2024 Football Season

[HS Football Fanatic]

Crazy to believe radford beat kailua, didnt see that coming!

@DaLake18: I didn't, either. What's even crazier about it is that the Surfriders have that thick O-line. Guess the Ram D-line found a way. Could be the Surfrider O-line is fat and slow.

[RealTalk]

Week In Review

Trending Up:
1. Radford. A huge win over Kailua. Thanks to all for bringing Radford into the spotlight. The OIA D1 is giving us some great games and should be a lot of fun this year.
2. Kahuku Offense. Mana Carvalho is/was back for this game. Kahuku was outmatched against Mater Dei, but they are clearly a contender to win it all if healthy.
3. Campbell. If healthy, this team is clearly going to be hard to stop. Wow, we have some great matchups coming up in the OIA Open.
4. KS. A win over Punahou for this staff/team was important. They had some impressive moments in their loss against STL also.
5. Moanalua. 4-1 and just won a nail-biter over Waianae with a good D, but also with some tools available on offense. Let's see how they do v. Kailua this week.

This week:
We are getting into the fun part -
-Farrington v. Kahuku. Govs: it doesn't get easy in the Open this year. lol. Fun matchups - Strength on Strength in this game.
-Kapolei v. Campbell. If you like QB play, this is one to watch! Period.
-Moanalua v. Kailua, Radford v. Pearl City, and STL v. Pun. Just to see what happens.
-Damien v. Iolani. My personal GAME OF THE WEEK given their history. The OIA D1 is competitive, and these two add to that D1 story.

[University Ave]

Week In Review

Trending Up:
1. Radford. A huge win over Kailua. Thanks to all for bringing Radford into the spotlight. The OIA D1 is giving us some great games and should be a lot of fun this year.
2. Kahuku Offense. Mana Carvalho is/was back for this game. Kahuku was outmatched against Mater Dei, but they are clearly a contender to win it all if healthy.
3. Campbell. If healthy, this team is clearly going to be hard to stop. Wow, we have some great matchups coming up in the OIA Open.
4. KS. A win over Punahou for this staff/team was important. They had some impressive moments in their loss against STL also.
5. Moanalua. 4-1 and just won a nail-biter over Waianae with a good D, but also with some tools available on offense. Let's see how they do v. Kailua this week.

This week:
We are getting into the fun part -
-Farrington v. Kahuku. Govs: it doesn't get easy in the Open this year. lol. Fun matchups - Strength on Strength in this game.
-Kapolei v. Campbell. If you like QB play, this is one to watch! Period.
-Moanalua v. Kailua, Radford v. Pearl City, and STL v. Pun. Just to see what happens.
-Damien v. Iolani. My personal GAME OF THE WEEK given their history. The OIA D1 is competitive, and these two add to that D1 story.

You're right about the OIA D1. Parity at its finest. I feel the league is fairly even amongst the contenders and it will come down to weekly matchups and coaching. The playoffs are gonna be great.

I said it earlier, Kahuku will look like an entirely different team when they get Mana back and Sterling decides to spot play his athletes on offense more. You even seen a glimpse of Max playing a little TE. Everyone wrote off Kahuku a bit because of their offensive struggles, but it will only get better for them moving forward.

Kapolei vs. Campbell will be a blowout. I can't see the Canes secondary slowing down the Campbell offense. I'm waiting for teams to line up in a straight prevent defense against Campbell until they prove they are willing to run the ball effectively. Right now, Jaron is their best runner and I don't think DJ is willing to run him around that much. Dare them to run the ball and beat you that way. It's better than bombs and quick scores.

Damien will beat Iolani convincingly. The Raiders still struggle defensively. Giving up a bunch of rushing yards against KSII is not a good sign before facing Alaimalo.

[HS Football Fanatic]

@RealTalk
@University Ave

Great posts, as usual. If I may add my two cents:

1. Campbell High is nuts. I mean, how do we describe their pass-game? Would it be ridiculous to compare them to UH? It seems that every game, Sagapolutele gives a clinic on passing. In the past, it was St Louis School giving clinics on passing. Now, it's like: Old dogs, move over. I mean, the Sabers have something very special in their pass-game. Campbell alumni must be on a natural high; giddy, and on cloud nine. Not only are the Sabers winning; they're kicking butt. They could have their cheerleaders suit-up to play D, and they'd still win by a TD.
2. Radford alumni must be stoked. The Ram D-line basically told the Surfrider O-line where to go, and that's a thick O-line we're talking about.
3. Punahou alumni must be ticked. I think what did the Puns in, was the Warriors' 95-yard kickoff return for TD, in the second quarter. For the Puns, what a bummer that play was; so deflating. Also, the Puns lost by 4, so that same kickoff return basically decided the game, when you factor-in how it swung "big mo" in the Warriors' favor. Before the game, ScoringLive had the Puns ranked #4, and the Warriors ranked #8.
4. Waianae alumni must be ticked beyond endurance; the Seariders had more turnovers than a bakery. Also, they had three times as much yardage as the Menes, yet they lost. To add insult to injury, they lost on a literally last-second FG as the game's final seconds ticked off the clock. I think this is only the second time ever, that the Seariders lost to the Menes. Back in the mid-1970s, when the Seariders ruled the OIA and--during some years, the state--the Menes couldn't touch them, at all. Waianae alumni must have been been numb and crushed, when the game ended. Oh, it gets worse: The game was on TV! The entire state got to watch that disaster play-out in living color, on their screens. For Waianae alumni, it was a slow-motion train wreck.
5. Farrington alumni must be ticked. Their top RB is back and he had what, some 160 yds? He's probably one of the best RBs in the state, and he has a thick O-line clearing the way. Yet, they were blown-out badly by the Sabers. Worse yet, the Govs scored only one TD, despite their outstanding RB and thick O-line. Talk about deflating.
6. Agree that Iolani School will be murdered by Damien School. The Raiders' D-line is too small to stop the Monarchs' run game. This is a blatant physical mismatch, and unlike the Raiders' blowout losses to Leilehua High and Punahou School, this one will come at the hands of a fellow D1 school. This is something of a rivalry as far as football is concerned, but this year the Monarchs will run the table. Iolani alumni would probably be better served watching the girls' volleyball team, than watching the football team. Like, the Monarchs' girls' volleyball team is D2, while the Raiders are D1 and will probably go undefeated, winning the state D1 title. What about Kamehameha Schools' dynasty, you might ask. It ends this year; the Warrior girls don't have the height, while the Raiders seem to have it in spades.

[University Ave]

@RealTalk
@University Ave

Great posts, as usual. If I may add my two cents:

1. Campbell High is nuts. I mean, how do we describe their pass-game? Would it be ridiculous to compare them to UH? It seems that every game, Sagapolutele gives a clinic on passing. In the past, it was St Louis School giving clinics on passing. Now, it's like: Old dogs, move over. I mean, the Sabers have something very special in their pass-game. Campbell alumni must be on a natural high; giddy, and on cloud nine. Not only are the Sabers winning; they're kicking butt. They could have their cheerleaders suit-up to play D, and they'd still win by a TD.
2. Radford alumni must be stoked. The Ram D-line basically told the Surfrider O-line where to go, and that's a thick O-line we're talking about.
3. Punahou alumni must be ticked. I think what did the Puns in, was the Warriors' 95-yard kickoff return for TD, in the second quarter. For the Puns, what a bummer that play was; so deflating. Also, the Puns lost by 4, so that same kickoff return basically decided the game, when you factor-in how it swung "big mo" in the Warriors' favor. Before the game, ScoringLive had the Puns ranked #4, and the Warriors ranked #8.
4. Waianae alumni must be ticked beyond endurance; the Seariders had more turnovers than a bakery. Also, they had three times as much yardage as the Menes, yet they lost. To add insult to injury, they lost on a literally last-second FG as the game's final seconds ticked off the clock. I think this is only the second time ever, that the Seariders lost to the Menes. Back in the mid-1970s, when the Seariders ruled the OIA and--during some years, the state--the Menes couldn't touch them, at all. Waianae alumni must have been been numb and crushed, when the game ended. Oh, it gets worse: The game was on TV! The entire state got to watch that disaster play-out in living color, on their screens. For Waianae alumni, it was a slow-motion train wreck.
5. Farrington alumni must be ticked. Their top RB is back and he had what, some 160 yds? He's probably one of the best RBs in the state, and he has a thick O-line clearing the way. Yet, they were blown-out badly by the Sabers. Worse yet, the Govs scored only one TD, despite their outstanding RB and thick O-line. Talk about deflating.
6. Agree that Iolani School will be murdered by Damien School. The Raiders' D-line is too small to stop the Monarchs' run game. This is a blatant physical mismatch, and unlike the Raiders' blowout losses to Leilehua High and Punahou School, this one will come at the hands of a fellow D1 school. This is something of a rivalry as far as football is concerned, but this year the Monarchs will run the table. Iolani alumni would probably be better served watching the girls' volleyball team, than watching the football team. Like, the Monarchs' girls' volleyball team is D2, while the Raiders are D1 and will probably go undefeated, winning the state D1 title. What about Kamehameha Schools' dynasty, you might ask. It ends this year; the Warrior girls don't have the height, while the Raiders seem to have it in spades.

I like Campbell, I feel they are top three in the state right now. I've noticed that they are taking over the top spot in most of the polls and they deserve it. I do believe they are riding some hype right now and in the end that does not help you win football games. The truth is that Campbell is winning with style, putting up big numbers on offense. Mililani has beat some good opponents and people are not giving them enough credit for what they did on a road trip to the mainland. Kahuku has played respectable against two top 3 teams in the nation. Kahuku's defense is the best in the state...they held the top team in the nation to 2 TD's and a FG.

Let's look deeper into Campbell. They've beaten Damien, Punahou and Farrington. Both Open opponents have a combined record of 5-5 and have lost to all Open division schools they've faced so far. I know everyone was riding the Farrington hype train too and so we will give the Sabers extra points for beating them. I was never sold on the Govs from the start. Punahou has a decent defense but their QB play is not good and their offense will be their achilles heal. My point is that I'm having a hard time giving the Sabers a ton of credit after 3 wins. Obviously as they get into the thick of their OIA schedule, they will either prove their worth or failure. I'm not saying they are not the best team or can't be the best team, but I think we're getting too far ahead right now. Their next opponent Kapolei is not very good either. Outside of Amisone, they are average at best. Kapolei will beat Waipahu and outside of that will go winless. Campbell will throttle Kapolei this week and the majority will be blown away. Jaron will throw for 500 yards and 5 TD and people will start asking why they're not top 25 in the nation. We just need to slow down and watch it play out a little more. I just give a little more credit for early scheduling like Mililani and Kahuku. Close wins or losses to legit opponents holds good value in my book.

[HS Football Fanatic]

@University Ave:

1. Without a doubt, the Red Raiders have one of the best Ds in the state, but we have to give the Sabers' D some recognition, too. I didn't know RB Samuelu was back against the Sabers, but he was, and he had some 160 yds. I think he's one of the best RBs in the state, and he has a thick O-line paving the way for him. Despite all that, the Sabers held the Govs to one TD. Even if the Red Raiders' D is better, at this point I think there's no question that the Sabers have the best O in the state. Their pass-game is insane.
2. The Puns' pass-game isn't anywhere near as good as the Sabers', but I wouldn't say it sucks. QB Fujikawa had well over 100 yds against Kamehameha, and RB Aau--along with Warrior RB Melchor--is one of the best in ILH Open. The Puns have a balanced attack, pass and run. Their D is fairly stout, too.

[unpaid]

Hilo 70, Waiakea 18. Ouch!

[ChadFukuoka]

Hilo 70, Waiakea 18. Ouch!

It was bad, but not as bad as the 104-0 game several years ago.

[RealTalk]

Week in Review.

Trending Up.

1. Kapolei. Kapolei v. Campbel was a heavyweight fight that lived up to the hype. Kapolei lost to Campbell but earned some respect for how they played. The teams in this game were methodical, marching up and down the field, and making plays. Kapolei QB is incredible - a mental error caused him to run out of bounds right next to the pylon on a crucial 4th down, which cost Kapolei a TD, and I thought took momentum away in a tight game at that point. Kapolei got a safety the next play but fell off after that Still, a great game.

2. OIA Open. Kapolei and Campbell have arrived. We have some incredible games coming up including Mililani Kahuku this week.

3. Radford. Radford put up 63 points and a lot of offense against Pearl City. Pearl City isn't a good D1 team, bit that is still impressive to me. Radford is clearly worth watching this year - glad to see them back in contention!!! Radford is off this week but have a fun game next against Aiea. Aiea lost a competitive/close game to Waianae last week.

4. STL. ILH Open might not be as interesting as the OIA but give credit to STL for winning ugly in what turned out to be a close game against Punahou. Punahou is not a contender, but they can and did present some matchup problems for STL.

Trending Down:

1. Kailua. They lost in back-to-back weeks to Radford and now Moanalua. On the bright side, they beat Leilehua earlier and still have potential going forward with Aiea and Waianae games remaining. Fun year in the OIA D1. . . Very competitive.

2. Punahou. This game v. STL went as best it could have for Punahou (special teams/isolated matchups/mistakes by STL), BUT they still could not win. Not a good sign for Punahou. Major issues going forward even though this last game v. STL was close.

THIS WEEK's MATCHUPS TO WATCH:
FRIDAY

1. Kapolei v. Waipahu. Yes, Kapolei will win - But Kapolei will always be fun to watch if you follow QB play. Love watching the Kapolei offense work together.

2. Pac 5 v. Iolani. Iolani has gotten so physically small that they look like a D2 team. Pac 5 has gotten so physically big that they look like a D1 team. Not sure what will happen here, but this one is interesting for that reason.

SATURDAY

1. Mililani v. Kahuku. ***GAME OF THE WEEK***. Yes, the Mililani QB got hurt and may still be out. BUT here's the thing, all the Trojans have done since that is WIN, including against a contender like STL and good mainland teams like Los Alamitos. Looking forward to this rivalry game big time.
Let's get ready to rumble!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[HS Football Fanatic]

@RealTalk: Loved your post. If I might add my two cents...

1. The Hurricanes may indeed have finally arrived. Over the past decade, they've usually had thick O-lines and good QBs, but had never really "arrived". This year, they may have, finally. However, with schools like Kahuku High, Campbell High and Mililani High, they still might not take OIA Open. In fact, if I'm not mistaken, they haven't won an OIA vars football title yet.
2. Radford alumni must be tickled pink. This is probably the best year the Rams have had in a decade. I think they're going to beat Na Alii. The Rams beat the Surfriders and their thick O-line; Na Alii's O-line isn't as big.
3. I'm not so sure that the Puns aren't a contender in ILH Open. They lost to the Saints by only 10, and the lead had changed hands several times during that game. What's a mystery to me is how the Puns lost to the Warriors. Anyhow, I think the Puns are a top-tier team. They have a freshman QB who racked-up the yards against the Saints, they have two tall receivers, a very decent RB in Aau, and a staunch D.
4. Kailua alumni must be a little ticked. I think they expected a better record at this point, as the Surfriders have such a thick O-line.
5. Unless you're a pass-game purist, the Hurricanes are fun to watch only if you're a Kapolei alumnus, and their oldest alumni are only about 38 years old. Kapolei High is the newest public high school on Oahu; their first graduating class was the Class of '04.
6. I don't care for Iolani School, but I feel sorry for Raider football; every year, they're physically small. Certainly, Iolani alumni aren't thrilled about that, either.
7. As good as the Red Raiders' O is, I think it's their D that is their crowning glory. I think the Red Raiders' D is the best in the state. Having said that, I think Campbell High is a better team. Their D might not be great shakes, but their pass-game is so good, I'm sure Campbell alumni don't care. I mean, when your alma mater is cleaning every other school's clock, who cares? As good as the Red Raiders' D is, I don't think they can shut-down the Sabers' pass-game enough to beat the Sabers.

[HS Football Fanatic]

Right now, Pac-Five is kicking Iolani School's butts, 12-0, in the 3rd qrtr. Yet the Raiders are ranked #15, while the Wolfpack are unranked. To me, if a school isn't at least #10, it should be considered unranked, period.

[ChadFukuoka]

Right now, Pac-Five is kicking Iolani School's butts, 12-0, in the 3rd qrtr. Yet the Raiders are ranked #15, while the Wolfpack are unranked. To me, if a school isn't at least #10, it should be considered unranked, period.

Pac-5 just won 26-14. Seems like it's been a while since Pac-5 won over Iolani.

[HS Football Fanatic]

@ChadFukuoka: True. I can't even remember the last time it happened.

[Markeke]

Kinda disappointed in the coaching at Kahuku/Mililani game. If the Qb was injured, why not put in Tupuola in? I mean he is the back up Qb and had play time in the big games against Gorman and Mater Dei. After that first drive pick and Mililani score maybe go 2 Qb. In any case putting Tupuola in with 57 seconds to go 80 yards is a tuff sell. He did complete 2 passes, and took that knee mistake but the world was on his shoulders. Good game, but the offense on both sides were lacking because of injuries. That black helmet was nice, but 0-1. Play on boys. Good game all around.

[RealTalk]

@ Markeke: Agree completely. Where was that Kahuku QB earlier in the game - if Kahuku is going to send him in with the game on the line - why not insert him earlier? This game was painful to watch on offense.

Hey coaches: there are plenty of ways to scheme up offense, and it does NOT require kids who have been playing QB since they were in pee-wee (a myth created by QB "coaches" and other "trainers" etc. selling their services mostly): JOSH ALLEN, PATRICK MAHOMES, TOM BRADY, and others are prime examples - none of those guys played a down of football before high school. and Brady didn't even play a down at QB till Soph year; Mahomes didn't even play QB till his Junior year. My point is that h.s. QBs can be successfully schemed up and developed to do well at the position. Much of this game looked like two very good h.s. varsity teams with pee-wee league QBs.