The 2006 high school football nonconference season picks up where it left off last season with rematches of the state Division I and II championships.

On Aug. 18, Kahuku will play Punahou in a junior varsity/varsity doubleheader at Aloha Stadium. The JV game starts at 5 p.m. The Red Raiders beat the Buffanblu, 28-21, before 24,667 to win the Division I crown. Kahuku held off a last-ditch comeback by Punahou with an interception in the end zone in the closing seconds to capture its fourth state title.

One of the state's more prolific passers, senior Brett Kan, returns for the Buffanblu along with all-state receiver Miah Ostrowski. Kahuku returns all-state defensive lineman Kaniela Tuipulotu.

On Aug. 19, Iolani will take on Radford in the annual Father Bray Classic, 7:30 p.m. at Aloha Stadium. Last season, the Raiders won their first Division II title with 34-20 win against the Rams. Radford, though, has no way of coming back next season to try for the Division II crown; the Rams have been promoted to the O'ahu Interscholastic Association Red West, which is Division I.

Speaking of rematches, the newest varsity member, 'Anuenue Na Koa, will make their varsity debut Aug. 18 in a nonconference game at Pearl City. The two White, or OIA Division II, teams will meet again in a conference game on Oct. 6.

The OIA's Red, or Division I teams, and Interscholastic League of Honolulu teams will once again play two weekends of interleague games. Some of the more interesting games will be played Aug. 26. Punahou travels to Wai'anae, Saint Louis meets Leilehua at Aloha Stadium and 'Aiea plays at Kamehameha.

Meanwhile, Punahou takes to the road on Sept. 2, when it will play Eastlake (Sammamish, Wash.) in the feature game of the Emerald City Kickoff Classic at Qwest Field in Seattle.

Kahuku's other nonconference game will be against visiting Narbonne of Harbor City, Calif., on Sept. 1 at Carleton Weimer Field. Kickoff is 7 p.m.

Kealakehe of the Big Island will play two teams from out of state. It will host AC (Athletic Club) Canada on Aug. 18, and Bassett (La Puente, Calif.) on Aug. 25.

Noticeably missing from nonconference play this season is the Maui Interscholastic League. Since last season, the league considered dropping nonconference games because the MIL already plays 10 regular-season games, the most hectic of any other league in the state by at least two games.

In the OIA, joining Radford in Division I from Division II are Campbell, Kalaheo and Moanalua. The Rams and Sabers replace Nanakuli and Pearl City in the Red West, while Moanalua and Kalaheo fill in for Kaimuki and Roosevelt in the Red East.

The Golden Hawks, Chargers, Bulldogs and Rough Riders join the White, which has increased to nine teams with the addition of 'Anuenue, which has dropped JV in the process.