Kahuku, Saint Louis alone on the big stage

There are so many reasons to attend the first-ever, and maybe last, Open Championship on Saturday.

The Sea of Red cheering on one of the best defenses ever and the last chance to see Tua Tagovailoa in a real game before he moves on to Alabama are two of them.

But how many people will be there to see it? It certainly has an epic matchup going for it and not being on television except for pay-per-view will help. But it has a few things going against it as well.

For the first time since 2002, when official attendance was a paltry 10,935, the state championship game will stand alone. The Division I and II championships will be held the previous night.

The new Open has had quite a successful start, drawing 5,540 to the first round and 11,872 to the semifinals. Last year’s Division I state championships drew 3,146 in the first round and 11,704 in the semis before getting 19,699 through the gates for Kahuku’s championship win over Saint Louis.

The last time the state title game featured a rematch was 2012 when Kahuku and Punahou fell 3,000 fans short of the previous year.

So take a guess. How many fans do you think will be in attendance on Saturday? Leave predictions in the comments.

Guesses so far: 50,000; 25,000+; 20,000; 19,642; 17,000; 16,500; 13,000; 11,000

State championship attendances (Division II game in parenthesis)
2015: Kahuku 39, Saint Louis 14, Aloha Stadium, 19,699, (Radford 30, Kapaa 16)
2014: Mililani 53, Punahou 45, Aloha Stadium, 19,254 (Iolani 31, Lahainaluna 14)
2013: Punahou 28, Mililani 22, Aloha Stadium, 20,934 (Kaiser 17, Kauai 7)
2012: Kahuku 42, Punahou 20, Aloha Stadium, 17,820 (Iolani 36, Lahainaluna 33)
2011: Kahuku 30, Punahou 24, Aloha Stadium, 20,058 (Iolani 34, Waipahu 0)
2010: Saint Louis 36, Waianae 13, Aloha Stadium, 12,309 (Iolani 49, Kaimuki 14)
2009: Kamehameha 34, Kahuku 21, Aloha Stadium, 21,661 (Iolani 24, Kauai 17)
2008: Punahou 38, Leilehua 7, Aloha Stadium, 25,571 (Iolani 35, Radford 20)
2007: Leilehua 20, Saint Louis 16, Aloha Stadium, 15,583 (Iolani 28, Lahainaluna 21)
2006: Kahuku 7, Saint Louis 6, Aloha Stadium, 18,870 (King Kekaulike 33, Kauai 20)
2005: Kahuku 28, Punahou 21, Aloha Stadium, 24,667 (Iolani 34, Radford 20)
2004: Kamehameha 28, Leilehua 7, Aloha Stadium, 17,757 (Campbell 28, Iolani 7)
2003: Kahuku 27, Saint Louis 26, Aloha Stadium, 15,061 (Aiea 9, Damien 7)
2002: Saint Louis 34, Castle 15, Aloha Stadium, 10,935
2001: Kahuku 21, Saint Louis 14, Aloha Stadium, 24,841
2000: Kahuku 26, Saint Louis 20, Aloha Stadium, 14,267
1999: Saint Louis 19, Kahuku 0, Aloha Stadium, 10,864
Prep Bowls
1998: Saint Louis 28, Kahuku 20, Aloha Stadium, 20,959
1997: Saint Louis 27, Waianae 0, Aloha Stadium, 23,973
1996: Saint Louis 7, Waianae 0, Aloha Stadium, 16,094
1995: Saint Louis 27, Kahuku 26, Aloha Stadium, 29,129
1994: Saint Louis 26, Kahuku 20, Aloha Stadium, 25,838
1993: Saint Louis 37, Kahuku 22, Aloha Stadium, 21,114
1992: Saint Louis 35, Waianae 7, Aloha Stadium, 19,202
1991: Saint Louis 36, Waianae 6, Aloha Stadium, 21,169
1990: Saint Louis 38, Farrington 3, Aloha Stadium, 29,362
1989: Saint Louis 35, Kahuku 18, Aloha Stadium, 22,219
1988: Saint Louis 49, Waianae 7, Aloha Stadium, 18,752
1987: Saint Louis 35, Waianae 0, Aloha Stadium, 17,029
1986: Saint Louis 49, Waianae 6, Aloha Stadium, 15,922
1985: Pac-Five 56, Waianae 7, Aloha Stadium, 16,894
1984: Leilehua 10, Saint Louis 0, Aloha Stadium, 27,449
1983: Saint Louis 15, Nanakuli 12, Aloha Stadium, 27,665
1982: Pac-Five 14, Waianae 7, Aloha Stadium, 24,090
1981: Radford 14, Saint Louis 2, Aloha Stadium, 22,235
1980: Iolani 7, Waianae 7, Aloha Stadium, 31,484
1979: Kaiser 27, Kamehameha 7, Aloha Stadium, 26,619
1978: Waianae 14, Kamehameha 6, Aloha Stadium, 32,812
1977: Waianae 27, Punahou 6, Aloha Stadium, 30,793
1976: Kamehameha 46, Radford 6, Aloha Stadium, 26,666
1975: Kamehameha 20, Waianae 14, Aloha Stadium, 30,201
1974: Kamehameha 20, Leilehua 19, Honolulu Stadium, 11,955
1973: Waianae 6, Saint Louis 0, Honolulu Stadium, 18,717