HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL
Teams get honorary captains
The excitement approaching tonight's state football championship duels will have a nostalgic twist.
HHSAA executive director Keith Amemiya, an avid fan of prep football's history in the islands, has rounded up a who's who of former championship players. Each of the competing teams in the Division I and II finals will have honorary captains.
The HHSAA/First Hawaiian Bank State Championships will kick off with the Division II title game at 5 p.m. Representing Iolani will be four members of the 1980 Interscholastic League of Honolulu championship team: Al Tufono, Junior Tufono, Shaun Ushijima and Ken Yonamine. That squad tied Waianae, 7-all, in the Prep Bowl.
Representing Radford will be Thor Salanoa and Eric Lalau, who starred for the Rams' 1981 Prep Bowl championship team. The late John Velasco was the coach.
The Division I title game will begin at 8 p.m. Honorary captains for Punahou are Darryl Gabriel, John Kamana, Jim Steiner and Lyle Hosoda. The four were members of Punahou's 1977 ILH championship squad.
Kahuku will be represented by members of its 1971 Oahu Interscholastic Association championship team: Ernest Aalona, Lindsey Cosier, Larry Leong and Molia Salanoa. That squad defeated Leilehua for the OIA crown.
Seating arrangements: Designated seating for fans of the four teams are as follows -- Kahuku, sections FF-KK; Punahou, F-K; Radford, LL-QQ; Iolani, L-Q.
Amemiya recommends early arrival.
"I recommend folks to leave early and car-pool," he said.