There is no place like home, especially for Hawaii’s No. 1 football team, Kahuku.
Following a 55-8 loss to Mater Dei (Calif.), the nation’s top-ranked team, the two-time HHSAA Open Division defending state champions are in the midst of preparation for another juggernaut. On Saturday, Kahuku battles St. John Bosco (Calif.), which was last year’s national champion and ranked third nationally.
Win or lose, this is the way for Kahuku. The days of filling bye weeks with a variety of teams are long gone. Scheduling the very best teams available has raised the bar. Losses are part of the process. Safe scheduling is not. Miscues against the nation’s best have a profound effect.
“You have to take care of the ball. You cannot win if you lose the turnover battle,” Kahuku coach Sterling Carvalho said. “Pay attention to the details of your assignment, then execute.”
The margin for error remains narrow this weekend.
“St. John Bosco is similar to Mater Dei in size and speed. They have athletes in all positions and are deep in every position. You can’t really tell a drop-off in subs coming in and out. When you are able to recruit nationally, you are going to get the best of the best,” Carvalho noted. “That’s what these programs are, the best of the best, the top high school programs every year.”
The Braves are off to a 4-0 start with wins over Liberty (Nev.), 42-22; St. Thomas Aquinas (Fla.), 20-7, Friendship Collegiate Academy (Washington, D.C.), 48-12; and Saint Frances (Md.), 37-14.
Saint Frances played at Kahuku last year and rallied for a 22-15 win. The Panthers, gutted by graduation, are 0-4 so far this fall.
Liberty does not play Kahuku this season, but has recent wins over Saint Louis, 34-30, and Campbell, 20-14, in Henderson. Kahuku and St. John Bosco met for the first time last year, a 34-7 win by the Braves in Bellflower.
“The first thing I remember is how athletic they were. They did a really good job of trying to get the ball to their athletes, especially on the offensive side of the ball,” Braves coach Jason Negro said on Tuesday night via telephone. “Defensively, they were super physical. Ultimately, there’s no quit in those kids. They fight pretty hard. They compete the whole 48 minutes.”
Last season, Negro was selected HSFA national coach of the year following a 13-1 season and a national championship. Negro has led the Braves to five Trinity League crowns and four CIF state championships. He has a record of 144-29 coming into Saturday’s battle at Carleton E. Weimer Field.
Negro has an affinity for visiting the islands. The Braves are 3-0 when visiting the islands. St. John Bosco traveled in to the islands in 2014 to play Saint Louis. The current Braves weren’t in high school yet when the team had a home-and-home series with Mililani in 2018 and ’19.
Bellflower, Calif., was 73 degrees and sunny on Wednesday afternoon when the Braves departed for the 50th state.
“The first thing is, you have to get acclimated to the time change. That’s the biggest deal. When we travel to Hawaii, we leave as early as we can. We like to stay three nights before the game, then we come home the day after the game,” Negro said. “We fly out (Wednesday) morning and arrive in Honolulu around 10:30 (a.m.). We’re going to have lunch and head over to Turtle Bay and start practice. Check into our rooms. We use Wednesday as a travel day and a bonus day. Then we’ll have a really solid last real work day on Thursday there on the island, and then we’ll do a walk-through on Friday and get ready to play on Saturday. We’re lucky we play on a Saturday. That really helps us out. It’s one less day that we don’t have to miss school.”
Senior Caleb Sanchez (6-4, 230) has been superb at quarterback with 1,111 passing yards, seven touchdowns. He has been highly efficient with a 78-percent completion rate and just one interception. It adds up to a superior passer rating of 169.9.
“The biggest thing that I’m most excited about is the play of our quarterback to this point. He’s done a phenomenal job in four games,” Negro said. “I don’t think anybody expected that.”
Senior Chauncey Webster (5-11, 205) leads a committee at running back. Webster is averaging 7 yards per carry and a team-high 51 rushing yards per game. Sophomore Daniel Odom (6-2, 190) has thrived after a part-time role last year. Odom has 16 receptions for 288 yards and four touchdowns. His 71 receiving yards per game leads the Braves.
“I’m super happy with our O-line, the way that we’ve protected our quarterback. Our wide receivers are very young, but they’ve played really well,” Negro said.
Bosco’s swarming defensive unit is led by defensive lineman Dutch Horisk (seven tackles per game), linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa (seven tackles per game) and safety Peyton Woodyard (six tackles per game). Lineman Max Amasio leads the pass rush with 4.5 sacks per game. Tay Lockett is a sophomore playmaker in the secondary and has three interceptions.
“The back end of our defense is playing really well. It starts with our linebacking corps. It’s seasoned veterans there, really good ball players in that area. The two safeties are seniors, Payton Woodyard and Dillon Rickenbacker,” Negro said. “Payton, Marcelles Williams and Kyngstonn, those guys and Caleb are the guys who have emerged as leaders.”
The heart and soul of Braves football go beyond talent.
“Our culture, the brotherhood that we have developed here at Bosco. The trust that the kids have in the coaching staff and the trust that the coaching staff has in the kids. Those are the things that don’t pop out. They’re not going to show up in the boxscore, but I think we’ve built a pretty good, winning culture here,” Negro said. “The kids have high expectations. The coaching staff has high expectations. Any time that we fall short of those expectations, we’re going to be held accountable. That’s the biggest intangible, the culture that we’ve built.”
Before returning to his alma mater, St. John Bosco, Negro was a public-school math teacher.
“Some of the tangible things are how hard we work. If you watch us practice, watch how we fly around the ball, the work we do in the weight room. The kids work their butts off in preparing themselves to play on Fridays and Saturdays,” Negro said. “The way that we approach every practice, the kids understand the commitment it takes and the dedication that you have to put in to be successful. How physical we play. We don’t back down to anybody. We like to flex ourselves as much as we possibly can. I take a lot of pride in allowing our kids to express themselves the best way they can.”
The Braves will make time to visit the Pearl Harbor Memorial.
“I think it’s important to make this an educational experience. We’re going to visit the memorial and go through the entire program. It’s really important to me and our coaching staff to let our kids know why we have such freedoms here in America,” Negro said.
With a pulverizing offensive line and running back Va‘aimalae Fonoti, Kahuku has the potential to control the ball and win the field-position battle.
“I want my players to compete against the best of the best. That’s why we play these games,” Carvalho said. “I’ll never say no, but always accept the challenge and opportunity.”
Best of the rest
No. 2 Punahou at No. 4 Campbell, Friday, 7:30 p.m.
The last time these teams met, it was 2019 and Vincent Terrell rushed for 189 yards in Punahou’s 31-21 win at the Sabers’ field. At the time, Punahou was ranked second and Campbell was fifth. The Buffanblu QB that night was John-Keawe Sagapolutele, now a freshman with the Hawaii Warriors.
On Friday, the QB for Punahou (3-1, 0-0 ILH) will be Ty McCutcheon, a Utah Tech commit. The signal-caller for Campbell (4-1, 3-0 OIA) is Sagapolutele’s younger brother, Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele. The sophomore has already racked up gaudy statistics through five games: 1,523 passing yards, 13 TDs and just two interceptions. He has a 68-percent completion percentage and a standout passer rating of 170.4.
For Sabers coach Darren Johnson, the beauty of Campbell’s potent offense is balance. Four running backs have rushed for at least 106 yards, with five TDs from James Steffany-Fiame. Five Saber receivers have double-digit catch totals, led by Tana Togafau-Tavui (26 receptions, 373 yards, five TDs).
Campbell has scored at least 48 points in every win. A 20-14 loss at Liberty two weeks ago sharpened the Sabers’ resolve.
“We learned that you have to come out strong from the beginning because we had a slow start and started firing only in the second half,” Sagapolutele said. “Learning from this experience, it has made our team more focused and has given us a drive to never want to lose again. We feel that we didn’t play to the best of our abilities, and that we just need to make sure everyone is doing their job and doing it right, giving 100 percent every time.”
Friday’s battle with Punahou, the defending ILH champion, preps Campbell for a stretch run of Farrington, Kahuku and Moanalua.
“I’m very excited and I just thank God for an opportunity like this,” Sagapolutele added.
Punahou’s defensive unit has been elite for years. The Buffanblu had allowed just 21 points in three wins to start the season. They nearly matched nationally ranked Centennial (Calif.) in a full-tilt, 50-43 loss two weeks ago. Wide receiver Astin Hange continued his brilliant season with nine receptions for 151 yards and an 86-yard kick return for a TD against Centennial.
No. 5 Saint Louis at No. 3 Mililani, Friday, 7:30 p.m.
The last time the Trojans and Crusaders met, it was the season opener of the 2022 season. First-year starter Kini McMillan passed for 308 yards in Mililani’s 28-7 win. Late in the season, McMillan suffered a season-ending knee injury. Mililani lost to Kahuku in the OIA final, then fell to Punahou in the state tournament.
The 52-24 loss to Punahou stung, but when the teams met again to start the 2023 season, Mililani stayed close before losing, 21-14. McMillan has returned with a mastery of the QB position. Now a junior, he had six TD passes with no interceptions going into Mililani’s 37-3 win over Sheldon (Ore.) nearly two weeks ago.
Running back Nakoa Kahana-Travis is Mr. Reliable, while the receiving corps is deep. Thirteen Trojans (3-1, 2-0 OIA) have caught at least one pass.
Saint Louis (2-2, 0-0 ILH) had the trip of a lifetime, losing a nail-biter to Liberty, 34-30, before prevailing over Desert Pines (Nev.), 35-30. Coach Ron Lee had long envisioned a mainland journey with lots of competition. With a bye last week to recover, this will be the Crusaders’ last nonconference game before ILH regular-season play begins in two weeks.
Saint Louis QB Kauna‘oa Kamakawiwoole is putting his skill and athleticism to work. Kamakawiwoole has passed for 1,188 yards and 10 TDs with nine interceptions.
The ground attack has been consistent with Keola Apduhan (238 yards, five TDs) leading the way. Titan Lacaden (33 receptions, 589 yards, seven TDs) leads a talented receiver group.
Mililani’s defense will be tested. Linebacker Aizik Mahuka has been a force with 16.5 tackles for loss, including 3.5 sacks. He also has two interceptions.
No. 6 Kamehameha at Leilehua, Friday, 6 p.m.
Most of the current Warriors and Mules were first graders and kindergarteners when the two schools last met. Leilehua beat Kamehameha, 12-10, in 2012, ending a six-game losing streak to the Warriors.
Kamehameha (3-0, 0-0 ILH) has made a smooth transition to first-year head coach Kaeo Drummondo with wins over Moanalua, 51-7; Waianae, 27-15; and Waipahu, 38-15. Moe Passi has rushed for 283 yards and five TDs in a run-heavy attack. The Warriors have taken care of the ball through the air with five combined TD passes and zero interceptions in 33 attempts.
On the ground, Kamehameha has run the ball 113 times for 648 yards (5.7 yards per carry). That is a run-pass ratio of 77 percent rushes, 23 percent pass attempts.
Leilehua (3-2, 2-1 OIA) is coming off a 34-7 win over Aiea. The Mules’ two losses were against two pass-heavy teams, Campbell and Konawaena. Coach Mark Kurisu’s team has relied on ball control via the ground game to play its best football. RB Cole Northington has been steady and relentless with 463 rushing yards and seven TDs on 99 carries.
Timothy Arnold (28 receptions, 409 yards, three TDs) is a playmaker after the catch, but has faced double coverage on deep routes. Northington’s versatility has been an asset. He is now the team’s second-leading pass catcher (18 receptions, 150 yards).
STANDINGS
ILH
Team Conf. PF PA Overall PF PA
Open
Kamehameha 0-0 0 0 3-0 116 37
Punahou 0-0 0 0 3-1 160 71
Saint Louis 0-0 0 0 2-2 124 144
Division I
‘Iolani 2-0 81 28 3-0 140 54
Damien 0-0 0 0 2-2 140 152
Division II
Pac-Five 0-1 0 41 0-1 0 41
———
KS I-AA 1-0 24 7 1-0 24 7
Saint Louis I-AA 0-1 28 40 1-2 62 123
Punahou I-AA 0-1 7 24 0-1 7 24
OIA/D1 A Standings
Team Conf. PF PA Overall PF PA
Campbell 3-0 151 7 4-1 227 61
Kahuku 2-0 55 20 4-1 164 92
Farrington 2-1 97 75 3-1 141 89
Leilehua 2-1 62 62 3-2 100 97
Nanakuli 0-2 .0 82 1-3 80 149
Moanalua 0-2 34 58 0-4 41 154
Aiea 0-3 7 102 1-4 40 177
OIA/D1 B Standings
Team Conf. PF PA Overall PF PA
Kapolei 3-0 180 45 4-1 256 117
Mililani 2-0 117 14 3-1 168 38
Kailua 2-1 58 94 3-2 103 125
Waipahu 1-1 104 70 1-3 153 170
Waianae 0-1 20 21 0-4 35 138
Castle 0-2 18 84 1-2 35 97
Radford 0-3 28 197 0-4 42 141
OIA Division II standings
Team Conf. PF PA Overall PF PA
Pearl City 3-0 88 37 4-0 130 49
Kalani 2-1 52 25 3-1 80 31
Kalaheo 2-1 102 71 2-1 102 71
Kaiser 2-1 67 64 2-2 80 81
Roosevelt 1-2 .59 58 2-3 123 106
Waialua 1-2 50 70 1-3 50 100
Kaimuki 1-2 92 108 1-4 130 205
McKinley 0-3 13 90 0-4 13 124
OPEN DIVISION STATISTICS
PASSING
Player, team C A I Yd TD
Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, Camp. 111 163 2 1,523 13
Tama Amisone, Kapolei 79 122 1 1,226 22
Kaunaoa Kamakawiwoole, St.L. 80 136 9 1,188 10
Ty McCutcheon, Punahou 39 61 2 655 5
Kini McMillan, Mililani 46 65 0 550 6
Tuli Tagovailoa-Amosa, Kahuku 36 51 0 446 8
Jevin Bolos-Reyes, Kamehameha 18 27 0 406 4
Tayden-Evan Kaawa, Moanalua 26 48 3 341 4
George Mier, Waianae 15 24 2 161 1
Donny Faavi Jr., Campbell 11 22 2 147 2
RUSHING
Player, team Att. Yds TD YPC YPG
Tama Amisone, Kapolei 45 441 7 9.8 110.3
Moe Passi, Kamehameha 45 283 5 6.3 94.3
Vaaimalae Fonoti, Kahuku 36 279 4 7.8 93.0
Reeno Teo, Kapolei 15 244 0 16.3 122.0
Keola Apduhan, Saint Louis 45 232 5 5.2 77.3
Chase Camarillo, Kapolei 29 217 4 7.5 54.3
RECEIVING
Player, team Rec. Yds TD YPC YPG
Kaina Kamohalii. Kapolei 40 676 11 16.9 135.2
Titan Lacaden. Saint Louis 33 589 7 17.8 147.3
Tana Togafau-Tavui. Camp. 26 373 5 14.3 93.3
Jordan Nunuha, St.L. 15 318 3 21.2 79.5
Rusten Abang, Campbell 20 299 1 15.0 59.8
Astin Hange, Punahou 15 289 1 19.3 96.3
DIVISION I STATISTICS
PASSING
Player, team C A I Yd TD
AJ Tuifua, Damien 46 78 6 788 9
Romeo Ortiz, Kailua 55 106 5 741 5
CJ Villanueva, Iolani 60 70 1 729 10
Joshua Manu, Waipahu 41 67 1 650 5
Kanoa Torres, Nanakuli 66 118 6 613 5
Hanohano Plunkett, Leilehua 51 87 4 526 2
Afi Togafau, Radford 52 81 3 454 4
Bennett Strobel, Waipahu 24 43 2 360 3
MJ Moreno, Farrington 27 55 1 344 2
Nai Kalauokaaea, Castle 21 46 1 289 1
RUSHING
Player, team Att. Yds TD YPC YPG
Sitani Mikaele, Farrington 73 516 7 7.1 129.0
Cole Northington, Leilehua 99 463 7 4.7 92.6
Ikaika Quidashay, Kailua 44 233 1 5.3 46.6
Christian Asinsin, Nanakuli 52 212 3 4.1 53.0
Sylas Alaimalo, Daien 27 202 1 7.5 101.0
Camren Flemister, Leilehua 29 177 2 6.1 44.3
RECEIVING
Player, team Rec. Yds TD YPC YPG
Timothy Arnold, Leilehua 28 409 3 14.6 81.8
Eric Stephens, Waipahu 20 378 2 18.9 94.5
Richard Federico, Nanakuli 20 346 4 17.3 86.5
Dayton Savea, Damien 17 296 4 17.4 98.7
Tai Aipia-Barrett, Waipahu 14 287 3 20.5 71.8
Jayden Chanel, Waipahu 22 279 3 12.7 69.8
DIVISION II STATISTICS
PASSING
Player, team C A I Yd TD
Trey Dacoscos, Pearl City 74 136 5 1,036 13
Iosefa Letuli, Kaimuki 78 127 2 963 8
Sean Connell, Kaiser 64 120 8 744 7
Ioane Kamanao, Roosevelt 52 107 3 678 8
Jude Weber, Kalaheo 35 82 5 518 5
Kynan McCartney, Kalani 36 76 6 481 6
Emey Abilla, Waialua 25 66 6 307 2
RUSHING
Player, team Att. Yds TD YPC YPG
Dillon Reis, Kaiser 72 440 3 6.1 110.0
Zechariah Kuratsu-Cook, Kaim. 79 310 4 3.9 62.0
Iosefa Letuli, Kaimuki 55 251 5 4.6 50.2
Makoakai Fierro, Waialua 69 239 2 3.5 59.8
Sonny Iaea, Kalani 55 230 3 4.2 57.5
Seth Miller, Pac-Five 43 213 1 5.0 106.5
Sean Connell, Kaiser 47 205 2 4.4 51.3
RECEIVING
Player, team Rec. Yds TD YPC YPG
Keaton Tomas. Pearl City 19 345 3 18.2 86.3
Jeremiah White. Kaimuki 25 335 4 13.4 67.0
Kamalu Jordan. Kalaheo 14 326 3 23.3 108.7
Jesse Shinagawa. Kaiser 27 322 1 11.9 80.5
Keagan Lime, Kaiser 27 320 5 11.9 80.0
Tobias Vazquez, Pearl City 15 309 7 20.6 77.3
Taimane Souza-Fautanu, Roos. 17 228 3 13.4 57.0
Compiled by Billy Hull, Star-Advertiser; see full statistics at hawaiiprepworld.com
