Coaches down play state title chances

By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer

Cal Lee isn't making any predictions, but the only certainty he has about Friday's Chevron State Football Championship is that it will be his last game as St. Louis School's coach.

Defending champion and top-ranked Kahuku (13-0) and 1999 champion St. Louis (10-0-1) will meet in the third title game. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m. at Aloha Stadium.

Lee denied yesterday that there was an extension offered to him. The only thing he knows is he will remain as athletic director and he can recommend to the administration a successor to his job.

But one person with no ties to the St. Louis program wants him to stay.

"I don't want him to leave," Kahuku coach Siuaki Livai said. "He's been good for high school football in Hawai'i."

Livai said St. Louis' success under Lee's command was motivation for Kahuku's ascent.

"It forced our kids to do better," Livai said. "He helped bring out the best in each of us."

The Red Raiders, ranked 16th nationally by Student Sports' FAB 50, have been reaping the benefits of last year's state title, when they ended St. Louis' 14-year dominance of the state's championship game (13 consecutive Prep Bowl titles and the 1999 state title).

"They're the biggest team we'll face," Lee said of Kahuku. "They (defensive linemen) are big, quick, by far the quickest team I've seen on tape. Their linebackers are active and their defensive backs are young, but play like veterans."

In prior years, St. Louis was considered the favorite in the state's final game. That distinction came with a history of success. Lee's teams have won 14 of 15 Prep Bowls. But a slow start — by St. Louis standards — that included a 24-24 tie with Kamehameha, seemed to reinforce the notion that the Crusaders were not the dominant team in the state.

Meanwhile, Kahuku, after squeezing past Utah 5-A runner-up Skyline in August, steamrolled through the O'ahu Interscholastic Association Red regular season and playoffs. Since Skyline, Kahuku's closest margin of victory was Friday's 21-7 semifinal win over Waimea.

But Lee doesn't believe in favorites or underdogs.

"I don't know who's the favorite," he said. "There are two really good teams who worked hard to get here. It doesn't really matter who is ranked nationally.

"We don't look at favorites or underdogs. We know when we put 11 guys on the field, we're going to play the game to see who's a better team. Rankings don't give you any more points."

Although the Red Raiders are the defending champions and have the unblemished record, Livai said St. Louis is the favorite. Especially after his team's struggle with Waimea.

"After last week, St. Louis is the favorite," Livai said. "They looked smooth last week (in routing Kailua, 49-7). For us, everything was messed up. You have to go with how you did your last game. You can't go beyond that."

But this is clear:

Based on The Advertiser Top 10, both figured to finish in the top two since the start of the season.

Now, it's just a matter of who will be No. 1.

Notes: KGU AM 76 will broadcast the game live ... KFVE (channel 5) will televise the game Dec. 2 at 2 p.m. and 10 p.m.