Many people think ‘Iolani playing Division I football for the first time since 2002 is the way it’s supposed to be. Obvious. A slam dunk.
Instead of continuing to win championships in Division II, many people shout that the Raiders should move up to play the iron of the ILH and the best in the state. And that’s exactly what ‘Iolani is going to be doing next fall because of a new ILH rule.
One can certainly argue that D-I is where ‘Iolani belongs. But, take a step back for a moment and look at some other factors before you judge them fit for duty in the upper division.
Wendell Look, the ‘Iolani coach, is a reasonable man, well-respected in state football ranks. He sincerely believes the Raiders belong in Division II. He feels that way mainly because the size of most of his players through the years is not comparable to some of the behemoths in Division I competition.
In addition, ‘Iolani has never enjoyed as much depth as many of the D-I teams. So, mainly, Look is thinking about the safety factor that could come in to play when his smaller players on his smaller roster go up against bigger players on teams with larger numbers of players.
The promotion to D-I means the Raiders will play six league games against the ILH’s Big 3 (two against each) instead of the three (one against each) in recent years.
Sure, ‘Iolani can compete against D-I teams. The Raiders have proven it. In 2009, they beat Punahou and Kamehameha, but that season was the exception, not the rule.
And it’s true that ‘Iolani has built a Division II dynasty. Since classification brought about the D-II state tournament in 2003, the Raiders have qualified 11 of the 12 years and have won the championship eight times.
It’s impressive, but it’s not being done with the brute force that the customary D-I powers have at their disposal. ‘Iolani does it more with coaching and smarts.
Mililani coach and ‘Iolani alumnus Rod York, who led his Trojans to the D-I title last season, had this to say about his alma mater: “ ‘Iolani belongs in Division II. Their numbers are low. They hardly beat the D-I teams. Their players are traditionally very small, particularly their linemen and ’backers. They have excellent coaches who know how to get them to gel as a team and win on the D-II level.”
He’s not the only coach in the state who feels that way. And, to be fair, there are plenty of others who feel the opposite — that it’s time for the Raiders to move up.
It’s likely Saint Louis’ Cal Lee, Punahou’s Kale Ane and Kamehameha’s Doug Cosbie are thrilled to have another team in their division that has consisted of just three teams for a long time. But that doesn’t mean they truly feel that’s where ‘Iolani belongs.
Punahou athletic director Tom Holden sees both sides of the coin and said the Raiders are “somewhere in the middle.”
Which brings up a subject to be touched on for now and maybe come back another day: ‘Iolani would be a perfect fit for Division I if the superpowers at schools like Punahou, Saint Louis, Kamehameha, Mililani, Kahuku and Farrington (and possibly more) were able to communicate thoroughly enough with each other and their own leagues to form a task force to create a football super conference that could go under the “Platinum” moniker. D-I would be comprised of the middle schools such as ‘Iolani and, for the sake of an example, Kaiser or Castle or Waipahu. Others, such as Waialua and St. Francis, could be D-II.
As was mentioned earlier, that is the subject for another day because you’re really in a dream world if you think the ILH and OIA brass could agree to compete against each other for a regular-season title.
And so now that it’s official that the Raiders are going to be in D-I for the 2015 season, people who think they belong there have gotten their wish.
Well, anything could happen this fall. Most likely, ‘Iolani will compete as hard as it can for a title. The players, according to Look, are up for the challenge that has been presented to them.
Most likely, it will be a steep uphill climb. For those of you who are saying ‘Iolani should have smartened up a long time ago and play up where it belongs, you certainly won’t be shedding tears for them. But it is still worth pointing out that since 2010, the Raiders are 3-17 against D-I teams.
Take a gander at that — 3-17!! Those numbers should be enough for any unbiased person to at least see that there is a basis for an argument for ‘Iolani to stay in D-II.
You won’t be hearing the leaders at ILH D-II schools Damien, Pac-Five and St. Francis arguing that ‘Iolani belongs in the lower classification, though. They’ve been routed by the Raiders for a long time, and that brings us back to Holden’s point that ‘Iolani is somewhere in the middle.
But if you look at ‘Iolani’s performance against D-II teams statewide, you’ll see that they weren’t habitually annihilating foes on the way to those titles. Five of their D-II state final victories were by two touchdowns or less.
One thing is for sure: ‘Iolani playing in D-I this season will be a really good barometer of where the Raiders really stand. Maybe they’ll win every game, and then the people who insist they should have moved up a long time will be proven correct. We shall see.
And, no matter what, it’s likely the Raiders will be back in D-II in 2016. The new ILH rule stipulates that any D-II team that wins two straight ILH or state titles must move up to D-I for one season.
So, yeah, the Raiders will give it their best shot and compete against the big boys.
Just don’t forget that it could get ugly and unsafe.
This crap about D1 and D2 is just a waste of time. If Iolani can not field a team or if they have concerns about player safety due to lack of player size or numbers than just don’t field a team. You dont see schools like Castle or Kaimuki complain when they have to face Kahuku or Farington. They just strap it up and play because they understand the concept of “to be the best you have to play and compete against the best”. Instead of D2 maybe they should have a flag football league.
Iolani will have to refocus and recruit Div 1 players instead their current Div 2 recruits. It’s about fairness and it isn’t fair for Iolani to dominate play against schools who do not recruit.
Recruiter808 said it best. The only reason Iolani played D2 was to boost their egos. They’ve got as much business playing St. Francis or Pac-Five as UH does playing the Patriots.
I also hope that York ain’t urging the ILH to keep Iolani in D2. He’s spouting the same questionable rhetoric that many Iolani supporters have spouted. None of it true.
Got to remember, there is way more recruiting going on nowadays than back in the 1970s. Back then, Iolani and Punahou would grab maybe 1 super recruit a year. Like how Punahou would recruit Mosi Tatupu and Mark Tuinei and Iolani would recruit the Samoan Scanlan and Tufono brothers. St Louis would recruit a Wayne Apuna. And doing that would make Iolani competitive in the 1970s. But that formula does not work today. Recruiting a Sealii Epenesa and a Donny Mateaki to Iolani won’t make much of a difference against St Louis and all their recruits. I remember Iolani blasting Waianae in the 1980 Prep Bowl. Don;t anyone be fooled by the 7-7 final score. Waianae got pushed all over the field, both sides of the lines of scrimmage, all game long. I thought at first Larry Ginoza game-planned to make sure his alma mater Iolani won.
Old Diver, I do not work in Iolani’s admissions office. BUt I suspect they have talked about recruting football players as they do basketball players, but I guess they don;t want to get into a recruiting war with St Louis to be competitive in ILH Div 1 football. I guess they have chosen to make their name in basketball instead. Sometimes you have to sell your soul if you want to have a good football team. You have to admit players with shady pasts. You can rectruit a few of them to you team, but you can;t recruit too many of those peoples and I don’t think Iolani wants to go there. Don;t ever think Iolani doesn’t recruit football players. Their Prep Bowl winning team had 3 Samoan recruits who each played major roles in their destruction of the Waianae Seariders. Tha game foreshadowed what was to happen to their future Prep Bowl games in the 1980s.
I remember the ILH of the 1970s. That’s when I was growing up. There was good balance in the league. Kamehameha was the dominant team, but they were winning games like 35-14, not 84-0 as St Louis was doing. St Louis ruined everything with their excessive recruiting starting in the early 1980s. So loaded were they that even their 3rd team would have won the Prep Bowl. Here is 2 specific examples. One year, their starting QB Jason Gesser goes down for the season after hurting his arm. His back up: Timmy Chang who would go on to start for UH 5 years and set the NCAA career passing record. Another year, their starting middle LB Jacob Yoro busts his knee and is out for the season. His replacement: Joe Siofele who goes on to sign with Arizona in the then Pac-10. Then Piunahou had to start to recruit to keep up with St Louis which has now created a huge gap between the top ILH teams and the lower half of the league.
Iolani got whipped by Punahou last year, the last 2 years in fact. I think the scores were something like 59-0. Using that as a guide, Iolani does not belong in Div 1. It would be interesting to see if the top Hawaii players were all offered by St Louis, Iolani and Punahou, where they would go. Iolani and Punahou would never recruit troublemakers like the Noga brothers. St Louis most certainly would.
Recruiter808, top Kaimuki school district players get stolen by the ILH every year. Lots of apartments in the area, lots of temporary residents, first generation types who move out later and who have no historic ties to the area, no pull to stay home and play at Kaimuki High as a grandfather once did.
What do you mean by “admitting players with a shady past”? Are their any 13yr olds in Hawaii who have a shady past? Where the Samoan Scanlan and Tufono brothers shady people and thats the type of people Iolani need to start recruiting again?
Recruiter, I just got done reading Ryan Leaf’s autobiography about his Washington St Cougars and them winning the Pac-10 championship in 1998. He talked in detail about the many players the WSU coaches took chances on . Same thing Boise St was doing. I know a 1981 Iolani grad really well. He told me Jr Tufono got away with a lot of stuff.
SmokingDuck, I bet you think St. Louis does not belong in D1 either since Punahou whacked them 55-7 last year.
I swear, anyone who champions Iolani’s presence in D2 comes across as arrogant. Is it just me or does anyone else notice that?
I think this whole thing is a joke. I was led to believe that division 2 was created for safety reasons. I’ve seen the size and numbers of the Iolani team and Division 2 is where they belong. Wins and losses shouldn’t factor in at all.
What I have noticed is that most of the people who insist ‘Iolani to move up to D-1 seem to have some kind of agenda or grudge. “Boost their egos” by winning all those championships? Come on, if you can’t see that it is a size and depth issue you’re not very good at comprehending rosters and you need your eyes checked. ‘Iolani might have one or two “first off the bus” guys each year compared to 15-20 for Punahou, Saint Louis and Kamehameha. The real question is why are OIA schools with huge rosters including numerous huge players playing in D-II? I love the analogy made on another thread extending the lack of logic: So if a kid wins the 125 pound state wrestling championship three years in a row he should wrestle heavyweights as a senior?
Dave, I think LubDubOwl is correct. Iolani knows they have a good chance to win the Div 2 state football championship every year. They can then put that on their website to show the nation their football and basketball success over the years. Mainlanders have no clue what the difference is between Div 1 and Div 2 football. Everyone in Hawaii knows it’s Div 1 that counts and that Div 2 doesn’t mean much.
Dave, that comment of yours sounded arrogant. First of all, the size thing is a copout. And second of all, wrestling ain’t football. Why? Because Castle and Kaimuki continually take on the likes of Mililani and Kahuku every year. Do they complain? No. Waianae fielded a VERY SMALL team in 2010 and played Mililani, Leilehua, and St. Louis TWICE (not to mention the best Kahuku team I’ve seen this side of their 2001 edition). Did Matsumoto and Waianae complain about that slate? No. If Iolani hired Matsumoto, they wouldn’t make excuses about needing to stay in D2. And don’t take my word for the “boost their egos” comment, take the word of an Iolani GRADUATE. Yes, he said Iolani likes to be the BIG FISH in the LITTLE pond. This was a former Iolani football player at Iolani and graduate of USC. So I ain’t got a grudge against Iolani, just against the arrogant people associated with them who make the entire Iolani community (especially the humble people at Iolani, particularly the friends of mine that work in their music department) LOOK BAD and wipe their paintbrush of false humility over everything. Tell me, is it humility when Coach Look says “is it our fault that the rest of D2 fields weak teams”? The rest of D2 wouldn’t field weak teams in comparison to yours if you didn’t recruit. And Dave, there are at least five D1 prospects on Iolani. Maybe not as much as that of Kamehameha, Punahou, and St. Louis, but enough to have them avoid playing Damien, Pac-Five, and St. Francis. I mean, that’s like having UH play the PATRIOTS. Kahuku playing Castle is a bigger injustice than Iolani playing Punahou (which should always happen, regardless of the numbers). Iolani is NOT A SMALL TEAM. There’ve been teams their size who never complained about playing the big boys (Waianae 2010 anyone?). I’m passionate because I am sick of the excuses these defenders of Iolani’s D2 presence make. It ain’t my fault, it’s theirs. Plus, Dave, you make it sound like Iolani will lose all of their games against Kamehameha, Punahou, and St. Louis 65-0. Tell me, which is likelier to happen: Iolani beating at least one of them or losing 65-0 (or worse) to all of them each time? I think we all know the answer to that. The solution is merging the OIA and ILH but we all know that ain’t happening until at least 2040. And Dave, this is Iolani’s biggest team since the days of Joe Igber and Donny Mateaki. Did you think Iolani belonged in D2 when Joe Igber played. Look thinks so, even though the numbers suggest otherwise. Iolani playing D1 benefits everybody. To honor the late Leonard Nimoy, the needs of the many (teams that don’t recruit the way Iolani does) outweigh the needs of the few (the one team of excuses that makes the entire Iolani community look bad).
And if you need to me to provide evidence of the lack of size the 2010 Waianae team faced, let me give it to you. http://www.maxpreps.com/high-schools/waianae-seariders-%28waianae,hi%29/football-fall-10/roster.htm That’s 15 players above 200 lbs, less than the number of guys above 200 lbs Iolani’s got. There is also this from 2010: Leilehua 30, Waianae 26 (even though Leilehua had 35+ guys over 200 lbs), Kahuku 27, Waianae 7 (a blowout but remember, that was one of Kahuku’s “closest” games of the year) and Waianae 48, Mililani 41. If they can do it at the D1 level, SO CAN IOLANI. Hiring Matsumoto as an assistant would be a start to convincing Coach Look that it won’t hurt them (metaphorically and literally) to play D1 as they won’t suffer too many injuries.
I know this is beating a dead horse but if you need other examples look at Punahou’s 2002-05 teams. They had five D1 prospects AT BEST but still toughed it out against much more talented KS and SL teams (that’s changed, hasn’t it?). They didn’t have a big team in 2005 but went to the state final against Kahuku and only needed a TD to tie them despite being small and lacking in D1 #’s (this was before Manti, Dalton, and Robbie joined them).
Billy is right, this is funny. You old futs have Alzheimer’s or dimentia. Stop rambling and get your brains checked. The arguments or should I say the conspinceries you guys believe are bad for your health.
Misinformed and uneducated…Iolani’s average class size is around 225 students. Split that in half, you’ve got 112-113 boys in each grade 10-12 building their pool of eligible varsity boys of 336-339 boys. Considering this is Iolani most kids are there to receive a college prep education and compete for a chance to qualify for a National Merit Semifinalist spot vice put everything out on the line on the grid iron or court, so cut that in half and now you got about 170 boys. Subtract 50 boys to join the band and math/speech&debate teams that leaves you with 120 boys. Cut that in half for those boys that don’t think they have much of a chance to compete in football and choose to play other fall male sports and exceed in those. And now you have a potential pool of 60 boys total in grades 10-12 that Coach Look can recruit to play football and don a Raider uniform. Subtract another 20 for those kids that just don’t have any interest in academic or extracurricular activities at all and Wendall has on average, for the past 20 some odd years, of fielding a competitive, tough squad of roughly 40 kids from grades 10-12. One of the criteria for classifying a team in Div 2 is based on school/class size. I guess you all think Iolani has such a plethora of eligible young men, bred for the gridiron?! Ask any Iolani football alum or coach if we have any reservations suiting up and competing against Div. 1 squads? Ask any other team in Hawaii high school if any Iolani team relents on competing! Try being on an all Iolani Alum coaching staff and receive news that a task group just decided to end ILH round robin competition and compete in this Div 2 format 2 weeks to the start of the season…you think our boys were thrilled about that too?! That gave Donny only 3 solid games his Sr. to compete against the Big 3 in the ILH, thank goodness he already was offered a full ride to UDUB! And that year I had the privilege of coaching a girl on the D-line and 2 guys that never played a down in football. We had to cut her because her safety was of utmost importance and those 2 first timers saw action only against the other Div 2 teams during the last minutes of those games.Wendall was bred from old school stock and coached us on grit, toughness, conditioning, smarts, and ultimately discipline. All you donkeys talking like you know something rode some pine of some sort and think you have any inkling to add your 2 cents to the topic. Educate yourselves more, and hopefully I dumbed it down enough for you doropes to understand!
OG Red Raider is EXACTLY the kind of person that gives ALL OF IOLANI a bad name. But don’t worry, the arrogance, excuses, and whining of people who support Iolani’s presence in D2 is only making everybody laugh. Unlike people who support Iolani’s presence in D2, I played football and have got the stitch marks, bad knees, and finger surgeries to prove it. I played for a man who’d never make the kind of excuses Coach Look has made–Bruce Rollinson of Mater Dei. I played with Matt Barkley who’d never complain about taking on huge defensive lines and linebackers. If you think Iolani belongs in D2, you never played FB.
The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.
And who is Billy, abcdeer? Are you an Iolani graduate whose name is Cody? Stop complaining and realize that there is nothing wrong with Iolani playing D1 teams. This is their karma.
Who will it hurt if Iolani plays D1? The people that want them to play D2 are crying and making it sound like Iolani will lose by 60 or more points each time to a D1 team. You make it sound like Iolani playing D1 is a bigger tragedy than Pearl Harbor. Stop crying.
Doesn’t this feel like ‘Iolani has been put on probation for overachievement? Illogical, indeed. The league wants its D-I powerhouse programs to have two more sorely needed games, fine. Mandate that ‘Iolani, which is truly a Division 1.5 type of program, play the big guys twice apiece, but leave the Raiders in D-II. Compromise is wise.
Overachievement? So Iolani should just stay in a Division they have dominated for years and not challenge themselves? Does that mean if the New York Times comes calling for you Mr. Honda you would turn them down because you would rather stay with the small boys and not take the challenge. The idea behind Iolani moving to Division 1 is not to punish them. They have Dominated Division 2 FootBall. You get better when you play the best, doesnt every athlete strive for that?
Mr. Honda seems to take major offense when somebody endorses Iolani’s presence in D1. Why? He didn’t graduate there, so why does it offend him so much? And Mr. Honda, have you taken the time to take into account the points pro-Iolani D1 backers have made? I bet you also think Castle shouldn’t play Kahuku and Mililani since those teams dwarf Castle. I bet you also think Punahou shouldn’t have played KS and SL when Jon Overton played for them because (as hard as it is to believe) Punahou was much smaller than those two. We all know the REAL reason Iolani wins D2 all of the time. Don’t deny that Iolani recruits and has got AT LEAST five or four D1 college prospects. Those who say Iolani does not recruit usually can’t back it up and sound arrogant in trying to prove their point. Maybe Iolani is Mr. Honda’s team because of the arrogance of people who defend their D2 presence (and make EVERYBODY at Iolani look bad). I know Iolani graduates who hate their presence in D2 because it makes the entire school look like cowards. The reasoning of those that defend in Iolani’s presence in D2 is circular when you beg reasonable prep football fans not to “blame” Iolani for “being far superior” to legitimate small schools. The once proud Red Raiders (now the Teeny Weeny Pink Raiders) are only “superior” because they have shamelessly won 8 out of 10 asterisk championships by dunking on the 8 foot rims against true small schools. No one in this state considers Iolani a small school. Damien, St. Francis, the Pac-5 schools, Kalani, Waialua, numerous neighbor island schools, etc. are just some examples of legitimate D2 schools, who should have a shot at a championship. And come on, this is not wrestling where weight determines classification. Do you suggest that each football playing school make weight, like Pop Warner teams? Notably, the top school in the nation, De La Salle, has competed at the top for years despite being undersized. You also must be aware that in the OIA, schools move up or down based on yearly performance. A guy like Dan Matsumoto never complained when his small Waianae team took on Kahuku, Mililani (2), St. Louis (2), and Leilehua (2) in D2. He wants to be D1. Contrast Matsumoto, Father Bray, Hamada, and others with Look. The fact that for 2015, Iolani is banned from D2 (and the school lacked integrity to step up on its own) also speaks volumes. Shame already. Maybe Iolani should hire Rich Miano and Matsumoto to have themselves see where they really belong.
While we take into account the opinions of people like Mr. Honda and Coach York (who is probably saying what he is saying to suck up to Coach Look and can’t remember the SMALL Waianae team that he played twice in 2010–as well as the teams in the OIA he’s faced that are smaller than Iolani), let’s take into the account the opinions of HUMBLE Iolani graduates who hate the way the FB team makes the school look. They think the school’s presence in D2 and excuses to stay there make the entire Iolani community look like arrogant cowards. These people give the entire school a bad name and make me feel for the humble Iolani graduates who know the school can compete in FB at the D1 level. Why does this matter so much to Mr. Honda, who isn’t a graduate of Iolani? Who is it hurting to have Iolani play D1 teams? And shouldn’t we understand that the needs of the many (the D2 teams like Damien, St. Francis, the P5 schools, Waialua, and Kalani–aka D2 schools that don’t recruit) outweigh the needs of a few (the arrogant people who defend Iolani’s D2 presence to the death)?
Ldub Twenty, what’s with you and your obsession with this subject? You are constantly commenting the same thing over and over again. You call people arrogant, yet all they’re doing is giving their opinion on if a team deserves to stay in DI or DII. That’s it. What you’re saying in every single repetitive comment is arrogant. You keep making assumptions and are so quick to attack any view that differs from yours, such as Paul’s. How is he taking “major offense” to Iolani being in DI? He’s simply stating a compromise. But sure, it’s different from what you think so of course it makes him a bad person right? What makes your opinion so much better than anyone else’s? Oh yeah, because you played for Bruce Rollinson? Go on, keep bringing up the 2010 season (when Waianae was “undersized”). That’s one season. We are trying to think of the long run effects of this switch. Although Iolani has been winning the DII title year after year, the competition they are playing does not nearly match the caliber that the DI teams bring to the table. No offense to St. Francis or Pac-5, but they are no St. Louis or Kamehameha. Iolani has no business in DI. They should not be competing against teams that produce numerous DI collegiate athletes every year, including the likes of Marcus Mariota or Manti Te’o. It is not Iolani’s fault that they’re stuck in the middle. They are neither good enough to play DI, nor weak enough to play DII. And you know what, football does not determine a school’s or person’s worth. I can’t believe you have the audacity to think that the entire Iolani community will be judged on the school’s desire to stay in DII. By the way, I’m a recent Punahou graduate and former athlete. So feel free to call me arrogant as well, say that I make the Punahou community seem arrogant (since that seems to be your go to word), and make overall general assumptions about what it’s like to actually go to one of these schools. Perhaps you can apply for the Iolani coaching job in the future and lead them to a DI state championship since you have the answers for everything! Shoots.
I find it so humorous that an ex Mater Dei player who played for a
Hack like Rollinson at school that does nothing but cheat and recruit for every
Sport is complaining about Iolani. I would love to know who these
Players are that Iolani recruits. I have personally tried to get Iolani to recruit
Players. They won’t do it period! The only instance that will ever
Happen is if the student can qualify academically. Which is not easy. Secondly
ALL students at Iolani are true students first. Even if
Iolani recruited mists kids don’t want the extra school work load
So they go elsewhere. There’s no hiding behind the archdioceses of Orange County
Here, no bully coaches to force CIF Southern section transfer rules
Changes . That don’t fly at Iolani, or with the ILH. If Iolani was recruiting players,than where
Are they? Their quarterback last year was 5’9 a buck 45 soaking wet.,
Their O line looks like a pop Warner lineup. No kicker, no linebackers, corners or safeties
Of anything even approaching even marginal elite status.
If they are recruiting they really suck at it. Because I would love it if they would recruit, i mean hard core Mater Dei I have no morals recruiting. Then no problem
Iolani would win D1 every year. With thier facilty, coaching, and players, who would stop them.
But that will not happen. What will happen is they will move up Next year playhard,and loose badly, then go back down to D2. This is not a Iolani problem
Or a Punahou problem or Kahuku, it’s an ILH, OIA One. These morons
Do a piss poor job with evaluating how schools in all sports should be properly
Placed. Until these leagues are fixed and the old guard with ancient
Agendas removed the student athletes, schools and public are given an inferior
Product when Hawaii football has such great potential.
An Iolani graduate calling Mater Dei cheaters. LOL, that’s the pot calling the kettle black ain’t it? And before you say people like me are attacking Paul, look at him. Paul attacks anyone whose opinion differs from his (regarding Iolani and their FB team that is). Anyone who’s got a problem with Iolani playing D1 has never played FB and knows NOTHING about it. Iolani does not recruit? Yeah, and Lennay Kekua is a real person. LOL.
And Punahou graduate, don’t you remember 2000-2004, when Punahou had as much talent as Iolani does today but still toughed it out in D1? Iolani can do it.
Reali Guy…
AMEN!!!
If anything bothers me or makes me feel the need to respond, it’s people like you who arrogantly defend Iolani’s presence in D2 and try to prove us wrong. All you are doing is making excuses (and making us laugh in the process). Give it up and understand Iolani belongs in D1. There are no excuses you can make that’ll disprove us. And how much is Look paying you to say what you are saying? Lol. “Iolani’s got no business playing D1 since they’ve got a team full of Lilliputians that’ll lose every D1 game they play 65-0 or worse.” Crybabies, please! Iolani playing St. Francis is like the Patriots playing UH.
Listen dude. I’m fine with them playing D1 no one pays me a thing. But they don’t belong there. they just don’t. It makes the real D 1 teams schedule softer for not 1 but 2 games. they belong in another new division with schools that also fit their competition level. There are other schools that can fit into that Iolani category. I think it would make for better football. Why is that wrong. Why only two divisions.
Also does Matt Barkley say he played with you or do you just name drop to sound better. Most on this site played football dude, we just don’t need to say it. And if you really played and were a monarch than I would expect at least some class.
Like I said tell us who and how Iolani cheats. I challenge you go get a roster from last years team and find a student athlete who Iolani cheated or recruited. So when Iolani lost to in the Semis two years ago to an outer island team at home no less did they have recruits then? Did they cheat. Like I said if they did than those coaches really do suck. To lose and cheat and illegally recruit like you say. Iolani has a ton of issues that I hate.
Tell me: who is it hurting when Iolani plays strictly D1 teams? Answer that.
Who is hurting to have Iolani play in D1? Tell me that.
Can I just stop the rumor about Iolani recruiting football players? They used to recruit in the Eddie Hamada days but not now. The rest maybe true but personally spoke with Iolani’s star player’s parents of this last year and all of them pay tuition from $10k to full price. If they are not paying tuition, some parents work full time at Iolani to get free admission for one child only. Iolani Football should recruit but within the last five years Iolani does NOT recruit football players. True story….
Ldub Twenty comments are ridiculous, out of hand, and not civil.
If Iolani does not recruit then Lennay Kekua is a REAL PERSON! Stop denying it or complaining when somebody calls them out on it!
Who gives a rats@$$ if they recruit or not? The fact of the matter is IOLANI WINS STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS! They dont just win a State Championship, they win CHAMPIONSHIPS. Thats ships with an S. That means they DOMINATE THIER DIVISION . Any athlete or coach who DOMINATES in their chosen sport is always looking for the next challenge not making excuses to avoid these challenges. The players will only get better, the program will only get stronger and the memories they will make will last forever. Go ask any Iolani Alum who was on the team that beat Punahou/St. Louis/Kam. School and I bet they will tell you,” Sole they thought they was big and bad but we went kick their @$$”……
Recruiter808, your arrogance never ceases to amaze me. Iolani winning those “championships” is tantamount to an NFL team playing college teams and going undefeated against them.
Mr Honda loves compromises, so how about this one: let Iolani keep on playing D2 but stop recruiting? Timmy Chang’s got something interesting to say about the myth that Iolani does not recruit (being that they tried to take him out of St. Louis for football AND basketball).
I’m all for open disclosure of financial-aid funding/assistance for student-athletes at all private schools. This will never happen, but I’d be for it. There are many private schools offering aid, including more than one in Division II. No surprise. But open disclosure would perhaps lead to more sensible classification criteria, and maybe to having three divisions in the HHSAA instead of just two.
Recruiter 808, you can’t talk smack, brag, and pound your chest when you win D2 titles in football. That’s like saying you are the 40th best team in the state. Win a D1 title and then talk online sir.
Why cant you talk smack if you win a D2 Championship? Are you the President of the “Talk smack only if you win a D1 State Title” association of OIA schools? Did the kids from Iolani not work hard during summer conditioning and just show up to the stadium that night and receive the D2 Championships? Thats how i know you grad from Kahuku you ounce cause you not thinking before you post.
I posted that, “Any athlete or coach who DOMINATES in their chosen sport is always looking for the next challenge and not making excuses to avoid these challenges.”. That means I dont believe that Iolani is afraid to move up to D1. Because as an Athlete you are always looking for challenges and not running or making excuses to avoid them. The part about Iolani players bragging that they went beat Punahou/St. Louis/Kam in my opinion is true. Go ask any Lelehua Alum/Mckinley Alum/Waianae Alum/Farrington Alum that played Kahuku and beat them and see what they going say and i garuntee 1 million percent they going tell you, ” WE went kick there @$$!!!”.. Thats memories thats why. Now scrape the coconut and stop being irraz already
Ldub: Your Iolani obsession, mountains of useless facts and information cherry picked to support your rant, and made-up personal quotes from various people is almost entertaining to wade thru.
After trying to read thru Ldub’s angry, jealous ramblings, as the saying goes….
Never get into an argument with an idiot, because from a distance you can’t tell who’s the idiot 🙂