UPDATE: The game has been made official for 4:30 p.m. Saturday in Las Vegas.
St. Thomas Aquinas has accepted an invitation to play against Saint Louis in the GEICO State Champions Bowl Series on Saturday, according to Chris Chun of the Hawaii High School Athletic Association.
The official paperwork from the Raiders, who are from Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., has not been sent in yet, but the school did make the verbal agreement today, Chun said.
Paperwork is expected to be received by GEICO bowl officials as soon as tomorrow.
The matchup between the Hawaii Open Division state champion Crusaders (12-0) and the Raiders (13-0) has been the buzz for a few weeks, and now it’s waiting for the final signatures. Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas is the site, and game time Saturday is at 4:30 p.m. Hawaii time. It will be televised on ESPNU.
St. Thomas Aquinas won the 7A Florida state championship, 28-23 over Edgewater of Orlando, on Saturday.
Another GEICO bowl game is also set, according to the Atlanta Journal Consitution website. Marietta (Marietta, Ga.) will play Eastside Catholic (Sammamish, Wash.) on Friday at 6 p.m. Hawaii time at Bishop Gorman.
The GEICO State Champions Bowl Series organizers — Paragon Marketing — do not officially announce matchups until the games are set and final contracts are signed.
Marietta (13-2) defeated Lowndes (Valdosta, Ga.) 17-9 on Saturday in the 7A Georgia state championship game.
Eastside Catholic (12-1) won the Washington 3A state championship on Dec. 7 with a victory over O’Dea (Seattle)
One team ranked high nationally, Chandler (Chandler, Ariz.), declined an invitation to play in a GEICO bowl game despite finishing 13-0, according to AZCentral.com.
Chandler won Arizona’s first Open Division championship, defeating Saguara (Scottsdale, Ariz.) 42-35 on Dec. 7.
Of the four teams in the GEICO bowls, St. Thomas Aquinas is the highest ranked in the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 national poll. The Raiders are No. 5, followed by Saint Louis at No. 6, Marietta at No. 11. Eastside Catholic is not ranked. Chandler is No. 10.
In the USA Today Super 25, St. Thomas Aquinas is No. 3, followed by Saint Louis at No. 5, Marietta at No. 13. Chandler is No. 9.
According to Chun, there were three other possible GEICO opponents for Saint Louis if St. Thomas Aquinas declined. One of those possibilities was Trinity Christian (14-1) of Cedar Hill, Texas. Former NFL star Deion Sanders is an assistant coach there and his son plays for the Tigers.
The other possibilities to play the Crusaders were Chandler or Marietta.
GEICO STATE CHAMPIONS BOWL SERIES HISTORY
2014 (at Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Fla.)
>> No. 5 Booker T. Washington (Miami, Fla.) 34, No. 14 Bingham (South Jordan, Utah) 28
>> No. 11 Central (Miami, Fla.) 37, Bothell (Bothell, Wash.) 27
>> Trinity Christian (Jacksonville, Fla.) 35, No. 20 Eastside Catholic (Sammamish, Wash.) 21
2016 (at Ford Center at The Star, Frisco, Tex.)
>> No. 6 St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) 33, No. 19 Bingham (South Jordan, Utah) 25
>> No. 16 Chandler (Chandler, Ariz.) 44, Valdosta (Valdosta, Ga.) 24
2017(at Grand Canyon University, Phoenix, Ariz.)
>> No. 5 St. Frances Academy (Baltimore) 41, No. 19 Bingham (South Jordan, Utah) 3
>> No. 11 Chandler (Chandler, Ariz.) 55, Northwestern (Miami, Fla.) 20
2018
>> No. 6 St. Frances Academy (Baltimore) 43, at Lee County (Leesburg, Ga.) 14
>> Eastside Catholic (Sammamish, Wash.) 17, at Centennial (Peoria, Ariz.) 0
St louis going get pounded finally!!!
That’s what you think, because you are a hater, Crusaders will prove it that they can compete and win on the road to a mainland team.
TO All State insurance: Saint Louis is representing the whole 808 Hawai’i. And God forbid Saint Louis gets pounded. You really would want them to lose? Shame on you! If you have nothing encouraging to say to these boys then don’t say anything at all. These boys have hearts too. And if it was another team from Hawai’i going to play in the GEICO bowl, anyone from Saint Louis would of been happy for them. Lord, watch over protect, guide and keep the players, Coaches, and parents traveling safe. And
humble the hearts of those who really can’t be happy for these boys. In Jesus Name, AMEN!
Way to represent the 808 Crusaders!! You’ve had an awesome season and deserve to be playing in this. Remember to be Memor Et Fidelis and go geetum!! To All State Insurance…. feel better?? Make you feel good to finally get that out of your system? How sad is it that you cannot be proud that a school from Hawai’i gets a chance to dance on the national level without hating and just appreciating that Hawai’i gets to show off its talent. It’s ok, HE will watch and protect our son’s all day, every day.
Relax STL moms, All state insurance meant “lose”. Replace “going get pounded” with lose and chill. Remember STL had pounded many teams down here. Hawaii is known for supporting local athletes, Little League, etc., but I have to say STL is not really a team that garners a lot of support, I really think it’s because STL as a team (not individually like Marcus) is not known as being humble. Especially with all trouble the adult males are getting on the team.
I Agree with All the Positive Supporters! But for the Negative Comment from All State Insurance.. Just Because Your Team Didn’t Win State Championship for 4 years In the Roll😞 You should Be Happy That whatever Team or Whomever it is? Just SUPPORT THE TEAM REPRESENTING 808🙄 SO MUCH FOR BLASTING YOUR COMPANY ALL STATE INSURANCE! Cancel my Membership 😂😂😂 GO GET’UM BOYS SO PROUD OF YOU GUYS🤙🏽 CRUSADERSTRONG💪🏽🔴🔵
Pray for An Injured Free Game and Safe Travels…
CrusaderStrong
Let Botelho play.
Two things i like to see how St. Louis Defense will perform without their best player. Also, how Roman Wilson does against DBs just as fast as him? Florida is known for having exceptional athlete.
Good luck to the Crusaders
No haters
But no get in trouble like your last trip years ago
Geico Mo’ Bettah,
Do you know All state insurance personally?
Agree with #9 comments! Good luck CRUSADERS! 808vsEverybody!
The DE Warren Sapp’s Nephew and the LB is fast as in football speed not 40. OL needs to play a heck of a game to give your great QB time. Florida doesn’t have great passing QB’s like here. In Florida we are run run run pass second state. The STA QB reminds me of Tommy Frazier (Bradenton Manatee, Nebraska) that can even pass pretty good. STL you need to Believe and you got a chance to win! Good Luck and way to step up and beat the best to be the best!
I’ve never seen STA play a full game so I can’t predict a win or a loss by STL, but I do know STA does have about 12-15 D1 athletes while STL has about a dozen or so itself so it appears pretty evenly matched up on paper. Looking forward to it though. Mahalo to both teams for stepping up and playing in a short notice. Good luck STL.
Go St. Louis. Did you guys see STA roster? Interior line isn’t huuuuuge. 6’’6”, 6’8”, going all across and even get one 6’10”. I think this might be one of the few times the crusaders have a smaller time in stature. No matter ! Rep the 808 and kick ass !! Why is JB not playing ?
During the game STA will be thinking wow those Hawaiians can hit.
Be humble and play disciplined football.
Go SL808.
I believe.
Go get um st louis
The kamehameha player started the altercation. Jordan just defended himself. St Louis put all the other hawaii high schools on the map. Don’t worry about all those haters about St . Louis when your the best people hate. Go Crusaders!!! Show them what we about. We dominated the state now on to take on Florida. Show them what we about. Saint Louis all the way c/o ‘99
Good Luck Crusaders…rep the 808!!!
Finally get to watch our boys from Kalaepohaku live! Get plenty of us up here in Las Vegas. C/o 80s, 90s, and 2000s. I’m sure Cal and Ron will have a great game plan. Play hard, play fast, play disciplined. We will all be there to support you!
Go get it Crusaders. Rep for the state, your team, your school, your community and especially your family. Stay focused and you guys got this. Plant that Hawaiian flag for the rest of the state here. We will all be rooting for this team. RR4L
Good Luck St Louis Hope Y’all Get That Win & All State You Sound Like A Salty KAHUKU FAN!!! Just Saying Because Of Comments I Seen Before From Kahuku People Not Saying All Is Bad Just Some & If I’m Wrong My Bad LOL 😂 & No I Don’t Know Anyone Who Plays On The Team Nor Did I Go To St Louis But Any Hawaii Team Playing Got My Support All The Way!!! FYI SABERS PRIDE BABY!! C/O 06