The last time Punahou won the Interscholastic League of Honolulu football title was in 2005, but before that, it had been 28 seasons of frustration.

A 41-28 win over two-time defending champ Saint Louis on Saturday was a sweet reward for the Buffanblu senior class. The standouts have gotten their headlines, but what makes Punahou unique is its flexibility and practicality.

In years past, offensive coordinator Darryl Kan has used the I formation, the offset I and slot I to complement Punahou's run-and-shoot offense. This year, the Buffanblu turned to a Pistol z set to keep everyone off-balance without losing that aerial chemistry between quarterback Cayman Shutter and his corps of receivers.

“;Darryl deserves a lot of credit,”; head coach Kale Ane said.

The staff had a good problem, in one sense: so much talent, so little time. Versatility made Kimo Makaula a valuable part of the puzzle. He's seen time at quarterback, tight end and wide receiver this fall after being projected to possibly play safety, defensive end and outside linebacker. He's also one of the top punters in the state.

When Shutter was knocked out of last week's game against Kamehameha with a concussion, Makaula put on his QB hat during the week of practice.

“;I was prepared to be the quarterback, but I'll do what's best for my team,”; said Makaula, who caught a touchdown pass and a key fourth-down toss at wideout.

That willingness to go the extra mile wasn't lost on Saint Louis coach John Hao.

“;Their 11 best get on the field,”; Hao said.

Saint Louis' run-and-shoot offense had highs and lows against Punahou's “;Zero”; defense.

“;We didn't read it right in the beginning. We made little adjustments, maybe a little too late,”; Hao said. “;It's a matter of who makes the least mistakes.”;

Between Punahou's 446 yards and Saint Louis' 384 yards, the top two teams in the Star-Bulletin Football Top 10 combined for 830 yards in total offense.

No state tourney for Tagalicod

Three-time Star-Bulletin All-State/Fab 15 girls basketball selection Vicky Tagalicod liked her visit to USC so much, she gave the Trojans an oral commitment on Thursday.

Tagalicod, a strong, quick 5-foot-9 senior, has been a magnet for Division I recruiters since her freshman year. Hilo has been a contender for the Big Island Interscholastic Federation title each season since, but never qualified for the state tourney.

Now that Tagalicod has committed to USC, she is opting to sit out her senior season to concentrate on academics. She will likely become the best Hawaii girls basketball player to never play in a state tourney.

Her former coach, Ferd Masulit, was released after last season.

Nomura, Alama go north

Punahou guard Janelle Nomura and Kalani forward Violet Alama will sign letters of intent to play basketball for Cal State Northridge on Tuesday. Nomura and Alama were Star-Bulletin All-State/Fab 15 selections last year.

Former Kamehameha standout Megan Ching played for Cal State Northridge. Another ex-Warrior, Analee Viena-Lota, currently plays for the Matadors.

Other recent basketball recruits include Kanisha Bello of Waiakea, who has committed to Idaho.

Returning Ram

Candice Fujiwara is returning to coach the girls volleyball program at Radford. Fujiwara previously coached the Rams from 1999 to 2003, guiding the team to the state tourney in 2000.

She takes over for Kahala Kabalis, who stepped down at the end of the season.