The Big Island Kamehameha Warriors topped Maui's Kamehameha Warriors, 17-14, in the first varsity game ever for both teams. Big Island athletic director Bob Wagner called it a "great debut" and said a rematch is planned for next year.

John Mahoe, 22, joked with a passer-by outside the athletic complex that "all of Hilo is here."

"Island rivalry," he grinned. Mahoe, a class of 2000 Hilo High School graduate, said he has seen bigger crowds at Big Island high school football games, but only for the cross-town rivalry between Hilo and Waiakea high schools at Wong Stadium.

Mahoe's father coaches defense for the Big Island Warriors, and his cousin Ikaika Mahoe plays for the Big Island team, so his loyalties were clear. "My whole dad's family side, my uncle guys will be here watching, my auntie guys and my grandparents," he said. "It's pretty huge."

Both schools opened two years ago, and neither has any seniors yet. Both teams are nicknamed the Warriors, and the Kamehameha Big Island junior varsity team last year racked up six wins and no losses — the kind of record that gets fans excited.

Wagner played down talk of a rivalry, but said he hopes the next Maui-Big Island game will be later in the season next year. "It's still tough when you play your sister schools, and no one likes to lose, so we'd rather keep it a friendly relationship," he said.

Kamehameha Maui quarterback Travis Wong heads for the goal line to score the first touchdown of the preseason game that pitted Maui and Big Island Kamehameha schools against each other. Tim Wright • Special to The Advertiser

"It's beautiful. These kids are lucky over here," said Wade Yoshizumi, a 1984 Waiakea High School graduate, who watched the game with his 9-month-old nephew, Spencer Yoshizumi, and his niece, Amber Spencer.

Wally Ogata, staff member for the Kamehameha Hawai'i athletic department, said gate crews ran out of team roster leaflets for the spectators long before the 4 p.m. kickoff, and Kamehameha staff offered varying crowd counts between 1,000 and 2,000.

Kamehameha sixth-grader Serena Ah Choy, 11, said it was the best game she has ever been to. An enduring rivalry is a done deal, she said, "because they're two good teams."

Of course, the crowd was solidly in favor of Kamehameha Hawai'i, and made that clear with yells of approval and pounding on the bleachers when Mana Silva scored the first-ever touchdown for a Kamehameha Hawai'i varsity team.

Maui led 14-7 at the end of the first half, as the Big Island team struggled with penalties and turnovers, but Big Island fans never doubted their Warriors.

"Oh, yeah, they get plenty of time to pull it out," said Malani Alameda, 27, whose cousin plays defensive end for Hawai'i.

With just seconds to go and the Big Island team up by three points, the fans stomped on the metal bleachers in synch with the "Let's Go Warriors" cheer.

Win or lose, Alameda and other fans most definitely liked the idea of a flowering new interisland rivalry.

"Make it more exciting, ah?" Alameda said.