Prep football preview: Saint Louis hungry following rare loss in Hawaii

Saint Louis has had two weeks to ponder its first loss in Hawaii since 2016.

Now, the Crusaders, the second-ranked team in the state, are hungry and howling.

“I like the way we’ve practiced. We have a lot of intensity, a lot of emotion, a lot of energy the last few practices,” coach Ron Lee said. “Guys are flying around, committed to help each other out. That’s what we needed. That’s the only positive thing about a defeat.”

Saint Louis’ 23-21 loss to Kamehameha two weeks ago ended a streak of 36 wins against competition in the islands. The task ahead against No. 4 Punahou is now less difficult. The Buffanblu also suffered a loss to Kamehameha, falling 35-28 last weekend.

Saint Louis and Punahou will battle on Friday at Aloha Stadium after the preliminary game. Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m.

“We’re as healthy as we’ve been,” Lee said. “We’ve had two weeks of practice to correct our mistakes. It’s really almost the end of the (ILH) season, and we’ve only had three games. We’ll find out more on Friday.”

Punahou quarterback John-Keawe Sagapolutele has the firepower to catapult his team to victory no matter the circumstances. His receiving corps of shifty, speedy playmakers include a standout newcomer in Astin Hange.

“We have to expect anything and everything. That No. 2 (Hange), their receivers are good. John can slide around and turn it into big plays,” Lee said.

Punahou’s young defense is evolving into a strong unit.

“Their front is getting better. I thought they held Kamehameha’s running game for the most part, but it’s hard to shut them down entirely. They didn’t win, but they played a tough ball game.”

The learning curve has been intriguing for players after losing an entire year to the pandemic and cancellations of 2020 fall sports in Hawaii. Saint Louis senior AJ Bianco has passed for 811 yards and five touchdowns in three games as a first-year starter. He has completed more than 60% of his passes with three picks in 106 attempts. In a normal season, three games are a preseason point for the Crusaders.

“From the Gorman game ’til now, AJ did his part. What he’s finding out is down in the clutch, games are tight and he’s got to make good decisions. He’s only (started) three games, so he’s got to get better each week,” Lee said. “He did real well (against Kamehameha), but we hardly had the ball in the third quarter. You’ve got to credit your opponent. Kamehameha’s best defense was keeping our offense on the bench. They ran the ball well in the third quarter. We need to improve on offense and defense, too.”

The nature of the three-team ILH Open Division is similar to what the Kauai Interscholastic Federation has endured for decades. Three strong communities with three competitive football programs. Evolve or dissolve.

“It helps when you have a bye to get ready for the next game, but sometimes you lose a little bit of momentum,” Lee noted. “Sometimes it’s good that you continue to play (back-to-back games). Maybe that’s why Kamehameha is going to play Kahuku. They really got some good momentum going.”

Kamehameha, ranked an outright No. 1 this week, will scrimmage Kahuku on Saturday night at Farrington’s Skippa Diaz Stadium.

Kamehameha I-AA at Saint Louis I-AA, Aloha Stadium, Friday, 5 p.m.

What would have been a matchup of the ILH’s top dogs in junior varsity football is now a two-game varsity series. The Crusaders (1-1, 1-1 ILH D-I/D-II) have been an offensive juggernaut en route to a 1-1 record.

The I-AA squad has averaged 31 points per game, including 28 in a loss to ILH D-I representative ‘Iolani last weekend. That output could have been more if not for an injury to wide receiver Kache Kaio in the third quarter. The connection between freshman Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele and Kaio, a 6-foot-1, 200-pound playmaker, is truly Open Division-level quality.

Sagapolutele also relied heavily on freshman phenom Onosai Salanoa, who hauled in 11 receptions for 161 yards against ‘Iolani. Apparently, what happens in Pylon nationals doesn’t necessarily stay at Pylon nationals, where Salanoa is a standout pass catcher for the All-Blacks Crusaders in the offseason.

“Any time you play Saint Louis, you have to be mentally sharp because they execute well no matter what level they compete at,” Warriors coach Wade Inn said. “It’s always a tough battle so we have to get extra mental reps through film study to find any ways to slow down their explosive offense, and be as physical as their solid defense.”

Inn noted that the defense for the Warriors (1-2, 1-2 ILH D-I/D-II) is trained to go after the football.

“We want to get after the quarterback, force some throws and capitalize off any mistakes we can. We need to create turnovers. I think our turnover gold chain has been a good incentive,” he said.

Kamehameha I-AA’s offensive line opens lanes for a talented running back, 6-foot, 190-pound Moe Passi.

“We’re encouraged by the great improvement of our offensive line, particularly in the run game. They are starting to develop the right chemistry needed to move the ball on the ground as well as give protection to support our passing game,” Inn added.