Looking back at Waianae’s last win over Kahuku

Waianae's Peter Sarono tried to get away from a Kahuku defensive player in a game played on Sept. 22, 2000. Star-Bulletin photo by Craig T. Koima.
Waianae’s Peter Sarono tried to get away from a Kahuku defensive player in a game played on Sept. 22, 2000. Star-Bulletin photo by Craig T. Koima.

It’s a rivalry, no doubt. A rivalry that has been dominated for over a decade by the guys from the North Shore.

Kahuku and Waianae meet Saturday night at Aloha Stadium with the OIA Red division championship at stake. Two storied programs that have remained true to what they’ve always been about, smashmouth football at its finest.

First-year coach Walter Young has done a great job coming back from a season-opening 20-point loss to Kamehameha to run the table through league play to this point. Waianae has done it in impressive fashion, scoring at least 50 points in each of its last four games with eight different players rushing for at least 133 yards.


That offensive success will be put to the test against a Kahuku team that has given up just 22 points THE ENTIRE SEASON. Average that out and the Red Raiders just need to score more than a field goal to top the 3.1 points allowed.

The Kahuku-Waianae rivalry goes way back and was intensified by the eight meetings from 1982 to 2000 in the OIA championship game. Kahuku won that 2000 title game, 32-13, and subsequently has won the next 13 meetings on the field (Kahuku had to forfeit the 2010 game).

Waianae’s last win over the Red Raiders came two months earlier in that 2000 season at Aloha Stadium. Kahuku outgained the Seariders 326-73 in yards but the Seariders pulled out the 12-7 win being opportunistic on defense.

Kahuku turned the ball over seven times with Waianae defensive back Kekoa Reyes intercepting Kahuku QB Inoke Funaki three times. Waianae’s two touchdowns came after linebacker Brian Lave forced a fumble and defensive lineman Rommel Reed recovered a second fumble at the Kahuku 5.

Graen Enriquez caught an 8-yard TD pass from QB Brandon Lopes and Peter Sarono scored the game-winner on a 1-yard TD run out of that wishbone offense the Seariders have perfected over the years.


Kahuku threw the ball 35 times that game, which surely won’t happen Saturday. The Seariders won’t put up the 73.7 points they are averaging over their last three games either.

Both teams are going to line up behind their big boys up front and try to cram it down the throats of the opposing defenses. It’s not the kind of football we’ve grown accustomed to seeing in the new pass-happy spread style off football that is dominating the game today, but it should be just as good.

This will be Young’s first opportunity to go at Kahuku as Waianae’s head coach. The man he replaced, Daniel Matsumoto, beat the Red Raiders only once in his 15-year tenure. That one win? It came in his first game against Kahuku.

Will history repeat itself?


UPDATE: Thanks to @slafonz on Twitter for showing us this YouTube Clip from a 1995 meeting that ended in a 21-21 tie. Here is Waianae’s Chris Paogofie on a kickoff making a crazy play.

COMMENTS

  1. red x October 1, 2015 10:20 am

    Like this article. Won’t be surprised that waianae pull this upset because Kahuku has some injuries and I’m not to sure but I heard there best Dline is out of the team


  2. Kahuku 82 October 1, 2015 11:15 am

    Probably not gonna be a high scoring game but might come down to special teams and who makes the least mistakes and penalties!! But definitely smashmouth football at its finest..


  3. Homegrown October 1, 2015 1:06 pm

    Looks like Kahuku will be without a couple starters on D-line. Could be interesting now….


  4. Kahuku 82 October 1, 2015 2:00 pm

    @ homegrown add the RB FB & most likely kesi on the other side of the ball but they have kids that been stepping in and doing a pretty fine job, even on defense! Atleast it’s not do or die time yet! Better to let them heal properly then rush them back and make it worse. Still gonna be a good one for sure!!


  5. TightSpiral October 1, 2015 2:58 pm

    Thats why the games are played on the field and not on 88’s keyboard, he been saying Kahuku/Punahou in the state title….lol, worry about your injurys fella and getting past the 1st round. smh, some fans are too much!!


  6. 88 October 1, 2015 4:03 pm

    TightSpiral it will be Kahuku vs Punahou for the State Title. There is no excuses about who can play and who can’t. Kahuku’s season is not dictated by 1 or 2 players. If 1 cant suit up or make the grades there is always another ready. Thats the beauty of RedRaider Football. C’mon now


  7. oia#1 October 1, 2015 4:57 pm

    Waianae has a few starters out too, but we dont wanna make no excuses, next man up and just play


  8. oia#1 October 1, 2015 5:01 pm

    Love the vid, hopefully with the new hc and a another ad, waianae can return to glory. Good luck to both teams


  9. LBI October 1, 2015 5:43 pm

    Have family on both sides. Good luck Seariders n Red Raiders. Leave it all on the field.

    Go Big Red


  10. 808polytics October 1, 2015 6:47 pm

    GOTTA LOVE SMASH MOUTH FOOTBALL! MAY THE BEST TEAM WIN! IMUA SEARIDERS


  11. Full Clip October 1, 2015 9:02 pm

    Even if Kahuku has a couple starters out, the back ups are just as good and can probably start at any other school. They’re loaded at every position on defense. It’s gonna be a bangah game and a true test for both schools. Looking forward to Saturday night!


  12. NSfootball October 1, 2015 10:10 pm

    Some of Waianaes best Athletes are playing at Kapolei or in the ILH, Kahuku also has a few in the ILH so really this game is not the same like back in the days. Too bad the talent is being cherry picked out of those areas.


  13. polo October 2, 2015 2:58 am

    I’m A OG RRFL, I SEE A UPRISING ON THE WESTSIDE, ITS GOING TO BE A CLASSIC MATCHUP ONCE AGAIN. WAIANAE HAS THAT SPECIAL STAFF THAT THEY NEEDED TO BRING THE PRIDE BACK. KAHUKUS DEFENSE NEEDS TO STEP IT UP 2 NOTHCHES TO WIN THIS BATTLE. RRFL


  14. boomboomshakedaroom October 3, 2015 3:49 pm

    They had to go back 20 years to find something worth showing lol. Let’s just say Kahuku’s got this in the bag. #Crusaderz4life


  15. 88 October 3, 2015 10:39 pm

    @polo; Se Polo!


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