The answer many people have been waiting for is finally here.
According to Hawaii High School Athletic Association football coordinator Wendell Look, fans can go to Hawaii high school football (and other sports) games this fall, but the gatekeepers at public school stadiums and gyms will only allow 50% capacity, per a Department of Education rule put in place because of COVID-19.
For games being held at private schools, it will be up to each school principal to determine the capacity of fans allowed into the stands.
‘Iolani went up against Kalani in a game within the last few seasons. The Raiders play at home this Saturday in a Hawaii high school football season opener against Kaiser. (Image credit: ‘Iolani.org).
Football begins this weekend with five games at various locations. Unfortunately, for COVID-19 related reasons (possibly positive tests), that number was supposed to be eight, but two games have been cancelled and another one postponed.
One of the few football games at a private school this year, Kaiser at ‘Iolani, is scheduled for Saturday at 3:15 p.m., and Bedrock Sports Hawaii will update this story when a percentage of capacity is set by Look, who is also an ‘Iolani athletic director.
The two cancelled games were supposed to be Friday — Aiea at Leilehua and Campbell at Waipahu. They will not be made up because they are nonleague games. The postponed Friday game is Kamehameha at Mililani, which will likely be rescheduled for Sept. 11.
As of Tuesday afternoon, another game — Pearl City at Moanalua on Saturday — was in jeopardy of a COVID-19-related cancellation, according to OIA football coordinator Harold Tanaka, but Bedrock Sports Hawaii as of late Tuesday night is not aware of a final decision on that one. As far as we know, that game is still on.
The other football games on tap this weekend are Punahou at Kailua, and Castle at Kapolei on Friday, and Damien at Radford on Saturday.
There has been no official high school football games played in Hawaii since the state championship tripleheader in November 2019.
Other sports on Oahu and all neighbor island sports begin later this month.
—
RELATED COVERAGE FROM BedrockSportsHawaii.com:
COVID-19 Is Already Disrupting Hawaii High School Football Season
