Saint Louis still has hope

The Saint Louis Crusaders suffered their second ILH loss of the season on Sept. 16, making a repeat conference crown unlikely.

Punahou drilled Saint Louis 35-0, the first time the Crusaders had been shut out since 2005, when the Buffanblu put the collar on them 14-0. The 35-point margin is the largest since before 1999:

Largest margin of defeat for Saint Louis

• 35 points: Punahou 35, Saint Louis 0, 2011
• 24 points: Kamehameha 30, Saint Louis 6, 1999
• 23 points: Punahou 26, Saint Louis 3, 2009
• 22 points: Kahuku 49, Saint Louis 27, 2010
• 21 points: Kamehameha 41, Saint Louis 20, 2002

Punahou and Kamehameha are tied atop the league at 3-0 with the Crusaders lagging behind at 1-2 with losses to both. One bright spot for the Crusaders, however, is that the top two have to play each other twice and the Crusaders get another shot at each of them. [table “5” not found /]

Remaining ILH schedule

Sept. 23
Damien at Punahou
Pac-Five vs. Kamehameha
Saint Louis vs. Iolani

Oct. 1
Punahou vs. Kamehameha

Oct. 8
Kamehameha at Iolani
Saint Louis vs. Damien at Roosevelt
Pac-Five at Punahou

Oct. 15
Kamehameha vs. Punahou

Oct. 21
Kamehameha vs. Saint Louis

Oct. 27
Saint Louis vs. Punahou

So, Saint Louis still has plenty of hope, as long as they beat ‘Iolani on Friday before running the table and hoping Kamehameha and Punahou split their series.

But they still can’t afford to lose to Iolani. [table “6” not found /]

The Raiders are certainly in the driver’s seat and it will not be a race unless Pac-Five can overcome them on Oct. 15. Then it would come down to the team that can surprise a division I foe, which seems to be Iolani’s specialty. [table “7” not found /]

Moanalua and Kahuku will tangle on Friday, as the Red Raiders try to remain unbeaten. Kahuku and Farrington play on Oct. 1 at Roosevelt, and the division crown will probably be decided that night, unless Na Menehune can catch fire and pull off a pair of upsets: Friday at Kahuku and Oct. 7 when they host Farrington. It all could be moot, though, as the top three get a bye in the OIA playoffs.

Leilehua appears to the the class of the West after its destruction of Campbell, but the Sabers are no slouch. Campbell’s only hope of taking the top spot rests on the Mules being upset by Radford (Sept. 24), Waianae (Sept. 30), or at Mililani (Oct. 7) and then running the table. The Sabers have only Kapolei (Sept. 23) and Aiea (Oct. 7) left. [table “9” not found /]

It is shaping up to be quite a race in the White, with top dog Kaimuki getting Waipahu Oct. 8 and Pearl City the following week. Pearl City and Waipahu battle Oct. 1 in what could be a battle of unbeatens.