For the top-ranked Saint Louis Crusaders, it's the things no one sees that defines them as they prepare for Friday's showdown against defending state football champion Kahuku in the First Hawaiian Bank Division I Championship at Aloha Stadium.

During the dog days of summer, long before the league starting date for practice, there were no cheers for pumping iron to get stronger. There was no band playing during agility drills. And certainly, there were no cheerleaders around to encourage them while they were running.

"You could see the dedication," senior Jacob Barit, a third-year starting linebacker for the Crusaders. "Everybody showed up for practice. The team bonded."

That bond was evident last Friday, when the Crusaders had their wills tested before and during their 10-7 win against Wai'anae in the semifinals.

On Thanksgiving eve, junior defensive lineman Geordan Hanohano was sleeping in the back seat of his parents' Chevy Suburban when he was jolted into the rear of the front seats after the SUV was hit by another vehicle in a head-on collision on Farrington Highway in Wai'anae. Though his injuries were considered minor, the eight stitches above his right eye were enough for medical personnel to shelve him for the Wai'anae game.

"It shocked all of us," Barit said. "No one knew (about the accident)."

Tyler Roberson filled in for Hanohano, and made three tackles.

The Crusaders took another hit during the game. Wai'anae's 6-foot-1, 270-pound defensive lineman Haven Penitani got a bear-like grip on junior quarterback Micah Mamiya and tackled him for a 3-yard loss on the first play of the second quarter. Mamiya sustained a fractured left collarbone (his non-throwing side) and left the game. He said he is likely out six to eight weeks, but should be back in time for baseball.

"It was an option left," Mamiya recalled. "I should've pitched the ball, but I tucked it and he came in. When he hit me, I felt it pop. I couldn't move my arm out."

Junior Tamatoa DeMello, a receiver most of his career, replaced his classmate. But Matthew Ibanez intercepted DeMello's second pass of that series and returned it 49 yards to the Wai'anae 16. The Seariders would score to take a 7-0 lead with eight minutes left in the half.

But the defense bailed out DeMello. Defensive end Solomona Aigamaua's forced quarterback Ben McQuown into throwing an errant pass that Barit intercepted and returned 9 yards for a touchdown to tie the score with 5:30 left in the third quarter.

DeMello did his part to make amends by engineering a 12-play, 79-yard drive that resulted in Kenton Chun's tie-breaking 18-yard field goal with 5:59 to play.

"We always talk about staying together, about having each other's back," Barit said. "When (Mamiya) went down, we had to do our share. We're not a one-person team. Tamatoa did a good job."

Against one of the state's best defenses in Kahuku, the Crusaders will miss the experience of Mamiya, who has accounted for 2,093 yards in total offense (rushing and passing yardage combined) and 21 touchdowns (12 passing).

"I'm bummed," Mamiya admitted. "But Tamatoa's worked hard all season. The last two days, we've been watching film in our off periods. We have some of the same classes, so we talk about the game."

Meanwhile, Hanohano said he'll be ready. He had the stitches removed yesterday, although trainers held him out of contact drills as a precaution. The bond of the team is so strong, he felt guilty about missing the Wai'anae game.

"Even though I was in an accident, I felt I let the team down," Hanohano said.

But thanks to teammates, he will have another chance.

"He asked us if to win the Wai'anae game so that he could come back and play this week," Barit said.

NOTES

Although his parents were hospitalized after the accident, Geordan Hanohano said both are doing fine now. His mother, Rhonda-Lei, was released from the hospital on Friday and attended the Wai'anae game. His father was released Saturday. He said both plan to be at Friday's game.

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com.