It’s unlikely we’ll see anything like it again. Saint Louis School dominated high school football on Oahu, beating everyone on the island from 1986 to 1999.
Rarely did any opponent come close to coach Cal Lee’s teams, especially in big games. Also, when given the chance, the Crusaders crushed all opposition on the island(s), plural. But that’s where there might be a bit of a problem … or no problem at all, depending on your perspective.
The first 13 championships matched the Interscholastic League of Honolulu champion (Saint Louis) against the Oahu Interscholastic Association champion in the Prep Bowl. There was no possible access for any neighbor island teams.
Star-Advertiser sportswriter Jerry Campany was looking through the national record book when he saw that Saint Louis is listed as tied with Washington of Sioux Falls, S.D., (1951-64) for the most consecutive state championships in U.S. high school history, 14.
As Campany noted in a post on HawaiiPrepWorld.com, that begs this question: Is it a state championship when the teams from three of the state’s five leagues can’t get into to the de facto championship game, regardless of what they do on the field?
Everyone who followed high school football in Hawaii during that era agrees the Crusaders were the best team. But the state championship was mythical because there was no path — straight, crooked or otherwise — to the Prep Bowl for teams from the Big Island, Maui or Kauai.
"I live on Maui, so I see their point," said Shannon Cabunoc, the Crusaders’ star slotback in 1986 and 1987. "If an outer island team had won a big game maybe they would’ve changed the format. But that never happened."
Waianae was usually Saint Louis’ foil early in the Prep Bowl streak, with Kahuku coming on later and finally beating the Crusaders in the 2000 state championship game.
"We didn’t have state championships (until 1999)," said Lee, who is now the defensive coordinator at Kalani. "But it wasn’t like there was a Kahuku on the neighbor islands. There still isn’t, but some schools like Lahainaluna are getting closer."
I agree with retired Honolulu Advertiser and Star-Bulletin sportswriter Dennis Anderson that Saint Louis deserves its spot in the national record book, but with an explanation of the circumstances.
"My vote is for an asterisk," Anderson said. "They should be included based on what they did. But (exclusion of the neighbor islands) is a major thing."
ILH executive director Don Botelho said he has no problem with considering Saint Louis the state champion during the Prep Bowl years. One reason he cites is that no neighbor island team has reached the state Division I championship game in its first 13 years.
"At least now it’s settled on the field," state high school sports chief Chris Chun said.
Saint Louis’ streak is something to hold in high historical regard. But adding the asterisk to the national record is a simple matter of respect. Just as Hawaii shouldn’t be left off maps of the United States, situations like this make neighbor islanders seem like second-class citizens, or even non-entities.
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Reach Dave Reardon at dreardon@staradvertiser.com or 529-4783 or on Twitter as @dave_reardon.
