The recent four-peat state-title run was a new chapter in the annals of Saint Louis football. The transfer-portal era is even newer.
It begins with standout players earning Division I scholarship offers and transferring out to public schools before senior year. It continues with the retirement of legendary coach Cal Lee during the offseason.
Brothers Cal and Ron Lee, and staff have coached 22 former Crusaders playing D-I football, according to research by the Star-Advertiser’s Jerry Campany. Head coach Ron Lee’s path from Kalani to Kaiser to Saint Louis to UH to Kalani and back to Saint Louis has never lacked for excitement.
Losing Wynden Ho‘ohuli to Mililani five years ago was the first in a series of departures as families made decisions based in part on economics and on transportation logistics. The cost of living, including gasoline, plays a role. But there’s nothing that Saint Louis can do when a family decides that having zero tuition cost at a public school is a make-or-break factor.
A year ago, offensive lineman Pancho Laloulu returned to Farrington. This season, defensive lineman/linebacker Anelu Lafaele headed to Houghtailing Street, where his father, Michael, a former Govs star, is the new defensive coordinator. It is difficult to find anyone outside of the Crusader brotherhood who feels sorry for the gentlemen of Kalaepohaku after decades of elite success.
For Ron Lee, it is still a work in progress with each new season. Saint Louis’ 42-28 win at Kapolei last week gave Lee and his veteran staff plenty of basic data to build on. The challenge this week is as big as it gets: sixth-ranked Saint Louis travels to play No. 1 Kahuku.
Kahuku was omnipotent in a 49-0 nonconference win over Waianae last week. All the elements of the back-to-back championship campaigns are there. The veteran leaders are long gone, graduated and mostly serving church missions. It is a prime opportunity for their proteges to step up.
“Seeing how our leaders from the past two years ran the varsity, seeing how they were captains and led the team to back to back state championships, it’s something we have to continue or we’ll be see as a losing team,” junior Mana Carvalho said. “It’s a lot of pressure becoming a big role.”
Carvalho was a freshman in 2021, when Kahuku returned to the throne as state champion.
“We have a lot of young players. This is a rerun of the 2021 season, a junior-heavy team and that’s the feeling I’m getting from this team, too. We have a lot of juniors and a lot of our backups are juniors, too.”
Carvalho has been brilliant with limited opportunities, playing behind older brother and former All-State offensive player of the year Kainoa Carvalho, among others. This fall, he will start at safety, return kickoffs and punts, handle punting duties and, on occasion, line up at wide receiver and slotback.
“My kickoff is my break,” he said. “I feel like I’m pretty used to it playing both ways in Big Boyz (youth league).”
Maximum Fonoimoana emerged as a defensive force as a sophomore last year. Now 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds, he has grown an inch and added 15 pounds since ’22. Fonoimoana also has nine scholarship offers, all from Pac-12 and Mountain West programs.
Leadership — he is one of the captains this season — means as much as performance to the younger brother of All-State safety Brock Fonoimoana.
“It’s a different responsibility. I wasn’t a captain last year. It’s something new for me. It shows I have to step up my game and be a good example to my teammates,” Fonoimoana said. “We still have the same coaches. If we put our trust into them and execute our game plan, everything will go well.”
Fonoimoana may see some action at tight end.
“I have good hands,” he said.
The longstanding connection between players and the community is probably unmatched statewide. It still begins with the feeder programs, the offseason work — and Pylon success — of the high school players and coaches.
“I always think of our team as a family. We like to do things together off the field. Doing service projects. Just being part of the community,” Fonoimoana said.
Meanwhile, the Crusaders keep grinding day after day regardless of incoming and outgoing talent. Offensive lineman Houston Kaahaaina-Torres is part of a substantial ground attack. Saint Louis ran the ball 35 times and aired out 34 passes in the win over Kapolei.
Keola Apduhan rushed for 115 yards and four touchdowns on 19 attempts. First-year starting quarterback Kauna‘oa Kamakawiwoole passed for 311 yards and a TD (to Titan Lacaden), but was picked off twice. Lacaden and Jordan Nunuha hauled in a combined 13 passes for 218 yards.
“We’re just excited to start off the season the right way. ‘Oa is probably the best leader on our team. He’s the backbone and foundation of our offense,” Lacaden said. “When we come to the sideline after a play, we already know what we should’ve done. We’ve continued to grow since freshman year. Kapolei did show us a couple of coverages that surprised us, but we had some self-inflicted mistakes. As for the offense we try to hold ourselves to a higher standard. Our coaches asked us how would be grade ourselves for the (Kapolei) game and everybody said B, maybe C.”
Kahuku’s defense allowed a paltry 36 yards of total offense by Waianae. Saint Louis is willing to test the limits.
“We have the line and the guys to run the ball. Coach likes to run the ball, and we’ll catch you off guard and pass. We have weapons all over the field,” Lacaden said.
Kahuku has not been immune to today’s highly fluid transfer portal-ish comings and goings. Defensive lineman Vaea Ikakoula, an All-State second-team selection, departed for Utah. However, defensive back Terahiti Wolfe left Punahou — currently tied at No. 1 with Kahuku — and enrolled at Kahuku for his senior year. Speedy pass catcher Diezel Kamoku left Kapolei to play for Kahuku as a senior.
Brothers Tuli Tagovailoa-Amosa and Gafoa-Amarxus Tagovailoa-Amosa also left Kapolei for Kahuku. Tuli, a senior, passed for 151 yards and four TDs without an interception against Waianae. Gafoa-Amarxus is a 6-1, 292-pound sophomore offensive lineman.
He and his friends in the trenches are paving the way for senior running back Va‘aimalae Fonoti, an All-State first-team pick last year.
Coach Sterling Carvalho’s offense had just six rushing attempts as his defense and special teams dominated. His nephew, Mana Carvalho, returned a kickoff 60 yards to paydirt.
“I just know Saint Louis will bring out their best. The last time I played them was in the state championship (in 2021). That was the matchup we always wanted. They had beaten Kahuku for four years before that, so we wanted to end the streak,” he said.
Fonoimoana is soft spoken but very confident.
“Saint Louis is a big game, but also I treat it as any other game and stay focused. As a kid growing up, I always wanted to play Saint Louis. I’m very grateful for this opportunity,” he said. “I think the fans have seen it in us. I think we’re going to dominate this year. They saw it in our past game. All I see is red. That’s a really big reason why I play football. There’s no bigger feeling than playing for our community.”
All-State cornerback Aiden Manutai reaped the rewards last year after transferring from Mililani. He and Manulele Ah You form one of the best, if not the very best, cornerback duos in the state.
“We’re finding our way without Brock, Kaikai, Leonard (Ah You), Liona (Lefau). They held it down the past two years and we’re trying to set the path for our next two years,” Manutai said. “Just bring out the red sea and always have our backs like you usually do.”
Ah You has been impressive at corner after making the switch from wide receiver and running back.
“On film, I just saw that on film that they moved him to corner,” Lacaden said. “(Kahuku defensive coordinator Sola) Soliai, they’re still playing that free to nickel position. Terahiti Wolfe is playing that sam backer, rover.”
