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Four seasons of frustration since the creation of the Open Division was erased with one masterful performance on Thursday night.
No. 1 Kahuku ended its longest drought without a state championship, blasting Saint Louis 49-14 in the Open Division final of the First Hawaiian Bank/HHSAA Football State Championships at Farrington’s Skippa Diaz Stadium.
The Red Raiders completed a perfect 10-0 season with their largest margin of victory ever over their ILH rival to claim a ninth state title and first since 2015.
“We came in with a great game plan and I’m just so proud of our boys who executed it,” Kahuku coach Sterling Carvalho said. “They all believed in what we was ready to accomplish tonight, so for us, was it a surprise? No. Because we know this is the potential of Kahuku football.”
Kahuku’s 39-14 thumping of Saint Louis in 2015 under Vavae Tata was its last in Division I before the formation of the Open Division in 2016 and its previous biggest win over the Crusaders ever.
Saint Louis (6-4) had won all four state titles in the top division since, beating Kahuku three times in the final and once in the semifinal by an average margin of 21.3 points, including a 45-6 blowout to end the 2019 season.
That was the largest margin of victory the Crusaders have ever had against the Red Raiders and made this win that much sweeter for Kahuku.
“Such great kids. Coachable kids,” Carvalho said. “And for them to execute and make the adjustments as a team, that’s what put us over the top today.”
Kahuku senior running back Kana Loa Kaluna grinded out 138 yards and three touchdowns on the ground.
But it was junior Kainoa Carvalho’s quick feet that had the Crusaders seeing red. Carvalho finished with 135 receiving yards and two third-quarter touchdown catches from quarterback Jason Mariteragi to start the celebration on the North Shore.
“It’s everything man. (The community) has been so supportive,” Carvalho said. “They sacrifice so much. We’re gone most of the time. It’s all paying off now.”
Kahuku’s defense was equally impressive, holding Crusaders quarterback AJ Bianco to a season-low 143 yards on 11-for-20 passing with one touchdown and two interceptions.
Junior linebacker Liona Lefau, who caught one of Mariteragi’s three touchdown passes, also had one of those picks to go along with five tackles and a sack.
“Tough one to swallow for sure. This is what you work for, but we just have to bounce back,” Bianco said. “Hopefully the boys learn from this and can bounce back.”
Kahuku jumped all over Saint Louis early, taking advantage of a couple of key drops by Crusaders receivers.
Lefau sacked Bianco on third down to end the Crusaders’ first drive and then recovered a punt that was blocked by Leonard Ah You.
Kahuku took over at the Saint Louis 24 and scored in four plays as Kaluna slammed it in behind a powerful offensive line for a 6-yard touchdown and a 7-0 lead.
A dropped touchdown by the Crusaders ended their next drive and Kaluna capped off a seven-play, 45-yard drive after a short punt with a 4-yard TD to make it 14-0 Red Raiders.
Saint Louis fell into a bigger hole when Malosi Lefau stepped in front of a Bianco pass on third down and returned an interception 29 yards for a touchdown and a 21-0 lead with 2:23 still to go in the first quarter.
Somehow it got even worse as Kahuku took its largest lead of the first half on Mariteragi’s 19-yard touchdown pass to Lefau, who was everywhere in the game.
“Throughout the week, Coach Sterling couldn’t help but preach that we need to start early and fast,” Kaluna said. “We’re a team that we know when we get rolling it’s hard for us to stop.”
Bianco and the Crusaders offense finally settled down and managed to out-gain Kahuku in total yards in the first half, thanks to two drives to close the gap.
Boston Opetaia had the last of four consecutive Crusaders runs to score on a 2-yard touchdown with 7:44 to put Saint Louis on the board.
After a Kahuku three-and-out, Bianco found Trech Kekahuna down the middle for a 46-yard touchdown on third-and-10 to make it a 28-14 game heading into the half.
Despite the 28-point deficit, Saint Louis actually outgained Kahuku 148-134 in total yards in the first half and converted their final three third downs after starting the game 0-4.
The second half was all Kahuku as the Red Raiders scored the final 21 points. The Red Raiders finished off the win despite 17 penalties for 195 yards.
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At Skippa Diaz Stadium
Saint Louis (6-4) 0 14 0 0 — 14
Kahuku (10-0) 21 7 14 7 — 49
KAH—Kana Loa Kaluna 6 run (Kainoa Carvalho kick)
KAH—Kaluna 4 run (Kain. Carvalho kick)
KAH—Malosi Lefau 29 interception return (Kain. Carvalho kick)
KAH—Liona Lefau 19 pass from Jason Mariteragi (Kain. Carvalho kick)
STL—Boston Opetaia 2 run (Lason Napuunoa kick)
STL—Trech Kekahuna 46 pass from Alexander Bianco (Napuunoa kick)
KAH—Kain. Carvalho 61 pass from Mariteragi (Kain. Carvalho kick)
KAH—Kain. Carvalho 16 pass from Mariteragi (Kain. Carvalho kick)
KAH—Kaluna 17 run (Kain. Carvalho kick)
RUSHING—Saint Louis: Keola Apduhan 5-18, Opetaia 4-13, Elijah Dolor 1-12, Keonimanamemanao Catrett 3-9, Ratu Bonaveidogo 1-5, Kauna’oa Kamakawiwo’ole 1-0, Bianco 6-(minus 4). Kahuku: Kaluna 16-138, Mariteragi 6-30, Clyde Taulapapa 7-19, Kelsyn Tangaro-Kanoa 3-16, Kain. Carvalho 2-7, Zarrion Bridges 1-2, Waika Crawford 1-0, TEAM 3-(minus 4).
PASSING—Saint Louis: Bianco 11-20-2—143, Kamakawiwo’ole 4-7-1—41. Kahuku: Mariteragi 10-13-0—186.
RECEIVING—Saint Louis: Jaysen Peters-deLaura 6-52, Kekahuna 4-82, Yosei Takahashi 2-27, William Reed 1-11, Mason
Muaau 1-9, Nicholas Delgadillo 1-3. Kahuku: Kain. Carvalho 6-135, L. Lefau 2-36, Kaimana Carvalho 1-8, Kruze Keanu 1-7
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