Many high school sportswriters say the same thing every year when spring competition wraps up:
IT’S FOOTBALL SEASON.
Indeed, it is. Spring drills will lead into a break and then some summer conditioning before official practice starts, followed by games in early August.
That first weekend of real games (Aug. 5-6) will be preceded by a weekend of live scrimmages (July 30-31).
Folks, that is really close on the calendar and will be upon us fast. Aug. 5 is 79 day aways — about two and half months.
In anticipation of the 2022 season, Bedrock Sports Hawaii has already written two football stories (see links at bottom), so this one — in which we catch up with Saint Louis head coach Ron Lee and his assistant Cal Lee — marks the third post.
Saint Louis Wraps Up Spring Drills; Roster Will Be Loaded Again
Bedrock learned earlier this week that Saint Louis II (last year’s second varsity Crusaders team at the school) star quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele is transferring to Campbell.
Never fear at Quarterback High. There are many signal-callers getting tutelage from assistant Vinny Passas and fighting to take over for last year’s starter AJ Bianco, who is graduating.
Reached by phone on Wednesday, Ron Lee said two guys will be competing for the starting job. One is senior Kahi Graham (6 feet, 1 inch, 190 pounds), who is transferring back to Saint Louis from the school he played for as a junior — Timpview in Provo, Utah. The other is junior Kauanaoa Kamakawiwoole (6-0, 200), who was Bianco’s backup last year.
Lee mentioned that the offensive line is young but quite talented.
“And we’re really deep at receiver,” he added.
He expects 5-9, 180-pound senior slotback Trech Kekahuna (672 receiving yards and 192 rushing yards as a junior) to be one of the top receivers in the state and he also sees big things coming from another senior, Mason Muaau (491 receiving yard as a junior).
Muaau checked in at 6-foot-5 a year ago and is up to 6-7 and 210 pounds, according to Lee.
Defenisvely, the strength of the Crusaders is at linebacker, with juniors Noah Wily (6-4, 225) and Anelu Lafaele (6-2, 200), and sophomores Vincent Tautua (6-3, 220),and RJ Maafala (6-0, 195). Julian Savaiinaea (6-2 241), a senior, is back to lead the defensive linemen.
Crusaders Have A Huge Game In Hawaii Vs. Bishop Gorman On Sept. 2
A year ago, Saint Louis went 6-4, a down season by the Crusaders’ standards.
There were two losses to ILH Open Division rival Kamehameha before Saint Louis turned it around to finish the league campaign with two wins over the Warriors to nab the title and make it to the Open Division state tournament.
The last loss of the year was a tough one, too — 49-14 in the Open state final against Kahuku.
The first defeat, however, was to out-of-state national power Bishop Gorman — 41-21 in Las Vegas.
A rematch of that one against the Gaels is set for Sept. 2 at the Mililani High School field.
Lee is in the process of finding another nonleague game on Aug. 26 and is in talks with East High School in Salt Lake City about filling that date.
“We’re really hoping we can get that game,” he said.
Lee had another idea when he heard that former UH defensive coordinator and NFL player Thom Kaumeyer, who spent one season as a Saint Louis assistant with the Lee brothers last decade, is the new Waianae head coach.
“I’d also love to get a game with Waianae,” he said. “They’re always tough and have a lot of good football players.”
This Man Is Already Itching For The Season To Start
And Cal Lee? Well, the winningest head man in Hawaii high school football history (296-41-5 in 27 seasons as a head coach) is still busy coaching up the Crusaders’ defense. Lately, he has way less administration headaches than Ron, his former assistant who took over for him at the top after the 2019 season.
“Can’t wait to get the football season started,” Cal Lee texted Bedrock Sports Hawaii on Wednesday.
Saint Louis Crusaders Through The Years
>> Top-tier state tournament overall record: 25-7
>> Top-tier state championships: 7 (1999, 2002, 2010, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019)
>> Top-tier state runners-up: 7 (2000, 2001, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2015, 2021)
>> Oahu Prep Bowl overall record: 14-2
>> Oahu Prep Bowl championships: 14 (1983, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999)
>> Oahu Prep Bowl runners-up: 2 (1973, 1981)
State Championship Era (1999 To Present)
2021
Open Semifinals
Dec. 18, 2021
>> Saint Louis 27, Mililani 25, at Farrington High field
Open Championship Game
Dec. 23, 2021
>> Kahuku 49, Saint Louis 14, at Farrington High field
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2019
Open Semifinals
Nov. 22, 2019
>> Saint Louis 35, Mililani 0, at Aloha Stadium
Open Championship Game
Nov. 29, 2019
>> Saint Louis 45, Kahuku 6, at Aloha Stadium
—–
2018
Open Semifinals
Nov. 16, 2018
>> Saint Louis 49, Kahuku 22, at Aloha Stadium
Open Championship Game
Nov. 24, 2018
>> Saint Lous 38, Mililani 17, at Aloha Stadium
—–
2017
Open Semifinals
Nov. 10, 2017
>> Saint Louis 47, Mililani 23, at Aloha Stadium
Open Championship Game
Nov. 18, 2017
>> Saint Louis 31, Kahuku 28, at Aloha Stadium
—–
2016
Open Semifinals
Nov. 11, 2016
>> Saint Louis 42, Waianae 7, at Aloha Stadium
Open Championship Game
Nov. 19, 2016
>> Saint Louis 30, Kahuku 14, at Aloha Stadium
—–
2015
Division I Semifinals
Nov. 13, 2015
>> Saint Louis 56, Mililani 30, at Aloha Stadium
Division I Championship Game
Nov. 20, 2015
>> Kahuku 39, Saint Louis 14, at Aloha Stadium
—–
2010
Division I Semifinals
Nov. 19, 2010
>> Saint Louis 42, Leilehua 28, at Aloha Stadium
Division I Championship Game
Nov. 26, 2010
>> Saint Louis 36, Waianae 13, at Aloha Stadium
—–
2007
Division I Semifinals
Nov. 24, 2007
>> Saint Louis 44, Waianae 6, at Aloha Stadium
Division I Championship Game
Nov. 30, 2007
>> Leilehua 20, Saint Louis 16, at Aloha Stadium
—–
2006
Division I Semifinals
Nov. 24, 2006
>> Saint Louis 10, Waianae 7, at Aloha Stadium
Division I Championship Game
Dec. 1, 2006
>> Kahuku 7, Saint Louis 6
—–
2003
Division I Semifinals
Nov. 28, 2003
>> Saint Louis 48, Baldwin 6, at Aloha Stadium
Division I Championship Game
Dec. 5, 2003
>> Kahuku 27, Saint Louis 26, at Aloha Stadium
—–
2002
Quarterfinals
Nov. 22, 2002
>> Saint Louis 41, Farrington 23, at Aloha Stadium
Semifinals
Nov. 29, 2002
>> Saint Louis 51, Waimea 0, at Aloha Stadium
Championship Game
Dec. 6, 2002
>> Saint Louis 34, Castle 15, at Aloha Stadium
—–
2001
Quarterfinals
Nov. 16, 2001
>> Saint Louis 54, Aiea 7, at Aloha Stadium
Semifinals
Nov. 23, 2001
>> Saint Louis 49, Kauai 7, at Aloha Stadium
Championship Game
>> Kahuku 21, Saint Louis 14
—–
2000
Quarterfinals
Nov. 17, 2000
>> Saint Louis 48, Castle 0, at Aloha Stadium
Semifinals
Nov. 24, 2000
>> Saint Louis 63, Waianae 10, at Aloha Stadium
Championship Game
Dec. 1, 2000
>> Kahuku 26, Saint Louis 20, at Aloha Stadium
—–
1999
Quarterfinals
Nov. 19, 1999
>> Saint Louis 53, Waianae 21, at Aloha Stadium
Semifinals
Nov. 26, 1999
>> Saint Louis 56, Waimea 0, at Aloha Stadium
Championship Game
Dec. 4, 1999
>> Saint Louis 19, Kahuku 0, at Aloha Stadium
—–
Oahu Prep Bowl Era (1973 to 1998)
>> 1998 Championship Game: Saint Louis 28, Kahuku 20
>> 1997 Championship Game: Saint Louis 27, Waianae 0
>> 1981 Championship Game: Radford 14, Saint Louis 2
>> 1996 Championship Game: Saint Louis 7, Waianae 0
>> 1995 Championship Game: Saint Louis 27, Kahuku 26
>> 1994 Championship Game: Saint Louis 26, Kahuku 20
>> 1993 Championship Game: Saint Louis 37, Kahuku 22
>> 1992 Championship Game: Saint Louis 35, Waianae 7
>> 1991 Championship Game: Saint Louis 36, Waianae 6
>> 1990 Championship Game: Saint Louis 38, Farrington 3
>> 1989 Championship Game: Saint Louis 35, Kahuku 18
>> 1988 Championship Game: Saint Louis 49, Waianae 7
>> 1987 Championship Game: Saint Louis 35, Waianae 0
>> 1986 Championship Game: Saint Louis 49, Waianae 6
>> 1984 Championship Game: Leilehua 10, Saint Louis 0
>> 1983 Championship Game: Saint Louis 15, Nanakuli 12
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ALSO AT BedrockSportsHawaii.com:
Sophomore-to-be Quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele Transfers From Saint Louis To Campbell
