Crusaders will try to extend coach Lee's decorated career
By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer
Will this be Cal Lee's final high school football game?
Advertiser library photo • Aug. 25, 2001
Or will the Saints march to their 16th consecutive Interscholastic League of Honolulu football title?
A win tomorrow night means the retiring Cal Lee will coach at least one more game for St. Louis.
Those questions will be answered when St. Louis plays Kamehameha in the regular season finale, 7:30 p.m. tomorrow at Aloha Stadium.
Both teams are 5-0-1. They tied 24-24 in their first meeting. This time, the winner is ILH champion. If they tie again, a playoff will be held Nov. 8.
In their last meeting, the Warriors owned a 17-0 lead at one stretch, only to see the Crusaders rally to take a 24-17 advantage. But a St. Louis turnover allowed Kamehameha to salvage the tie.
Otherwise, save for turnovers and penalties, the Warriors dominated offensively, racking up 349 yards of offense.
"To beat St. Louis, you have to be perfect," Kamehameha coach Kanani Souza said.
In August, Lee announced that this will be his final season as football coach at St. Louis. Whether this will be his last game or not largely depends on whether his defense can stop the Warriors' running game.
"They controlled the ball so much," Lee said. "We have to make sure we can stop their running game."
Kamehameha, behind an offensive line anchored by Division I prospect Enoka Lucas (6 feet 3, 285 pounds), ran for 175 yards —128 from running back Kelena Ho'okano — when the teams played in early October.
Ho'okano is the ILH rushing leader with 706 yards and leading scorer with nine touchdowns.
Caleb Spencer gives Kamehameha some balance with a respectable passing game. He'll mix his targets, his favorites being Josh Vierra (14 catches for 210 yards), Keoni Ruth (18 for 245) and Keano Noa (12 for 174).
St. Louis, in part because it trailed most of the game, netted just 36 rushing yards against Kamehameha. But quarterback Bobby George, the ILH's leading passer with 1,212 yards and 16 TD passes, passed for 205 yards.
"He's getting better every game," Lee said. "We're happy with his performance. We're hoping he can show his stuff on Friday."
George will need to avoid Kamehameha's agile line, led by Abu Ma'afala (6-2, 270) and Brandon Ala (6-3, 210). Both are being pursued by Division I programs, Souza said. Ala's brothers, Houston and Tui, play for the University of Hawai'i.
Lee plays down the fact this could be his final game as coach at St. Louis, where he has become the winningest coach in Hawai'i prep history with a 238-31-5 record spanning 21 seasons.
"The players understand there's a sense of urgency," Lee said. "You win, you continue; you lose, you pack it up. Both teams realize that. They won't leave anything for Saturday."
OIA UPDATE
• Nanakuli to forfeit: Because of a lack of players, Nanakuli has forfeited its OIA junior varsity quarterfinal game against Kahuku that was scheduled Saturday.
Nanakuli athletic director Hugh Taufaasau said because of grades and injuries, the Golden Hawks were down to about 18 players.
The other quarterfinal between Farrington and Kailua has been moved to 2 p.m. Saturday at Kailua.
• Space limitations: The reason there will be separate admission charges for Saturday's playoff games at Mililani is because the stadium's capacity (about 4,500) is not enough to ensure seating for fans going to just the second game, OIA executive secretary Dwight Toyama said.
He also cited parking would have been a problem for those arriving for the second game had it been part of a true doubleheader.
The games are scheduled for 2 p.m. and 7:30.
