With only four regular-season games, Open Division football in the ILH is virtually a playoff battle every week.
“I really don’t look at what our opponents do. I let my coordinators do that,” Saint Louis coach Tupu Alualu said, referring to offensive coordinator Leonard Lau and defensive coordinator Thom Kaumeyer. “The mirror we have, we’re competing against ourselves. Only we can beat ourselves.”
Fourth-ranked Saint Louis and No. 6 Kamehameha head into Friday’s league-opening clash at Farrington’s Skippa Diaz Stadium with plenty of momentum. There is also ample grit. Since losing to Mission Viejo (Calif.), 41-7, Kamehameha has beaten Warren (Calif.), 31-20, and Waipahu, 44-6.
Saint Louis has bounced back from losses to No. 1 Kahuku, 14-13, and No. 3 Mililani, 16-14 with decisive wins over Kamehameha-Maui, 49-0, and No. 7 Farrington, 24-7.
Saint Louis’ early losses came after holding late-game leads on the road. The defensive unit has matured and had six sacks, including 2.5 by multi-sport standout Pupu Sepulona against Farrington.
“Playing Kahuku built our confidence,” Alualu said. “That first game, we came there to win and that’s the mentality I put into these boys since I got this job in February. They played well. Our defense kept us in the game. Looking back at it, it’s a growing, learning experience. From that game to the Mililani game, being ahead and not being able to close the second half. A lot of these kids have been around us since they were young, us coaching Pop Warner and Big Boys league. We’re bonding more. It’s about how we build ourselves to win.”
Kamehameha’s dynamic offense, fueled by a run-first mantra and quick passes from sideline to sideline, offers another challenge.
“Watching them on film against the mainland team, they looked good. Kamehameha has improved,” Alualu said. “They have a lot of talent.”
Kamehameha won all three phases, sparked by kickoff returns to paydirt by Maddox Sharrer and Nui Kaapana in last week’s win over Waipahu. That knocked the Marauders out of the Top 10.
“I’ve enjoyed seeing the progression we’ve taken as a team with how we prepare during the week. I think we’ve experienced better results as we’ve gotten more efficient as a program with our weekly preparation,” Warriors coach Kaeo Drummondo said. “It’s also nice to see individual and team growth and I hope that we’re just seeing the tip of the iceberg in that sense with this group.”
True to form, Kamehameha ran the ball on 65 percent of its snaps. Running back Nainoa Melchor led the ground attack, while quarterbacks Jevin Bolos-Reyes and Pono Kahaulelio were very efficient. The QBs spread the football around to five receivers who had two receptions each. Both of Ty Perkins’ catches were for touchdowns.
Saint Louis’ pass rush will be a big test of Kamehameha’s talented offensive line.
“When you watch the film you certainly see the new coaching staff’s philosophy with how they want to play, playing through both fronts,” Drummondo said. “You still see the playmakers that they typically have, but it seems like they’re making an effort to play a physical style of football.”
The short regular season creates an iron-sharpens-iron vibe every day for the two programs.
“I want our players to approach every practice with a game-like mindset. We stress wanting to play the game in pieces throughout the week and I’d just like to see their continued growth in understanding and embracing that mentality,” Drummondo said.
At Kalaepohaku, competition never stops.
“The culture is set up. They’ve got to know what they’ve got to do. Offensive scout, defensive scout, then you become a starter or No. 2. You compete with the 3s. Doesn’t matter,” Alualu said. “Those rules I followed from Cal and Ron Lee. You’ve got to make it through the week to play in the game.”
The battle at QB may last through the end of the season. Nainoa Lopes and Mose Lilo allow the Crusaders to take a hot-hand approach.
“The best thing is I can play either of them whenever I have to. They’ll both be playing. There’s no starter or second string,” Alualu said of his signal-callers. “It’s a matter of whoever has the rhythm. Both do different plays better than the other. They’re all encouraging each other, not just our quarterbacks, but every position. It’s accountability.”
All-State wide receiver Titan Lacaden is expected to suit up after being sidelined with an ankle injury for about a month.
Saint Louis has won the last six matchups with Kamehameha going back to 2021.
No. 8 Punahou
at ‘Iolani
Friday, 3:15 p.m.
The Raiders are 2-0 against D-II competition and 0-2 against D-I opponents. They trounced Punahou’s I-AA team last weekend, 49-14.
This will be the first game between Punahou’s Open team (1-2) and ‘Iolani’s D-I squad since 2016.
“That was part of the reason why we set the game up, to try to revive the so-called rivalry between the schools,” longtime coach Wendell Look said.
‘Iolani last beat Punahou in 2009 when Jarrett Arakawa was the Raiders’ QB. That game was also at Eddie Hamada Field. This year’s squad is evolving gradually.
“It’s a good mix of vets and younger ones. We have a solid core of seniors and a pretty big sophomore class. They’re growing into becoming a team. We’re not there yet, but they’re working towards it. Being school helps and they can interact with each other differently. That helps create the team aspect of things,” Look said.
Punahou’s young squad opened nonconference play with a 35-0 win over Konawaena, then lost to Sierra Canyon (Calif.), 30-7, and Campbell, 49-17.
“Punahou is a bit on the younger side, but still, great athletes there. Should be an interesting game. We can’t match their size, but hopefully we can match their athleticism a little bit,” Look said. “You can’t measure them by their (win-loss) record.”
The Buffanblu begin ILH Open play next week. ‘Iolani’s complex, “hybrid” defense could make it a chess game for Punahou freshman QB Hunter Fujikawa.
‘‘Iolani is a very well-coached, very disciplined team, and they are basically a new opponent since we haven’t played them in years,” Punahou coach Nate Kia said. “At this point in the season, it’s a big game for both teams.”
Waianae
at Pearl City
Friday, 7:30 p.m.
Two more teams renewing their series after a long hiatus are the Seariders (0-2) and Chargers (0-2). The programs have not met since 2008, when Waianae won, 42-28, behind backup QB Maurice Simpson.
Both of Waianae’s losses are to Top 10 teams: Kapolei and Waipahu. First-year Seariders head coach Vince Nihipali is enthused about his team’s progress.
“Watching these kids learn to work together for a common goal, and fight through whatever comes their way. These kids face so much adversity here in Waianae, this is a big deal to us all,” Nihipali said.
Pearl City is coming off losses to Castle, 34-20, and Mountain Vista (Col.), 83-6. The Chargers are in OIA D-I for the first time after a long run as a successful D-II program.
“They play extremely hard and have no quit in them. Coach (Robin) Kami does a great job maximizing everything out of those kids,” Nihipali said.
The Seariders lead the series, 23-0.
Kailua
at No. 9 Leilehua
Saturday, 6:30 p.m.
The Mules (1-2) returned from California after a 35-15 loss to Central Catholic.
Their OIA D-I opener could be daunting. Kailua (0-3) brings a massive offensive line: left tackle Esaiah Wong (6-5, 295), left guard Uluaki Tatafu (6-5, 285), center PJ Tavares (6-0, 260), right guard Brystin Sopi (6-1, 255) and right tackle Packs Ahovelo (6-5, 320).
“Kailua has always been well coached and they play hard-nosed football offensively and defensively,” Leilehua coach Mark Kurisu said.
The Surfriders are coming off a 55-34 road loss to Coronado, ranked No. 6 in Nevada by MaxPreps. The 4 p.m. kickoff had both teams play in temperatures around 110 degrees.
“We were dropping like flies in the first quarter, sending guys in early who probably wouldn’t have played until later. We went back and forth. The mind’s telling you you can and the body isn’t doing it. It was crazy,” Kailua coach Joe Wong said. “There was a storm a couple miles away, so it cooled things off. They scored on us twice in the second half, but we were moving the ball.”
Kailua finished with 540 yards of total offense, building confidence for the OIA play.
“What they showed was no type of quit. They just kept plugging away, the tale of two halves. We kept coming and the other team started to fold. They stuck with one another and had each other’s backs,” Wong said. “I’m proud of how they played.”
Leilehua’s offense has a mobile playmaker in Hanohano Plunkett.
“Offensively, they have (former Leilehua quarterback) Bryant Moniz there so they’ll throw the ball around. Similar to UH’s offense when he played. We’ve got to be on our toes on defense as well. He’ll have his wrinkles in there. We’ll just try to control the things we can control,” Wong said.
Leilehua’s strength early in the season is defense.
“Coach Mark will always have them in the defense where guys move around. If we get body on body, I feel we can do some good things. They have guys on defense who can cause problems,” Wong said.
The Mules are throwing the ball on 59 percent of their snaps, and Plunkett has just two interceptions in 66 attempts. Kurisu’s team has faced three quality teams from Open to D-I to the CIF’s three-time state champion.
“I love how we competed versus every level or division. I’m very proud of how our students persevered through various moments of each game and showed championship character. When they got knocked down, they got back up. When they were successful they showed humility and gratitude,” Kurisu said.
Extra points
Expansion has finally come to the MIL. Molokai has moved from 8-man football to 11-man and will travel for its inaugural 11-man game against Maui on Saturday at War Memorial Stadium. On Thursday, the new kid on the block, Kulanihakoi, plays its second 8-man game, facing Hana at War Memorial. … No. 3 Mililani is on the continent for a matchup with Los Alamitos (Calif.) on Friday. In Washington, Radford will take on Skyview.
