The Maui Interscholastic League throws its own, elongated version of a football jamboree on the final weekend of preleague play, beginning tonight when defending champion Baldwin (1-0) takes on San Clemente (Calif.), at 7 at War Memorial Stadium.

A junior varsity game between the same two schools will begin at 4.

It is the beginning of a six-pack of varsity games between the MIL and California.

Tomorrow night, Lahainaluna (1-0) takes on Bonita Vista at 7 at War Memorial after the Lunas and Maui High JV teams play at 4:30. Valley Center faces Kamehameha-Maui (0-0) in a 6 p.m. start at Kanaiaupuni Stadium, and King Kekaulike (0-1) hosts El Capitan at 7:30.

The Trojans (1-0), formerly known as Pac-3, take on West Hills at 4:30 p.m. and Maui High (0-1) takes on The Bishop's School at 7:30 in a Saturday doubleheader at War Memorial.

It looks like an intriguing weekend of high school football before the MIL season begins Sept. 7 when Kamehameha-Maui and the Trojans — a combination team that has a roster of 28 St. Anthony players and Seabury Hall's Chris Sugidono — open play at 7 p.m. at War Memorial.

Baldwin, a state Division I semifinalist for the last two seasons, will get the services of Chansi Bolosan and Kyle Ka'aihue-Kaimiola back after both sat out last week's 29-0 win at Kamehameha-Hawaii with minor injuries. Ka'aihue-Kaimiola (sore finger) was the MIL Defensive Player of the Year last season as a linebacker, and Bolosan (knee) was a first-team All-Star running back after a 1,000-yard season.

Wide receiver Chase Nakamura, an All-State first-teamer last year, will sit out this game as he did last week to rest a sore knee after a long summer of camps on the mainland. Coach A.J. Roloos said that Nakamura will be ready to go in the Bears' first MIL game on Sept. 15 against Maui High. Roloos said that sitting out Nakamura, who is an NCAA Division I prospect after catching 20 touchdown passes in 12 games last year, is purely a precautionary measure.

Roloos said that his team will be tested by San Clemente, which is traveling with a 53-player varsity roster and its JV team.

"I know they are big, and I know they are pretty good,'' Roloos said to The Maui News. "They run the spread (offense), they run I (formation) and they run the Wing T. They have got all kinds of offense and they come from a pretty good division in California.''

Roloos added, "That is good for us because we get to see a lot of different looks. We face a lot of teams that run the spread, the Wing T and the two-back set, so to get to see all of that in a preseason game is good.''

King Kekaulike, the reigning state Division II champions who have moved up to D-I this season, opened the season with a 46-20 loss to Kwansei of Japan last week.

Coach J.W. Kenton said Na Ali'i must clean up its own act before it opens MIL play against Maui High on Sept. 8. He also knows it won't be easy.

"I know they went 11-1 last year, they bounce from a spread to an I and I think they are pretty multiple,'' Kenton said. "That is why we want to play them because they will be pretty similar to Baldwin. I mean basically we are just trying to put this team together because 2006 is over. We have more talent this season, I think, but we haven't gelled yet. There were a lot of missed assignments against Kwansei. We would call blitz and the guy wouldn't go or they would go to the wrong place. It is all fixable.

"We have a bigger offensive line than last year, but they will take some time to get oriented to each other. I am just thankful we have preseason games again so we can iron out all of these wrinkles we have got.''

Kenton also expects a severe test against El Capitan of the San Diego area.

"El Capitan is like every San Diego team — tough,'' Kenton said. "Reggie Bush came from (the San Diego area) and they have got a big tailback and he is going to be a big challenge for us this week.''

Na Ali'i will be missing two starters on defense because of discipline, but Kenton declined to name them.

The Lunas also expect a much tougher outing than the one they had against Waiakea last week in a 48-0 win. Coach Bobby Watson said his team has plenty to work on as it prepares for its MIL opener Sept. 14 against Kamehameha.

"Basically everything — blocking, tackling — we didn't do a very good job of that,'' Watson said after viewing film of the Waiakea game. "It is hard to tell because the kids only played a quarter, but we didn't look that sound fundamentally. There is no doubt this team will be better. I think this game should show us where we are at right now.''

The mood on the campus of St. Anthony has been jubilant after the school's first varsity football win since 2004, 37-12 last week over Fort McMurray of Alberta, Canada.

"It has been upbeat,'' Trojans coach Charlie Pico said. "It is a lot better when you win, optimism is high, everybody's a little more energetic, a little more bounce in the steps at practice.''

Sophomore Arrone Santos will make his debut at quarterback after incumbent Buta Wilhelm-Ioane and Jordan Kahalekai-Bermoy shared the duties last week.

The Trojans welcome back several players who missed last week because of discipline or injuries, but running back Garrett Gonsalves, linemen James Barr and Maka Medeiros, and wide receiver Joshua Tam Sing will miss the game with various ailments — none considered serious.

Wilhelm-Ioane will play only defense because he has a sore thumb.

"I expect all of them back by next week,'' Pico said of the Trojans MIL opener.

West Hills is a school with an enrollment of about 2,000, so the 25 or so Trojans available will be pressed.

Sugidono, Barr and Jacob Skelton — all seniors — were the only players on the roster who had ever been part of a varsity victory before last week. West Hills comes to town with a roster of 60.

"They throw the ball a lot in the I formation and they spread it out – they throw it a bunch,'' Pico said. "On defense they run a 4-3 and on film they look pretty quick with good size. I am sure we are going to have our hands full.''

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Maui Interscholastic League games

Today

7 p.m.—Baldwin vs. San Clement (Calif.) at War Memorial Stadium.

Tomorrow

6 p.m.—Valley Center (Calif.) at Kamehameha-Maui.

7 p.m.—Lahainaluna vs. Bonita Vista (Calif.) at War Memorial Stadium.

7:30 p.m.—El Capitan (Calif.) at King Kekaulike.

Saturday

4:30 p.m.—Trojans vs. West Hills (Calif.) at War Memorial Stadium.