Tuesday, October 6, 1998

Kahuku ranked
in national poll

USA Today makes the
Red Raiders No. 18

By Pat Bigold
Star-Bulletin

A Hawaii public school football team is nationally ranked today for the first time.

Kahuku High (7-0 overall) is listed at No. 18 in the USA Today "Super 25" poll, which is compiled by Dave Krider.

"Is there an expression for taking my breath away?" asked Kahuku principal Lea Albert. "I'm thrilled for our football players, parents , coaches, the community and the school."

Twelve-time defending Oahu Prep Bowl champion St. Louis, which had risen to No. 14 in the poll, was dropped completely after having to forfeit to Kamehameha Schools last weekend due to temporary suspension of the football program.

The suspension came after St. Louis players were found to have partied with booze and at least one stripper at a Las Vegas hotel in the wee hours of Sept. 6. They had traveled to Nevada to play Green Valley High, which they routed, 55-6.

St. Louis was also dropped from the National Prep Football Poll, compiled by Doug Huff of the Wheeling (W.Va.) Intelligencer. Huff had placed the Crusaders No. 6 last week.

Kahuku is ranked No. 3 in the USA Today West region poll and No. 9 in the National Prep Football Poll's West region list.

St. Louis hung in at No. 5 in the Huff regional poll.

One of the factors in Kahuku's national ranking was strength of schedule.

The Red Raiders routed Banning High (Calif.), 47-14, in preseason. Banning a few weeks later lost by only one point to the No. 2 team in the USA Today poll, Long Beach Poly.

Kahuku also defeated San Diego's big-school power, Morse High, 22-13.

"To be honest, I knew the only way for Kahuku to get recognition was to reach out and get strong mainland teams," said third-year Kahuku head coach Siuaki Livai.

"I want to invite Long Beach Poly and Concord De La Salle (No. 1 in the nation) to meet us," said Livai. "Hopefully, they will feel they have a reason to come here. And if they beat us, then we get beaten by a ranked team."

During the Oahu Interscholastic Association's Red Conference season, Kahuku has posted routs against defending league champion Waianae and defending conference champion Campbell.

"It's definitely a tribute to our league and you have to credit Kahuku and its coaches for this," said OIA executive secretary Dwight Toyama.

"I'm excited about Kahuku," said Aiea High principal Gary Griffiths, the president of the OIA. "It's great for the community on the North Shore."

Livai said he will try to keep his players' heads out of the clouds after they learn of the ranking.