* Commentary

By Paul Honda
Editor
HondaReport.com
Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2004

HONOLULU—I'm done whining on the side.

I'm putting the gloves on for all the voters and fans who still say Baldwin isn't as good as KS-O'ahu. I'll allow for the fact that KS-O'ahu had some players out that night when they played to a 14-all tie. And I'll allow for the fact that it was a travel game for the Bears.

Let's put the gloves on, because this is another blatant example of O'ahu-centric thinking by voters -- EVEN A VOTER FROM MAUI. There's no right or wrong in football polling, but I sure would love to debate this one.

For KS-O'ahu to be third and Baldwin four spots behind ... ludicrous.

Pupule's ballot:

1. Kahuku. Still top dog on my ballot, but when I voted the Red Raiders No. 1 last week, it was out of respect for last year's achievement more than this year's events. Boy, they proved something to me...

2. Saint Louis. Doesn't this feel like Coach Tengan's first go-around? St. Louis lost its ILH opener, then won out and took the state title. This time, it's a little spookier for ILH foes, because SL's loss came before regular-season play. The Crusaders will make adjustments. They've made an art of it for decades.

3. Mililani. One word comes to mind: Clean. They're about as streamlined and clean as any team can be this early in the season. They've exceeded my expectations by far, and I would not have believed it unless I'd seen them play twice, as I have. Well-balanced, and their quarterback hasn't even begun to find his rhythm yet.

4. Baldwin. The Run & Shoot usually takes a game or two (or more) to find its place, its pulse. That's why the yardage the Bears racked up in two games is astounding. The Bears have an upside that is phenomenal. They'll have a 500-yard game sometime this year. They could also hold some opponent to sub-100 yards. Heck, they held KS-O'ahu to 50 yards in the first half.

5. Kamehameha-O'ahu. This team has bounds of potential. Question is, will they let Bode and Kam open up the offense? Or will they stick to the Ace formation most downs and play conservatively? In the ILH, no reason for the Warriors to throw more than 40-45 percent of the time. But I believe they'll be at their best in big games when they open up the offense.

6. Punahou. Wins over defending KIF champion Kaua'i and OIA Red East Farrington were a good boost for a Buffanblu team that has new QBs and RB. Haven't seen them play more than a quarter, but I'm looking forward to seeing how their O-line deals with deeper, big teams.

7. Kailua. The question isn't whether Kekoa Sua and Damien Torres are the best 1-2 RB combination in the state. Question is, can the O-line and Kelroy Kohatsu deliver consistently on third-and-8? I expected KS-O'ahu to beat Kailua in a close game. If and when they meet in the post-season, it could be different. By then, the Surfriders will be much more familiar with their new head coach.

8. Iolani. Coach Look was wise a few years ago when he spoke out about the need for a Division II state tourney. (That same year, Jon Kobayashi of Waimea also said that his program would prefer a D2 tourney.) And yet, the Raiders continue to overachieve. Despite being relatively small, they've been working and winning. QB Kiran Kepo'o is bigger than some of his O-linemen, but he also delivers a tight spiral.

9. Kapolei. Pushing Kailua to the max 10 days ago was an eye-opener for the Hurricane. They've had the past week-and-a-half to recognize that the bar is higher than they expected, and yet more reachable, as well. Another big test this weekend: St. Louis.

10. Pac-Five. It's no fluke that the Wolfpack handle OIA teams in preseason. It's been that way for a few years. Many of the players are dedidcated year-round, especially the ballers from Word of Life.

On the cusp: Maui, Leilehua, Damien, Lahainaluna, Hilo.

Previous Article: Football: Kahuku back to No. 1, Pac-Five lands at No. 10, Aug. 30
Next Article: Girls' Volleyball: HondaReport.com Top Ten, Aug. 31

Comments