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Prep Beat
After last weekend's action, the field for the Hawaii High School Athletic Association state football tournament is set. PREP FOOTBALL
State tournament’s
eight-team field setBy Dave Reardon
Star-BulletinHere's who is in the tournament, which begins Nov. 17 with four games on three islands and ends with a championship game at Aloha Stadium on Dec. 1:
Castle, Hilo, Kahuku, Kaimuki, Maui, St. Louis, Waianae and Waimea.
The matchups are still to be determined.
Defending state champion St. Louis clinched its 15th consecutive Interscholastic League of Honolulu championship with its 34-0 victory over Kamehameha on Saturday.
The Crusaders play the loser of a game between Kaimuki and Castle on Friday. The Bulldogs and Knights play for the third and fourth Oahu Interscholastic Association spots.
The winner meets Big Island Interscholastic Federation champion Hilo instead of nationally ranked St. Louis, so there is a lot at stake.
Waianae and defending OIA champion Kahuku tangle Friday at Aloha Stadium for this year's league title.
The winner plays Kauai Interscholastic Federation champion Waimea in a state tournament first-round game Nov. 17 at Aloha Stadium.
The loser of Kahuku and Waianae travels to the Valley Isle to play Maui at War Memorial Stadium, also on Nov. 17.
When St. Louis begins defense of its state championship, it will do so without three starting defensive players.
Cornerback Enoch McKeague and linemen Lyle Maiava and Lafaele Manupuna are ineligible for the tournament because each is in his fifth year of high school.
The Crusaders still figure to be favorites in the tournament with a defense led by linebackers Ikaika Curnan and Joseph Lobendahn.
Also, running back Pesefea Fiaseu showed why he is considered the top rusher in the state Saturday, as he carried 27 times for 134 yards against the Warriors.
Kainoa Fernandez -- one of 21 Crusaders to catch a pass in the ILH season -- was on the receiving end of 38- and 19-yard scoring passes from Bobby George.
Kamehameha was the last team to beat St. Louis, 30-6, in the second round of the ILH last season.
In Friday's OIA semifinals, Waianae and Kahuku rolled as expected.
The Seariders pounded the Knights with the 1-2 rushing punch of Lono Manners and Peter Sarono. They combined for 241 yards and four touchdowns.
The Red Raiders took advantage of six Bulldog turnovers and again used star safety Aaron Francisco successfully as a wide receiver. Francisco scored on passes of 34 and 25 yards from 'Inoke Funaki.
Waimea and Maui completed undefeated league seasons.
Waimea blanked Kauai, 24-0, and Maui beat Baldwin, 37-20.
Hilo was to finish its BIIF season against Hawaii Prep, but the game was canceled due to rain.
This is how the Star-Bulletin voted in this week's Hawaii Sports Network high school football poll. See Wednesday's Star-Bulletin for the Prep Report, which includes features, athletes of the week, standings and statistics. STAR-BULLETIN TOP 10
Team Overall record 1. St. Louis 12-0 2. Waianae 11-0 3. Waimea 8-0 4. Kahuku 9-2 5. Kamehameha 9-2 6. Maui 9-0-1 7. Castle 9-2 8. Kaimuki 8-3 9. Hilo 8-2 10. Kailua 6-4
