont become angry like some of these other peepo’s.
Kind of gives a snapshot of what a combined open division would look like.
**crossing fingers**
Campbell #7. Other than that looks good.
Lunas are way better than Hilo
Wow so St louis beat the # 2,3,4,5 and 6 teams. That’s pretty impressive.
Put the rigged refs at #1. Saint Lulu’s hail mary pass at #2. Cal Lee’s recruiters at #3.
Konawaena above Hilo -Head to head 24-14 win -only loss for Vikings in 2017.
Some people still crying about the refs? Good calls and bad calls on both sides. It’s part of the game. Time to build your bridge…
I agree with ilh on the top 8.
Pun should be ahead of Kam since they won 2 out of their 3 games.
I would put Campbell ahead of Kapolei.
I really thought Kapolei was going to do better this season.
GREAT SEASON for all the student athletes. I thought Kapolei woud do better also. Crusaders finished where they started, nothing to argue about. Lahainaluna could be a little higher. Looking forward to next season already… Happy Thanksgiving to all
rigged refs??- You continue to convince me that you really werent taught how to play the game, heck, I am beginning to think that you may not have even played football, and if you did you didnt amount to much.
I know you are a troll but even when trolling ones personal values and perspective on things come out and I cant help but to feel like you dont have enough experience or insight on how the game is really played by real football players to give credible opinions.
Your team loss. They are a superb team with great community pride but they loss and I am sure they are already beginning to prepare for next year and not talking about woulda, coulda, and bad refereeing. Maybe you should do the same.
Unfortunately, refs are a part of the game even at the pro level WITH instant replay. Also, as far as the rankings, Waianae deserves to be 4, it’s just the way the system is this year. Hopefully soon, the OIA will stop being mad about what happened 40+ years ago and create an open division. Then and only then will Hawaii football will start to rival the big states.
Kahuku fans..here’s a straw…suck it up. Enough about the refs. The Refs were consistently inconsistent the whole playoffs. Unfortunately the game is officiated by humans and subject to human error. Coaches not coaching their kids to run out the clock…human error.
Your young QB really developed this year, pretty sure Kahuku will be the favorite next year. Crusaders get bragging rights for the year.
@braddahbull Hawaii needs the open division in the worst way. Open division would benefit everyone from fans to kids. Who wouldn’t want to see Kahuku play Punahou, St. Louis and KS instead of Radford, Kaiser and Aiea. And Instead of St. Louis having to play KS or Punahou 3 times? The kids would benefit from the competition. I don’t know how much you gain by blowing out a team 64-0.
When ILH stops trying to ruin communities and destroy the competitive balance of hawaii football by recruiting and paying off refs, then we can talk merger. until then, they can play in their four team league by themselves
Anyways wipe the wash the salt out of your mouth
anywaays several of my cousins are refs and don’t get paid. So shut the fuck up before I shut it up for you. You are a fucking clown.
Crusaders wins and that is all that matters, only one unbeaten team and that is Saint Louis, State Champions again, back to back, all you whiners stop complaining and just suck it up, if your team did not win the state title, try again in a year, in the mean time it is a long wait till next season for the losers.
C-Pop – St. Francis and Kapaa should be ranked above Konawaena, they demolished Kona head to head. Where does it end?
Rim – Pre season don’t count. Real games in regular season & playoffs, championship games – my opinion, congrats to Hilo for winning D1 title first ever for BIIF!
Unfortunately they do count, that’s why the ranking start from week one. It’s all good, everyone is entitled to their opinion and I respect that. I believe Coach Drummondo would loved to play that game over or had a second game against Kona with Apao at QB the whole game. Turnovers killed Hilo that game and they rebounded well against a tough Kam team the next week.
How do you rank a DII champ in front of DI Champ?
anywaaaays- I’ve been busy this morning dropping off bonus checks to our game officials and booster goodies to our next crop of recruits so please forgive me for the late post. I must admit that I had no idea how much clout you truly held. I mean for me to finally realize that you are the final say in the ILH/OIA merger just blows me away! Please send me your address and I will personally deliver a bonus check to you during next month’s distribution. Thanks for being out biggest supporter!
Head referee Michael Goshima a St. Louis class of 1969 Grad was the head umpire for the Open division Championship game. Can HPW do an investigation as to why this is not a conflict?
Is this another one of Cal Lees tactical advantages?
lol 88 says refs don’t get paid. Of COURSE that’s what they would tell you. Wake up. RRFL!
Awright……you forgot about the line judge……the one never throw 1 holding penalty for the Crusaders all night when they passed the ball every down except 1 then after the last touch down went out of his way to congratulate to WR for the TD. He is also another St. Louis alum…..true story guys, go to your homework…..Hawaii has to be one of the most political states. SMH