Saint Louis’ historic run of Prep Bowl titles ended only because of a format change.
The Crusaders had won their 13th consecutive Prep Bowl in 1998, sliding past Kahuku, 28-20. A year later, the first Hawaii high school state tournament was put together by the HHSAA and featured eight teams. It didn’t slow Saint Louis down as the Crusaders won the first official “state championship” shutting out the Red Raiders in the final, 19-0.
From then on, things quickly began to change. Saint Louis’ dominant run at the top as Hawaii’s best high school football program ended, and that title made its way to the North Shore.
Kahuku, which won states the next two years, is in a class by itself in the state championship era. The Red Raiders have won almost half (eight) of the 17 state titles handed out to non-Division II teams. Saint Louis is next with three state titles, followed by two each for Punahou and Kamehameha and one by Leilehua and Mililani.
Overall, the OIA has won 10 and the ILH has won seven state titles, unlike the Prep Bowl in which the ILH went 19-6-1 against its OIA counterpart.
Kahuku and Saint Louis went 14 years from the first Prep Bowl season of 1973 before playing each other. The Crusaders won the first nine meetings before Kahuku stunned the Crusaders in the 2000 state final. With that win, the Red Raiders have won seven of the last nine meetings. Here’s a look at every Kahuku-Saint Louis game in the state championship era. The teams have met three times over the last eight years.
November 20, 2015
Kahuku 39, Saint Louis 14
Saint Louis entered the game as the No. 1-ranked team but left humbled after getting whitewashed by Kahuku. Saint Louis only scored on a blocked punt return and a 5-yard drive. Otherwise, Kahuku dominated every phase of the game. The Red Raiders intercepted Saint Louis QB Tua Tagovailoa three times and Kahuku QB Kesi Ah-Hoy rushed for 103 yards and three touchdowns to give Kahuku its eighth state title.
August 17, 2013
Saint Louis 45, Kahuku 24
Saint Louis QB Ryder Kuhns put up 370 passing yards and four touchdowns to help the Crusaders score the final 22 points to pull away for the win. Receiver Devan Stubblefield added six catches for 117 yards and a touchdown as Saint Louis handed Kahuku its first loss in a season opener since 2008. The 45 points given up by Kahuku are its most in the Prep Bowl/state championship era. Saint Louis went on to lose to Kamehameha the next game and finished 0-3 against ILH D-I teams.
August 27, 2010
Kahuku 49, Saint Louis 27
The Red Raiders put up 49 points on the Crusaders and handed Saint Louis QB Marcus Mariota his only loss in high school. RB Tyrone Brown carries nine times for 84 yards and three touchdowns for Kahuku and quarterback Evan Moe was 9-for-13 for 166 yards for a touchdown. Kahuku led 21-0 and then put it away with a 21-0 third quarter burst that included a blocked punt return for a TD. Mariota finished 25-for-43 for 277 yards and a touchdown and rushed seven times for 82 yards and another score. Saint Louis went on to win the state title while Kahuku had to forfeit all of its wins prior to the OIA title game for using an ineligible player.
August 18, 2007
Saint Louis 21, Kahuku 6
Saint Louis QB Micah Mamiya missed the 2006 state final against Kahuku with a shoulder injury. He came back to start the 2007 opener against the Red Raiders and threw a 65-yard touchdown pass to Lucas Gonsalves on the fourth play from scrimmage. Kahuku’s Jray Galeai threw a 16-yard TD pass to Junior Mataafa in the second quarter but Kahuku never scored again. Saint Louis LB Joseph Lacadan put the game away in the fourth quarter when he returned a fumble 37 yards for a TD. Saint Louis forced three Kahuku turnovers.
Dec. 1, 2006
Kahuku 7, Saint Louis 6
The 2006 state final featured an 11-0 Saint Louis team against a Kahuku squad that had lost twice that season. The Crusaders lost QB Micah Mamiya in the state semifinals against Waianae and had to go with backup Tamatoa Demello. The game was scoreless in the fourth quarter when Keani Nishigaya found the end zone on a 9-yard run with 6:52 remaining in the game for the Crusaders, but Saint Louis missed the extra point. A 62-yard run by Lehi Aumua changed field position for the Red Raiders, who got the ball back with 2:26 remaining on the 49. First-year Kahuku head coach Reggie Torres watched his son, Richard, throw a 14-yard TD pass to Jordan Kapu with 23 seconds remaining. Kaika Sasaoka made the extra point. Torres completed only two passes all game but finished with 108 rushing yards.
August 28, 2004
Kahuku 37, Saint Louis 17
Kahuku had won its third state title in four years, beating Saint Louis all three times in the final, and taken over as the top high school football program in the state the previous year. The dominance continued in the second game of the 2004 season for both team as Kahuku’s Spencer Hafoka tore up the Crusaders defense. Hafoka scored on a 59-yard touchdown run and caught TD passes of 41 and 64 yards from Bronson Ponciano-Ahue, who threw for 196 yards on only 6-for-7 passing. Saint Louis had a chance to make it close, but Tomasi Fuller‘s 85-yard interception return for a TD broke the Crusaders. It was the only pick thrown by Saint Louis QB Stanley Nihipali, who was 17-for-37 for 208 yards and a TD.
Dec. 5, 2003
Kahuku 27, Saint Louis 26
The 2006 final is tough to beat in terms of excitement, but this one probably did it. Kahuku trailed 23-7 in the third quarter and won the game on Darren Magalogo‘s 3-yard TD run with 19 seconds remaining. Saint Louis forced Kahuku to turn the ball over on downs on the Crusaders’ 32-yard line with 2:17 left, but went three-and-out. Toriano Taulogo returned the punt 62 yards before Stephen Lei made the touchdown-saving tackle at the 3. Four seconds later, Magalogo scored on the run to win it. The game wasn’t over, however, as BJ Batts returned the ensuing kickoff to the Kahuku 38, giving Saint Louis kicker CJ Santiago a 55-yard try. He missed it short, but Kahuku was called for roughing the kicker, giving the Crusaders another attempt. This time, Santiago’s 40-yard field goal went wide right. Santiago had made four field goals earlier in the game. Saint Louis receiver Desmond Hanohano had six catches for 116 yards but the Crusaders were held without a passing TD.
Nov. 30, 2001
Kahuku 21, Saint Louis 14
The Crusaders came in undefeated but were held to just 214 total yards. QB Bobby George was hit 11 times and finished 15-for-37 for 145 yards and one touchdown. Backup Chris Sokugawa threw the other Crusaders’ TD pass, a 34-yarder to Jason Rivers, after George left the game temporarily following a big hit. Jonathan Mapu was Kahuku’s stud on defense with six hurries and a sack while Mulivai Pula carried the offensive load for the Red Raiders, rushing for 212 yards and two touchdowns. Pula scored on runs of 3 and 82 yards and QB Inoke Funaki found the end zone on a 76-yard TD run. Rivers had six catches for 98 yards and both Saint Louis TDs.
Dec. 1, 2000
Kahuku 26, Saint Louis 20
Cal Lee‘s 2000 team has the fourth-highest scoring average to this day at 48.5 points per game. In fact, the only team to average more points a game since is the 2015 Mililani Trojans, who averaged 51.1 points. Saint Louis was held to seven points in the first three quarters before tying the game 14-14 early in the fourth on a 22-yard TD run by Pesefea Fiaseu, who went over 3,500 career rushing yards in this game. Kahuku answered with back-to-back touchdowns on a 1-yard run by Robert-Marcus Salanoa and a 25-yard scoring scamper by Mulivai Pula, who finished with 112 yards and two touchdowns. Kahuku had 270 of its 315 total yards on the ground with fullback Chris Kemoeatu leading the way. Kemoeatu also recovered two fumbles in the game and Kahuku sacked Saint Louis QB Kelika Higa four times. Higa was 13-for-19 for 165 yards and Ross Dickerson caught eight balls for 130 yards, but Saint Louis was held without a passing TD.
Dec. 3, 1999
Saint Louis 19, Kahuku 0
After winning the final 13 Prep Bowls, Saint Louis thought it was beginning a new streak of consecutive state championships. The Crusaders were held to only 19 points to finish the season averaging 51.5 points per game. Only the 1998 Crusaders (52.7 per game) scored more. However, Kahuku couldn’t capitalize on offense. The Red Raiders rushed for only 45 yards and had 126 yards of total offense. QBs Vai and Inoke Funaki were a combined 5-for-22 throwing the ball. Timmy Chang was held to a career-low 88 passing yards in his final game but managed to finish with a record 8,001 yards and 113 TD passes in his career, which still remains the most all-time today. Chang threw three TD passes in the game with two going to Gerald Welch, who finished his career as the state’s all-time career receiving leader with 3,490 yards. That mark lasted 15 years until it was broken in 2014 by Punahou’s Kanawai Noa (3,510 yards). welch still holds the single-season receiving marks of 1,689 yards and 23 touchdowns.
This is a good rivalry. Didnt know that Timmy Chang was held to only 88 yards passing in that 1999 game, Kahuku had Aaron Francisco and Leonard Peters in their backfield.
1999 was a wild year, STL was smashing everyone in the ILH, the OIA was wide open, that was when they had Red and White divisions. In the red there was Kahuku, Farrington, Waianae, Kailua, Leilehua, Mililani, Castle and McKinley.
McKinley almost beat kahuku, Kahuku beat kailua, Kailua beat Waianae and loss to Farrington, Waianae beat Kahuku and Farrington and loss to kailua, Kahuku beat Farrington and Kailua…
With that said the OIA should drop the Red and Blue conferences and go back to that format. D1 and D2…D1 would consist of, Kahuku, Mililani, Kapolei, Farrington, Waianae, Leilehua, Moanaloa, Campbell and Castle. Have all teams play 7 games w one bye week. And make the top 6 qualify for the OIA D1 playoffs.
Alabama freshman QB Jalen Hurts is killing it, I wonder if Tua is still going to sign with them?
USC’s QB is a freshman too.
OREGON could really use Tua and his Accuracy & Running ability… It’s amazing how much of a difference Mariota made to that team!!!
I hope Tua flips. I believe Bama is just using him for recruiting purposes.
Oregon was dumb for holding out for so long. I believe that Tua would give Hurts a run for his money, but boy, Hurts is smooth when he takes off running, like he is gliding along.
Hope he keeps his word and goes to Alabama. He doesn’t appear to be a person who would run from a challenge. The kid we have seen over the past few years always rises to the challenge.
I’m not an Oregon fan but just watching their offense, the receivers are always open but their QB’s aren’t accurate enough to get them the ball. I think Tua would run it extremely effectively. Whetever he chooses, I wish braddah the best!!
When Kahuku wins, will this be the first time a freshman quarterback leads their team to a State Title? History?
Manley its anybodys ball game so dont jinx it and how come when Kapolei win God is Good but when they getting their a$$ kicked they the dirtiest players – hypocrite much? At least those Waianae players dont preach it they just straight ghetto! LMAFO
Shaka write Billy Hull like this week Hall of Fame Caption for The Way It Was like about my time too but today it’s BIG RED SMASH MOUTH ERA which wasn’t back then; mahalo for sharing Billy.
@Tutu Kane Ale; he, he, eh old man if you RR4LE63, that was more then 20yrs before time;
Tutu, did you take your meds today; take care and get some rest OK.
KAHUKU RED RAIDERS FOR LIFE
If Tua does decide to decommit from Bama (he should), his best option would be Washington! Browning is a true sophomore, but will probably go pro after his Junior year. Tua could red shirt next year and start 2018 as a RS Freshman.
Manly – when Kahuku wins… Eh when they lose (Like hiLIARy). No protest ah!! No stop the traffic on Kamehameha Highway OK?
Toriano Taulogo….diggin’ the name!
@ NoCry and when St Louis loses No Be a Cry Baby
When St.Louis lose, will the Lee bros.step down? It’s time for new blood. If the saints want to march again, they need a new drummer. It was ok during the 70’s but not now. What happened to the Fiseau or Fuamata? Why did the Lee’s abandon a brutal running game and elect to go ALL pass? St.Louis and Kapolei with brothers at the helms, reek of JJ influence. Even Saban and Meyers incorporate a bevy of rbs.
According to my research a freshman has never led a team to a state title, but I only counted Division I and Prep Bowl. A freshman has never even started at QB in the big game, but eight sophomores have.
Yeah but SOL JAY is a freshman but he was held back in the 7th or 8th grade. So technically he is not a freshman because he is equal to a sophomore right now in Hawaii. Everybody should hold their kid back. We do it to most of our kids here.
Yeah but YOUR an idiot! The kid is either 14 or 15 right now which makes him the right age to be a 9th grader. If he is 15 as a freshman he will graduate and still be 18. If he is 14 he will graduate high school the year he turns 18. Stop being a fuam.
Ummmm 88 you are wrong buddy. He will be 19 when he graduates from high school. He was held back because he wasn’t ready for his class he grew up with like Miki Ah You. Just like how Kesi Ahoy was held back in the 8th grade. No need get nuts. It’s what everyone is doing. All I’m saying don’t say he’s a freshman and he’s the first to go to the states. Just let it be and play the game. Everyone here on the North Shore knows about holding our kids back. Aaron rodgers said it best “RELAX” !
Waite, you telling me he is a 16yr old freshman. Like I said stop being a fuam, fuam.
Ok I’ll be fuam and you be Miki. No he is not 16 yet. Its when his freshman year is over in June he will be 16. lol don’t trip Miki. So Miki, when he enters his sophomore year in August, how old will he be? Lol
Fa Miki
So he will be 16 as a sophomore, 17 as a junior, 18 as a senior and 19 the following June. It’s a good thing graduation is in May. Good job fuam. Now stop hating. It makes you look desperate.
LOL ok Miki or step dad. We all know his birthday. Just stop already Miki cause you don’t sound desperate but you sound stupid!!!! Good luck sophomore this sat. Go Big Red!
Being jealous of a High School kid makes you sound stupid and desperate Fuam.
Jealous?? Just stop being fake. Ain’t nobody jealous cause you have nothing to be jealous of. You know I’m right about everything you trying deny. But who cares cause he is a good athlete that plays the Qb position. Be happy and stop trying to live off of him after knowing he’s not YOURS! Fa Miki
Daaamn….. The jealousy is strong.
Damn…. you are a loser! Fa Miki
And still jealous….
Lol and still stupid
And still desperate
And still you are not the father of the held back kid. Lol
And still you wish you were….
sol jay will be 18 on graduation day, in the 1990s it was common for stlouis to have 19yr old seniors thats why the hhsaa implemented the 19yr old rule so now most will graduate at 18. yes even tua will be an 18yr old graduate as well as many of hawaiis top recruits the past 20yrs, no big deal and no cry u fuam
Lol no sol Jay will be 19 when he graduates. Everyone knows. Please don’t mention Tua or Taulia cause those are Qb’s. btw thank you Miki for clearing that. Fuam? Fa miki
Don’t trip PuppyGate. Just being entertained by my clown EducationAL85.
LOL yeah don’t trip snoopy. Just another guy living his useless dreams off of another fathers kid. But the kid is just an athlete anyways who will be coaching at Kahuku by 2023. Fa miki
Just another fuam jealous of another fathers kid. But he is a clown who will still be a clown in 2023.
LOL Miki go sleep. Ain’t no clown here. Go make another fundraiser (steak plate) and say it’s for Sol Jays trip but then use the money for rent and food. Keep cuming fuam Fa Miki
Damn…. Let it out buddy. Sounds like a lot of built up frustration.
LOL you would be laughing too if you knew. Fa Miki
Keep my son and my nephews names out of your filthy mouths! Grow up you scrub azz cowards! Act like you know… GTFO! Fake azz red raider fans! Man up and try not hiding behind the computer screen for once you b!tch azz cowards! You got a problem? Jealousy n Envy ripping your azz apart? We can talk… and if u one of the boys then I’m disappointed u a fake azz uso and prolly ran from fights in high school! Put ur name out there so we know not to associate with u coward! You all act like u know so much, well don’t be afraid to distant yourself! I challenge you all to put your real name and stop hiding behind the computer screen like a pedophile waiting for kids! Man up, grow up and be brave for once in your life! And no I don’t post in these comments so don’t confuse me with any of these screen names… I just started reading articles because I’m excited for the game and seen you cowards in the comment section acting a fool! Lmk we can talk and you can get your info from the horses mouth instead of running your mouth in here all squirrelly without a spine about kids from this community! HPW admins you don’t monitor your comment sections??? Lose money!!!! For all those that really support our student athletes much respects and again for those that want to act fiapoko n faalii put your real name you spineless cowards! We can talk just talk no threatenings… But i know u won’t because it’s not a cowards character! CHALLENGE SERVED! 100% sure get I’ll get a cowards response! LOL!
sole no worry in 2010 it was a wahiawa relative of the kahuku player that blow the whistle, now this new fuam is prolly that fuam in code red from kapolei with family from kahuku. all haters jealous of kahuku success. just win baby n shut them all up
Soljay seems to be a great kid. He reminds me of Inoke, but will have more time to develope at the Varsity level. Don’t know how Luua of all people raised a great son. Must of been the mom lol! I kid I kid, now relax yo face and have a cup. 2001 RRFL!
Like I said put ur real names so we know who we talking too… FWAMS! Grow up! and spell my name correct you dilrod I’m not Hawaiian… ya ok pye!
GOBIGRED!
at the same time my bro luau you should not post yor real name cause these fuams will eat u up like poi an lomisalmon. everyone just chilli an leave my bro laulau alone. ok im done, pie!
Thank you for your advice BISHOP! Lol… ain’t nobody on here bout to eat me up! LAIE RAISED ME…so don’t be a mahu fakket like the rest of these fwams and come correct or just keep the tail between the legs! LOL! Ya ok pye pye!
Luua or Miki, you still a scrub living your fake dreams off of your step son. You know those were all your screen names. NE ways good luck to the freshman (R) this Saturday. Best st louisss!!!!! Btw (R) stand for REPEAT! Fa Miki
Thought so scrub! Keep dat tail tucked honey boy