There are some teams that really have fought against injuries and have been dealt tough losses ... and though the win-loss column doesn't reflect it, they are truly among the best 10 teams in the state. However, at some point, I have to recognize merit. Normally, I recognize and value merit much earlier in the season. I tend to do that more so with basketball and baseball. A win by a small school over a powerhouse in an early tournament scores big points for me.

In football? We just don't get many early-season matchups between the big boys and the other guys. Consider it the Strength of Schedule factor. Though Kalaheo and Konawaena haven't scored high with SOS, their 6-0 records are clearly worthy of something. (Konawaena beat Kealakehe in Week 1, but to be fair, Kealakehe isn't the same powerhouse it was the past five years.)

Here's my ballot for this week's Star-Bulletin Football Top 10.

1. Leilehua 5-0 (3-0 OIA Red West)
W 23-0 @ Radford, Aug. 15
W 33-14 Iolani, Aug. 22
W 24-13 Mililani, Aug. 30
bye, Sept. 4-5
W 21-7 Kapolei, Sept. 12
W 33-12 @ Pearl City, Sept. 19
The Mules have done nothing to dispel my contention that a state champion is still a state champion until proven otherwise. The Mules continue to evolve week to week and have seen newcomers step into key roles with major success. Would they beat Saint Louis right now? That's a tough call.

2. Saint Louis 4-0 (2-0 ILH)
bye, Aug. 14-15
W 48-20 @ Mililani, Aug. 23
W 24-10 Farrington, Aug. 30, Ticky Vasconcellos Stadium
bye, Sept. 4-5
W 40-19 Punahou, Sept. 13, Aloha Stadium
W 28-20 Kamehameha, Sept. 20, Aloha Stadium
The Crusaders have exceeded just about all expectations in John Hao's first season as head coach. They've been down this road before — 11-0 in '06 and '07 before losing in the state finals — but this group has something a little extra. The offense is clicking and as lineman Mana Greig said, quarterback Jeremy Higgins is making better reads. I'd have to agree. Sometimes, the Saint Louis offense is pure poetry. Explosive, but pure.

3. Kamehameha 3-2 (0-1 ILH)
W 35-0 Kahuku, Aug. 15, Aloha Stadium
W 26-18 @ Kapolei, Aug. 22
L 14-23 St. John Bosco (Calif.), Aug. 30
W 13-6 @ Davis (Utah), Sept. 4
bye, Sept. 12-13
L 20-28 Saint Louis, Sept. 20, Aloha Stadium
Yep, that's right. The Warriors lose and they're still No. 3 on my ballot. Why? Did you see the Saint Louis game? Do you know that they played Saint Louis tougher than anyone else this season? Kamehameha is only going to get better in this second season under innovative coach David Stant.

4. Farrington 4-1 (3-0 OIA Red East)
W 20-7 @ Waianae, Aug. 15
W 25-6 @ Roosevelt, Aug. 22
L 10-24 Saint Louis, Aug. 30, Ticky Vasconcellos Stadium
W 24-6 @ Castle, Sept. 5
W 36-0 McKinley, Sept. 13, Ticky Vasconcellos Stadium
W 17-14 @ Kailua, Sept. 20
This is an example of merit. Not only have the Govs won decisively, not only have the won in the clutch, but they fought Saint Louis tough in a 24-10 loss. In other words, they were closer to beating the Crusaders than Punahou.

5. Punahou 3-1 (0-1 ILH)
bye, Aug. 15-16
W 37-21 Waianae, Aug. 23
W 41-14 @ Castle, Aug. 29
W 42-19 @ Central Kitsap (Wash.), Sept. 6, Qwest Field
L 19-40 Saint Louis, Sept. 13, Aloha Stadium
bye, Sept. 19-20
Why drop the Buffanblu a notch this week? Well, Farrington keeps winning, that's why. (See the Govs capsule above.) Is Punahou more talented than Farrington? Probably. The game with Kamehameha this weekend counts for more than whipped cream (polls), though. The winner stays in the ILH chase. The loser becomes a real longshot to get the league title and a state berth.

6. Kahuku 4-1 (3-0 OIA Red East)
L 0-35 Kamehameha, Aug. 15, Aloha Stadium
W 28-14 Kailua, Aug. 22
W 30-0 @ Kealakehe, Aug. 29
W 28-0 @ Roosevelt, Sept. 6
bye, Sept. 12-13
W 30-6 McKinley, Sept. 20, Ticky Vasconcellos Stadium
The Red Raiders gave up points for the first time in three weeks. They are doing things now that were somewhat erratic early in the season. Allan Kubota gives them the reliability they need at quarterback (remember Kaulin Krebs?), but I wonder how much they will improve the passing game? In the end, they aren't as huge as they were last year in the trenches, and a balanced offense will be crucial to their postseason success. The talent at TE and WR is definitely there, if still untested.

7. Waianae 3-2 (3-0 OIA Red West)
L 7-20 Farrington, Aug. 15
L 21-37 @ Punahou, Aug. 23
W 34-0 Kapolei, Aug. 29
W 42-28 @ Pearl City, Sept. 5
bye, Sept. 12-13
W 21-0 @ Nanakuli, Sept. 19
The Seariders are another squad (notice the pattern of OIA teams) that are at their best playing smashmouth football, but will be limited — or succeed — depending on how efficient the passing game is. For now, Waianae is on a roll, in a good mode and the vibe is conducive to success. As long as Danny Kekoanui stays healthy, the OIA title is within reach.

8. Iolani 5-1 (3-0 ILH)
W 39-0 Kamehameha-Maui, Aug. 15, Aloha Stadium
L 14-33 @ Leilehua, Aug. 22
W 11-8 Kaimuki, Aug. 30
W 27-21 Damien, Sept. 5, Aloha Stadium
W 35-0 Word of Life, Sept. 12
W 48-17 Pac-Five, Sept. 19
The Raiders were ready for a shootout with Pac-Five, but the Wolfpack didn't have their best offensive weapon (Darin Kamealoha) and it turned into a rout. Key for Iolani is health, and they avoided serious injuries for another week. Jarrett Arakawa is finding his groove and the receiving corps is getting better deliveries from their young southpaw gunner. To think that the offense still isn't at full potential — Kela Marciel only had two catches (both touchdowns) against Pac-Five — is a spooky proposition for all future opponents.

9. Kalaheo 6-0 (4-0 OIA White)
W 44-0 @ Maui, Aug. 16, War Memorial Stadium
W 70-0 Kalani, Aug. 23, Kailua H.S. field
W 31-7 @ Kaiser, Aug. 29
W 7-2 @ Aiea, Sept. 5
W 24-0 Waialua, Sept. 12, Kailua H.S. field
W 13-10 @ Radford, Sept. 20
There are defensive units that are successful partly because they are fresh from start to finish. In Kalaheo's case, I believe the defense is not only in top condition, but actually enjoys the challenge (for several players) of playing both offense and defense. On merit, the Mustangs clearly deserve to be in the Top 10. If they stay healthy, run effectively and play stout defense, all things are possible.

10. Konawaena 6-0 (3-0 BIIF D-II)
W 9-7 @ Kealakehe, Aug. 16
W 17-9 Waimea, Aug. 23
W 35-30 @ Waiakea, Aug. 30, Wong Stadium
W 57-0 Ka‘u, Sept. 5
W 40-6 @ Kohala, Sept. 13
W 26-16 Honokaa, Sept. 20
Injuries keep piling up for Konawaena, and the Wildcats just keep winning. A school with barely over 700 students is home to the best football team in the BIIF. That hasn't been said since the early 1990s, when the Konawaena dynasty that began with Coach Jim Barry came to an end. Honokaa is a popular favorite to win the BIIF's Division I crown, and Konawaena has already beaten D-I teams Kealakehe and Waiakea.

On the cusp: There's no forgetting Baldwin (3-1, 2-0 MIL), which has the pieces to win another league title. Time is on the Bears' side as they mesh together a mix of talent from the JV program and other schools (transfers). I expect the Baldwin team that barely got past Kamehameha-Hawaii in August to be a much different team by October. Mana Rosa's return (arm surgery) is a huge boost. ... Kapolei is still powerful, still healing up from injuries, and could still make a run at the OIA title. It won't be easy, though. Getting the chemistry together is easier said than done. The Hurricanes (3-3, 2-2 OIA Red) nudged past Waipahu in overtime, 26-20. ... Damien (5-1, 2-1 ILH) continued winning (20-7 over Word of Life) and really should still be on my ballot. The win over WLA was solid, but not overly impressive, and the crowd at No. 10 is suffocating. ... Castle (3-2, 2-1 OIA Red) is still dangerous, if inconsistent. The week off is a big mid-season breather. ... Radford (3-2, 3-1 OIA White) fell to Kalaheo 13-10, but is still in line to claim one of the OIA White's three state berths. ... Kauai (3-0, 1-0 KIF) could easily be the best D-II team that hasn't been seen outside of the Garden Island. Without an early-season test, it's difficult to gauge the Red Raiders, though they smushed Waimea 29-0 — a team that Konawaena struggled with at Yates Field. ... Mililani (2-3, 2-1 OIA Red) had a bye and is laying low. Don't be surprised if the Trojans ambush a lot of foes down the stretch and make a run at the OIA crown. ... The loss at Konawaena was a heartbreaker for Honokaa (3-1, 2-1), arguably the favorite to win the BIIF's Division I title. ... Waipahu (4-2, 2-2 OIA Red) came so close to stamping its status as a D-I title contender. The overtime loss at Kapolei is still a plus experience for Sean Saturnio's squad. ... Kaimuki (3-2, 2-1 OIA Red) is back on track with the 27-6 win at Roosevelt. Close games have been the bane of the Bulldogs' season so far, but Coach Darren Johnson has shown a penchant for opening up the playbook, and the tools are definitely there. ... Lahainaluna (3-1, 2-0 MIL) could emerge as the best in the MIL regardless of classification. ... Kohala (5-1, 2-1 BIIF D-II) is the little train that could. The Cowboys' 19-16 win over Kamehameha-Hawaii is a landmark victory, and more impressive considering the lopsided loss to Konawaena just one week earlier.

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