No. 3 Saint Louis earned early-season bragging rights, ending No. 1 Kahuku’s 18-game winning streak.
But as the two-time defending state champions have proved over and over again, it won’t really matter until November.
In what has the potential to be a preview of this year’s Division I state championship final, the Crusaders got a career effort from quarterback Ryder Kuhns in a 45-24 victory over the Red Raiders on Saturday night at Aloha Stadium.
Kuhns finished 28-for-41 for a career-high 370 yards and four touchdowns, completing his final seven passes as the Crusaders scored the last 22 points.
"It means a lot to beat the defending state champs," said Kuhns, who split time with Kawai Mook-Garcia as last year’s starting quarterback. "It feels great to be the starting quarterback at Saint Louis."
The Crusaders offense is his show to run now, and he’s done it efficiently, leading the team to 100 combined points in wins over Baldwin and Kahuku to start the season.
"He’s going to be one of the No. 1 guys to come out of the state next year," receiver Devan Stubblefield said.
Stubblefield, one of the top offensive recruits in the state this season, had six catches for 117 yards and a touchdown.
Allan Cui added nine catches for 89 yards and two touchdowns, and Riccardo Sallas III caught an 8-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter to give the Crusaders the final lead of the game.
"This is a great confidence builder," Saint Louis coach Matt Wright said. "For us it was a good barometer going into the ILH season."
That barometer is pretty high, according to Kahuku coach Reggie Torres.
"We played a very good team," Torres said. "We battled back and we’ve got something to build on for Monday."
Kahuku lost its season opener for the first time since 2008.
Sophomore Sofi Afalava rushed for 88 yards and a touchdown as Kahuku tallied 233 rushing yards in the game, but got just 12 yards through the air from sophomore Tuli Wily-Matangi, who completed just two of eight passes.
The Red Raiders listed only six seniors on a roster of 79 players, but hung tough through the first three quarters.
The lead changed hands four times in the first half, with the Crusaders taking a 20-14 halftime lead on a 30-yard touchdown pass from Kuhns to Stubblefield with five seconds remaining.
At Aloha Stadium
| Kahuku (0-1) |
0 |
14 |
10 |
0 |
— |
24 |
| Saint Louis (2-0) |
6 |
14 |
3 |
22 |
— |
45 |
StL–Allan Cui 9 pass from Ryder Kuhns (run failed)
Kah–Salanoa-Alo Wily 3 run (Jacob Samsel kick)
StL–Cui 2 pass from Kuhns (Matthew Mariota kick)
Kah–Soli Afalava 21 run (Samsel kick)
StL–Devan Stubblefield 30 pass from Kuhns (Mariota kick)
StL–FG Mariota 30
Kah–FG Samsel 26
Kah–Polikapo Liua Jr. 10 run (Samsel kick)
StL–Riccardo Sallas III 8 pass from Kuhns (Stubblefield pass from Kuhns)
StL–Adam Noga 10 run (Mariota kick)
StL–Raymond Caayon 41 run (Mariota kick)
RUSHING–Kah: Afalava 19-88, Liua Jr. 10-72, Tuli Wily-Matagi 13-67, Wily 3-12, Ronald Hurlburt 1-(minus 2), team 1-(minus 4). StL: Adam Noga 15-88, Caayon 2-49, Kaulana Vinoya 2-35, Jonathon Manalo 1-6, team 1-(minus 1), Kuhns 4-(minus 32).
PASSING–Kah: Wily-Matagi 2-8-0-12, Hurlburt 0-2-0-0. StL: Kuhns 28-41-0-370.
RECEIVING–Kah: Douglas Napaa 1-9, Kuuliko Carvalho 1-3. StL: Cui 9-89, Stubblefield 6-117, Drew Kobayashi 4-83, Noga 3-47, Jordan Eugenio 3-23, Sallas III 2-13, Vinoya 1-(minus 2).
