Kahuku seeking 6th state crown
By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer
Although Kahuku is the winningest team in the 11-year history of the First Hawaiian Bank State Football Tournament, the top-ranked Red Raiders return to the title game for only the first time in three years when they play No. 2 Kamehameha Friday at Aloha Stadium.
The Division I championship starts at 7:30 p.m.
Two-time defending champion 'Iolani will be seeking its fourth overall Division II title when it meets Kaua'i at 4:30 p.m.
Both games will be televised live by OC 16 on a pay-per-view basis.
Kahuku (12-0), the only unbeaten in Division I, won state titles in 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005 and 2006.
The Warriors (11-1), whose only loss was to 'Iolani, returns to the title game for the first time since 2004, when they beat Leilehua for its first championship.
Although the O'ahu Interscholastic Association champion Red Raiders and Interscholastic League of Honolulu Warriors have been successful in their respective leagues throughout their long histories, they have never met in a meaningful game. Kamehameha has beaten Kahuku in six of seven previous meetings, but all in non-league play. Their last meeting was in 2008, when the Warriors won, 35-0. Kahuku's only win in the series came in 2005 by a 16-0 score.
Meanwhile, 'Iolani (11-2) is playing in its fifth title game in the seven-year history of the Division II tournament. The Raiders won titles in 2005 and 2008 against Radford, and 2007 against Lahainaluna. 'Iolani lost to Campbell in the 2004 championship.
Kaua'i (10-0), the only undefeated Division II team, returns to the title game for the first time since 2006, when it lost to King Kekaulike in the only all-Neighbor Island final. This will be the third Division II championship involving a Neighbor Island team.
Kauai'i and 'Iolani have been playing football since the late 1930s, yet their only meeting happened two years ago in the state Division II semifinals with 'Iolani prevailing, 35-21.
Both are somewhat giant beaters. 'Iolani beat Kamehameha, 20-17, while Kaua'i beat Big Island Division I champion Honoka'a in nonleague, 47-7.
