The Honolulu Advertiser wrote:
Leilehua upsets No. 1 Kahuku in football semifinal
Advertiser Staff
Leilehua will play in its first state high school football championship game after upsetting top-ranked and defending champion Kahuku, 17-14, tonight in a Division I semifinal game at Aloha Stadium.
Leilehua, ranked No. 4 in The Advertiser Top 10 Football Poll, will play the winner of the second Division I semifinal game between No. 2 Kamehameha and No. 3 Lahainaluna.
The Mules (11-2) took a 17-6 lead on a 25-yard touchdown run by Justin Lawelawe with 6:09 remaining in the second quarter.
Kahuku closed it to 17-14 on a 25-yard pass from Bronson Ponciano-Ahue to Raymond Tudor and a two-point conversion from Spencer Hafoka to Ponciano-Ahue with 3:15 to go.
The Red Raiders (10-2) never got the ball back.
Leilehua won the O'ahu Prep Bowl in 1984. The Prep Bowl featured the champions of the O'ahu Interscholastic Association and Interscholastic League of Honolulu. The state championship was started in 1999.
The Division I championship will be played 8 p.m. next Friday at Aloha Stadium. The Division II title game will be played at 5 p.m.
As far as a national perspective, Skyline High from Utah won't be able to say that they beat the Hawaii state champions.
If Kahuku won the state tourney, I would not have wanted a team from Utah (Skyline High) that lost in it's own state semi-finals claiming that they defeated the Hawaii state champions.
