ALL-STATE FOOTBALL
JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARBULLETIN.COM
Punahou's Jonathan Overton is the Star-Bulletin's Defensive Player of the Year, and the Buffanblu's Kale Ane is Coach of the Year.
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Punahou puts Ane on top
Perfection would have been nice.
For Star-Bulletin Coach of the Year Kale Ane and his Punahou Buffanblu, the quest for excellence resulted in the school's first Interscholastic League of Honolulu football championship in 28 years. The postseason run -- a playoff win over Saint Louis followed by a trek to the state final -- left believers and doubters in unison.
The 2005 season brought Punahou an unfathomable three wins over perennial powerhouse Saint Louis.
"If you beat Saint Louis three times in one year, then you got to be coach of the year," Damien co-coach Dean Nakagawa said.
Radford's Fred Salanoa was a distant second in the balloting. The Rams coach led his team to an Oahu Interscholastic Association Division II championship, their first league title since 1981. They reached the final of the state tournament, pushing Iolani to the brink before losing.
Kahuku's Siuaki Livai and Iolani's Wendell Look followed in the voting. Kahuku captured its fourth state crown in six seasons, and Iolani won its first Division II state football title.
Waialua's Lincoln Barit received recognition by the panel, as well.