When Saint Louis’ back was against the wall, quarterback AJ Bianco proved just how good he can be.
The Crusaders’ senior quarterback was robbed of his junior year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and didn’t play much as a sophomore with then-All-State Offensive Player of the Year Jayden de Laura at the controls of the offense.
But after a second straight loss to Kamehameha in mid-October dropped the five-time defending ILH champions to 3-3, Bianco went on the best run of any offensive player this season.
Over the next three games, the ILH Open Division Offensive Player of the Year completed 52 of 60 passing attempts for 972 yards and six touchdowns with only one pick. He also rushed for 229 yards and five touchdowns to lead the Crusaders to three straight wins for a sixth consecutive league crown.
The six-week layoff before the state tournament made things difficult on the Crusaders, but Bianco’s performances in those three must-win games over ILH foes made the choice for Offensive Player of the Year an easy one.
Punahou played just five games this season, but the value of Defensive Player of the Year Tevarua Tafiti was most evident in the one game he didn’t play.
An injury kept him out of the ILH playoff game against Saint Louis, and just two weeks after a narrow 27-21 loss, the Buffanblu were beaten easily without their Stanford-bound star on defense, 35-0.
Eight of the 11 position players on offense named to the first team hail from Saint Louis, showing Coach of the Year Ron Lee’s run-and-shoot offense is still as good as any out there.
ILH OPEN DIVISION
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
POS. | NAME | SCHOOL | HT. | WT. | CL.
>> OL | Jonah Savaiinaea | Saint Louis | 6-4 | 345 | 12
>> OL | Ethan Spencer | Saint Louis | 6-2 | 275 | 12
>> OL | Marques Hickson | Kamehameha | 6-3 | 340 | 12
>> OL | Hiapo Kaapana | Kamehameha | 5-8 | 225 | 12
>> OL | Laakea Kapoi | Saint Louis | 6-4 | 295 | 12
>> RB | Noah Bartley | Kamehameha | 5-9 | 185 | 12
>> RB | Keola Apduhan | Saint Louis | 5-5 | 165 | 10
>> REC | Trech Kekahuna | Saint Louis | 5-9 | 180 | 11
>> REC | Jaysen Peters-de Laura | Saint Louis | 5-10 | 180 | 11
>> REC | Mason Muaau | Saint Louis | 6-5 | 200 | 11
>> QB | AJ Bianco | Saint Louis | 6-4 | 220 | 12
>> U | Astin Hange | Punahou | 5-9 | 160 | 10
>> K | Lason Napuunoa | Saint Louis | 5-6 | 160 | 12
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
POS. | NAME | SCHOOL | HT. | WT. | CL.
>> DL | Tevarua Tafiti | Punahou | 6-3 | 225 | 12
>> DL | Joshua Sagapolutele | Saint Louis | 5-11 | 230 | 11
>> DL | Micah Kaonohi-Kaihenui | Kamehameha | 6-0 | 235 | 12
>> DL | Makoa Kupahu | Kamehameha | 6-3 | 275 | 12
>> LB | Iona Purcell | Saint Louis | 6-0 | 220 | 11
>> LB | Dylan Palama | Kamehameha | 5-11 | 200 | 12
>> LB | Alika Cavaco-Amoy | Punahou | 6-0 | 215 | 10
>> DB | Kona Moore | Saint Louis | 6-1 | 180 | 12
>> DB | Evan Rau | Kamehameha | 5-9 | 175 | 12
>> DB | Kawai Kalaukoa | Saint Louis | 5-8 | 152 | 12
>> DB | Reyn Asato | Kamehameha | 5-9 | 175 | 12
>> U | Julian Savaiinaea | Saint Louis | 6-3 | 230 | 11
>> P | Ray Seabury| Saint Louis | 5-8 | 172 | 12
>> RET | Trech Kekahuna | Saint Louis | 5-9 | 180 | 11
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
POS. | NAME | SCHOOL | HT. | WT. | CL.
>> OL | Iapani Laloulu | Saint Louis | 6-2 | 358 | 11
>> OL | Teancum Moeai | Punahou | 6-0 | 270 | 11
>> OL | Akamu Moeava | Punahou | 5-11 | 250 | 12
>> OL | Dacoda Brown | Saint Louis | 6-2 | 295 | 12
>> OL | Scott Dikilato | Kamehameha | 6-2 | 250 | 11
>> RB | Mana Catrett | Saint Louis | 5-9 | 230 | 12
>> RB | Micah Mahiai | Kamehameha | 6-0 | 195 | 12
>> REC | Noah Macapulay | Punahou | 5-5 | 140 | 10
>> REC | Devon Tauaefa | Saint Louis | 6-4 | 215 | 12
>> REC | Raiden Morris | Kamehameha | 5-8 | 156 | 10
>> QB | Kealii Ah Yat | Kamehameha | 6-1 | 180 | 11
>> U | Blaze Kamoku | Kamehameha | 5-9 | 170 | 12
>> K | Jordan Kapisi | Punahou | 6-0 | 190 | 11
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
POS. | NAME | SCHOOL | HT. | WT. | CL.
>> DL | Faifua Ioane | Punahou | 5-10 | 310 | 10
>> DL | Vincent Tautua | Saint Louis | 6-3 | 220 | 9
>> DL | Luke Kaleiwahea | Kamehameha |6-0 | 195 | 12
>> DL | Kielan Siamani | Punahou | 6-3 | 225 | 11
>> LB | Brennan Dupio | Kamehameha | 5-6 | 165 | 11
>> LB | Noah Wily | Saint Louis | 6-4 | 225 | 10
>> LB | Kahiau Correa | Saint Louis | 6-1 | 185 | 10
>> DB | Hunter Kaulana Ah Loo | Kamehameha | 5-8 | 170 | 12
>> DB | William Straton | Punahou | 6-0 | 185 | 12
>> DB | Terahiti Wolfe | Punahou | 5-10 | 180 | 10
>> DB | Agenhart Ellis | Punahou | 5-11 | 160 | 10
>> U | Blaze Holani | Saint Louis | 6-0 | 205 | 12
>> P | Winston Freitas | Kamehameha | 5-9 | 200 | 12
>> RET | Astin Hange | Punahou | 5-9 | 160 | 10
RELATED STORIES
>> No ’backer was better than Kahuku’s Liona Lefau, the All-State Defensive Player of the Year
>> Kahuku’s Kainoa Carvalho made all the right moves to earn All-State Offensive Player of the Year
>> Fun facts about the 14 players on the Star-Advertiser All-State 2021 Defense team
>> Fun facts about the 14 players on Star-Advertiser All-State 2021 Offense team
>> Coach of the Year Sterling Carvalho molded talent into a state title for Kahuku
>> Saint Louis’ AJ Bianco, Punahou’s Tevarua Tafiti reliable assets in all-ILH Open Division
>> ‘Iolani enjoyed sweeping success in all-ILH Division I/Division II
>> Kahuku was strong across the board in all-OIA Open Division
>> Roosevelt’s Kaeo Akana wins in runaway, Moanalua’s Jayce Bareng in close voting in all-OIA Division I
>> Record-breakers lead way in all-OIA Division II
