Kahuku, St. Louis just a step away from a rematch

By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer

The two biggest prep football teams in the state — physically, numerically and metaphorically — are a step away from a rematch of the previous two state championship games.

Defending champion Kahuku High (12-0) will play perennial Kaua'i power Waimea at 5 p.m. Friday in the first semifinal of the Chevron State Football Tournament at Aloha Stadium

Scheduled for 7:30 p.m., 1999 state champion St. Louis School (9-0-1) will take on Kailua High in the other semifinal.

Times of the games were not set until Sunday.

The Waimea Menehune (8-1), are in the semifinals for the second time. After beating Kailua in the 1999 quarterfinals, Waimea was swamped by St. Louis, 56-0.

For the Kailua Surfriders (10-2), this is their furthest advancement in the tournament.

Waimea, coming off a 41-20 quarterfinal victory against Castle on Friday on Kaua'i, will be outnumbered nearly 4-to-1 against Kahuku. The Menehune listed 28 on their roster, but only 26 were available because of injuries last week. Waimea's only loss of the season was a non-league game to Punahou, 24-14. It has since won eight straight.

Kailua advanced by literally running over Big Island champion Waiakea, 53-8, Friday in Hilo. The Surfriders had 374 yards rushing behind their huge offensive line, which averages 287 pounds per player.

St. Louis battered 'Aiea on the ground and through the air for 531 yards in total offense in a 54-7 win Friday at Aloha Stadium.

Kahuku used its passing game to knock off Lahainaluna, 57-14, Friday at Aloha with quarterback Inoke Funaki passing for a personal season-high 307 yards.

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SOFTBALL

• Holiday ball: The 11th annual University High Thanksgiving Softball Classic will run Friday through Sunday at Koko Head District Park.

Twelve teams, including four from the Neighbor Islands, will be competing in the tournament. Joining host University High from the Interscholastic League of Honolulu are Hawai'i Baptist/St. Andrew's and Mid-Pacific Institute. From the O'ahu Interscholastic Association are Castle, Kalani, Kalaheo, Nanakuli and Campbell. Maui will be represented by Lahainaluna and the Big Island by Kea'au, Waiakea and Kealakehe.

University has won the tournament seven times and Castle twice. They shared one of the titles one year. Punahou and Waiakea won once each.

Game times are at 9 a.m., 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. each day on three different fields. The tournament schedule will be listed in Sports Today in The Advertiser during the week.