Well, you got your alma mater to defend. I've a territory to protect.

The Pride of 'Ewa Beach, the Campbell Sabers, are going to make history tonight. They will bring home their biggest football title ever. For themselves. For the community, which I also happen to live in.

And Campbell High just doesn't serve its community. It's serving our country as well. Campbell is the only public school with more than one teacher on military leave with the possibility of having a fourth.

But on the field is all that matters tonight.

Iolani might have more national merit scholar finalists than Campbell has football players, but it will take more than rocket science to figure a way to contain Campbell receiver/cornerback/returner Isaac Laupola. (By the way, who made rocket scientists the model of intelligence anyway?) The Raiders can use this game as a field trip because Laupola will give them lessons in time and distance, such as how long does it take him to cover 100 yards? Don't worry if you miss him the first time. He can do it again. And again ...

Then there is quarterback Shaye Asoau, a science project in resilience. He had his throwing shoulder subluxed while playing linebacker in the middle of the season, yet he hasn't missed a game.

So, Wes, come tonight, Aloha Stadium will become part of the Campbell estate.

Prediction: Campbell 38, Iolani 35. Laupola or Asoau, or both, figure in the game-winning score.

GO, MULES!

Man, no respect out here in Wahiawa.

My source, who can't be identified because of the sensitive nature of the story (like getting arrested), called to tell me Kamehameha is favored by 7› points.

Well, not being familiar with the terminology (wink, wink), just where does one get a half-point in football? Did somebody change the rules? Must be something about being the largest landowner in the state.

Worse yet, the Warriors are favored. That can't be true. How can Wahiawa's team be the underdog? Must have something to do with a $6 billion endowment.

Just kidding. Don't want my property taxes increased.

Leilehua alums are starving for a championship. It's been 20 years since Leilehua won the O'ahu Prep Bowl, then the biggest football title in the state. How prophetic of the school to name its stadium after Hugh Yoshida, who coached the Mules' last Prep Bowl championship team in 1984.

But Wes, Leilehua is a team of destiny. It punched the last ticket to get into the state tournament by winning a third-place game in the O'ahu Interscholastic Association tournament. It already beat what was the best team in the state a week ago in defending state champion Kahuku. You see that one vote in our Top 10 rankings? Guess who? I'm putting my money where my vote is (so to speak, not in gambling terms, of course).

The Mules are oblivious to pressure. That might have something to do with rookie coach Nolan Tokuda. He said in preseason the Mules would challenge for the OIA West (it came in second). What he did in essence was get his players to believe in their abilities and the coaching staff. What they have done in postseason is just practicing what they've been preached.

Sophomore quarterback Bryant Moniz, it seems, can't be rattled. Bruised ribs from the third-place game against Castle hasn't prevented him from playing the last three weeks.

While the offense gets the accolades, the Mules' defense has been the key. You realize the 13 points they allowed per game against Kahuku in their two previous meetings, is the lowest average in the last two seasons by the Red Raiders? The Warriors will be facing one of the best defenses in the state tonight.

But the real strength of the Mules is their community. When the Mules couldn't use their own football field to practice, they worked out at Fred Wright field in beautiful downtown Wahiawa. They worked out in front of future Mules, the Wahiawa Thunderbolts Pop Warner program. Tokuda said the Thunderbolts' coach called the Mules the 'Bolts' good luck charm because the little guys won all their games since the Mules started practicing along side them.

See, Wes, while private schools can admit students from a statewide pool, public schools are pretty much contained to their community. But it is the community that makes things special.

So, Wes, can you spell Leilehua? It looks like this: STATE CHAMPS.

Prediction: Leilehua 22, Kamehameha 21. Brash, young coach goes for two-point conversion.