Week 1 record: 13-1-1. Sounds nice, but at the prep level, anything below 90% is really not good. So, I'm kind of on the bubble.
Week 2: No fooling around for many teams as regular-season play begins. The schedule makers didn't hold back, that's for sure. It's time to put on the hat and bring it.
OIA Red
Mililani at Waianae
Friday. Talk about a whopper. I wish I could leave town early, stop by Waianae Starbucks, kick back in the air conditioning with a vanilla frapuccino, then stop by Tasty Freeze for a burger and homemade french fries with the awesome mustard-mayo sauce ... but it ain't gonna happen. Got things to do until 4 p.m. in town, so I'll be lucky to be out of traffic and on Farrington Highway by 5, and by then, it's straight to Torii Field because of the traffic tie-up that normally clogs the Nanakuli area. Who wins this game? I think Waianae will find its identity after a few games. So many new faces on defense, but plenty of talent. Mililani will bring enough weaponry to stay close. Pupule says: Trojans 16, Seariders 14.
Campbell at Aiea
Saturday. Sabers lost out on game-speed experience when thieves vandalized their stadium last week before a nonconference game. Aiea is ahead of a lot of teams because of Keenan Naeole and his talented receivers. Pupule says: Na Alii 29, Sabers 19.
Radford at Leilehua
Saturday. Oh man, this doesn't get more intense. Old rivals in a huge showdown. Rams are young and Coach Fred Salanoa is downplaying his team's status as a potential contender. True, the Rams are young, but Salanoa and his staff are terrific. Mules are looking for an offensive identity since the graduation of All-State quarterback Bryant Moniz. Pupule says: Mules 14, Rams 7.
OIA White
Waipahu at Waialua
Friday. Both teams searching for new offensive focal points, but Waipahu has the edge with running back Keo Palimoo. Can Waipahu's defense corral new Bulldog quarterback Donovan Mata? If the answer is yes, Waipahu starts the rugged White schedule with a 'W.' Pupule says: Marauders 20, Bulldogs 12.
Nanakuli at Pearl City
Friday. Golden Hawks have experience, but last week's loss to Kalaheo was a wake-up call. Can the Hawks contain Chargers' running back Antoin DeWalt? Not many teams have. Pupule says: Chargers 27, Golden Hawks 14.
Kalani at Roosevelt
Friday. Possibly the two smallest teams in the league. Kalani is in building mode, while Roosevelt has experience and skill at quarterback. Pupule says: Rough Riders 34, Falcons 20.
Anuenue vs. Kaimuki
Saturday at Kaiser Stadium. These teams were in a close game last year until Anuenue ran out of gas in the fourth quarter. Now, Na Koa are older, stronger, faster ... but Kaimuki is deeper. Will the Bulldogs learn new coach Darren Johnson's system quickly? Or will Anuenue's cohesion and run-and-shoot offense show some new wrinkles? Tough call. Pupule says: Bulldogs 30, Na Koa 27.
Nonconference
South East (Calif.) at Maui
Thursday. Can't find anything about South East on the net right now. Maxpreps.com is down. Doh!
Hilo at Kauai
Friday. Vikings will bring old school football to Vidinha Stadium. Coach Albert Kawelu believes in run-first offense and hard-nosed defense. The Red Raiders won in coach Derek Borrrero's debut last week. Interesting matchup of contrasts. Pupule says: Red Raiders 24, Viks 14.
Komabagakuin at Kapaa
Friday. Never heard of the team from Japan. Have to take a pass here.
Kwansei at King Kekaulike
I've seen Kwansei play before. Back in the 1990s, they came to the Big Island and shut out then-perennial BIIF champion Konawaena 26-0. Kwansei back then was a West Coast offense team, extremely precise and technically sound. Their coach had gone to the U.S. and spent time under the tutelage of Bill Walsh. King K better be ready. Pupule says: Kwansei 26, Na Alii 17.
Baldwin at Kamehameha-Hawaii
Friday. The Bears are on the road, and big gun Jordan Helle is battling injury. KS-Hawaii lost a lot of talent last year, but could get a boost if Kolten Wong suits up. MIL's D-1 champion versus BIIF's D-2 champ. Pupule says: Bears 27, Warriors 15.
Konawaena at Waimea
Friday. Wildcats are struggling, Menehunes are ramping up. Pupule says: Waimea 41, Konawaena 16.
Saint Louis at Kailua
Friday. Crusaders don't want to risk injury to anyone, especially quarterback Micah Mamiya, but they have a history of playing all out regardless of the situation. Won't be easy against an improved Surfrider squad. A year ago, Saint Louis went to Castle and rallied in the second half for a close win. Pupule says: Crusaders 31, Surfriders 13.
Ft. McMurray at St. Anthony
Saturday. Damn. I need help with Ft. McMurray info. Maxpreps please fix your site!
Waiakea at Lahainaluna
Saturday. Lunas finally get the game unis on. Pupule says: Lunas 34, Warriors 14.
Kalaheo at Iolani
Saturday. Big, big test for the uprising Mustangs. Their biggest test in years. OIA teams have not fared well at Eddie Hamada Field in recent years. Iolani is ranked in the Star-Bulletin Top 10 now, but last week's win over Kaiser wasn't a strong test. Kalaheo quarterback Cody vonAppen is a savvy quarterback who makes smart plays that don't show up in the stats. Pupule says: Raiders 44, Mustangs 35.
Farrington vs. Damien, Kunuiakea Stadium
Saturday. Battle of Houghtailing Street. This is basic smashmouth football at its best. Pupule says: Govs 20, Monarchs 14.
Kapolei vs. McKinley, Roosevelt field
Saturday. Interesting matchup. Despite the lopsided loss at Punahou last week, McKinley has some considerable talent on the field. Kapolei, though, has a very solid system and a potentially great defense (re: shutout of Damien last week). Pupule says: Hurricanes 20, Tigers 16.
Kamehameha at Castle
Saturday. Warriors have waited all summer to get on the field and butt heads with someone else. Pupule says: Warriors 28, Knights 14.
Pac-Five at Moanalua
Saturday. Intriguing matchup of two teams with some new faces. Moanalua has incumbent Jordan Monico at quarterback. He's arguably the toughest QB to bring down in the state, projects as a linebacker or safety in college, imho. Pac-Five defense is stellar, led by Aaron Tipoti and a tough linebacking corps. Pupule says: Wolfpack 23, Na Menehune 21.
Showing posts with label Pupule Pigskin Picks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pupule Pigskin Picks. Show all posts
Friday, August 24, 2007
Friday, August 17, 2007
Pupule Pigskin Picks, Week 1, Aug. 17-18
Here we go again ... opening week is a shot in the dark.
Friday, August 17
Kahuku vs. Saint Louis at Aloha Stadium, 7 p.m. Coach Torres will not stray from his philosophy of playing everyone (96 players) to gauge their gametime performance. Same as last year, when they could've beaten Punahou, but kept running basic plays with the third and fourth string in. Saint Louis 20, Kahuku 18.
Damien at Kapolei, 7 p.m. New coach, new playbook at Damien. Kapolei has enough returning experience to have a slight edge. Who will step in as a playmaker now that both Santiago brothers have graduated? Mason Koa is a tough option QB, but he can't take a pounding all night. That would not be healthy. Hurricanes 26, Monarchs 20.
Castle at Mililani. Knights have speed. Trojans have a new offense, but Rustin Funakoshi is in his third year at QB under the tutelage of Darnell Arceneaux. Mililani 17, Castle 13.
Farrington at Waianae. Postponed to Saturday.
Kaimuki at Aiea. Bulldogs have a big turnout and decent size, but learning a new system under Darren Johnson will take a little time. Na Alii have speed to burn, plus its entire starting LB and DB corps back. Aiea 29, Kaimuki 19.
Kalaheo at Nanakuli. Mustangs have Cody vonAppen back at QB and some momentum under second-year coach Chris Mellor. Nanakuli's young coaches have a solid group together. This could be the most competitive game of the weekend. Golden Hawks 20, Mustangs 19.
Leilehua at Kailua. Lot of promise coming out of the Windward side. Mules have a tough defense but may miss former DC Rod York. Leilehua is also adjusting to a new QB. Mules 24, Surfriders 20.
Pearl City at Moanalua. Chargers have numbers. Menehune have numbers. Interesting matchup. Difference-maker is Moanalua QB Jordan Monico, who is strong as most linebackers and fast as most receivers. Menehune 31, Chargers 27.
Roosevelt at Campbell. Rough Riders don't have a lot of size, but always have the potential to upset bigger teams thanks to a wide-open system. Sabers have that Wing T, which can be a headache for any opposing DC. Sabers 24, Rough Riders 22.
Keaau at Kauai at Vidinha Stadium, 7:30 p.m. The visiting Cougars will face the four-time defending KIF champions on Kauai. Red Raider fans support their team well, which makes this inter-island matchup an advantage for Kauai. New coach, same system for the Red Raiders. A lot of mixed feelings on the Kauai side with former coach Kelii Morgado ousted by adminstration. Kauai 34, Keaau 21.
Saturday, Aug. 18
Hawaii Prep at Kapaa at Vidinha Stadium, noon. Kapaa, the black sheep of KIF football, tends to play well against the BIIF. HPA has not been the same in recent years after playing at a high level for decades dating back to the 1960s. Warriors 33, Ka Makani 26.
McKinley at Punahou, 3 p.m. Debut for many new Buffanblu starters, but all eyes will be on RB Dalton Hilliard and LB Manti Te'o. Tigers can't be underestimated; they upset Kahuku last year. Depth is on Punahou's side. Buffanblu 32, Tigers 18.
Kohala at Anuenue at Kaiser, 6 p.m. A great matchup between two true Division II schools. Kohala always has speed, but lacks size. Anuenue is only in its second season at the varsity level, but returns everyone from last year's team with the exception of a single graduated senior. Na Koa are beefy, but not deep. Na Koa 41, Cowboys 34.
Waimea at Waiakea, 6 p.m. Menehune have a proud history and could begin their comeback campaign with an off-island win. Won't be easy to travel across the state. If this game is at Wong Stadium and the rain falls, this could be a miserable night for the passing games of both teams.Waimea 21, Waiakea 16.
Honokaa at Waialua, 6 p.m. Honokaa rarely travels to Oahu for preseason games, so this is a treat. Bulldogs lose Caleb Fore, their outstanding QB, to graduation. This is a toss-up. Home team gets the edge. Bulldogs 22, Dragons 21.
Hilo at Konawaena, 7 p.m. Before you wonder why BIIF teams are playing league games, Hilo is in Division I and Kona is D-II. Wildcats lost two key players, including QB Kawai Kanuha, to Kealakehe in the off-season. New coach, new system, time will tell what happens here. Hilo has the benefit of a veteran staff under Albert Kawelu. Basic, power football. Viks 20, Wildcats 6.
Farrington at Waianae. Game originall scheduled for Friday. Governors won in nonconference play last year, 37-0. Seariders haven't forgotten. Farrington lost experience and talent at the skill positions, but returns a ton of talent on defense. Same goes for Waianae, but they have QB Ben McQuown back. Seariders 19, Governors 8.
Friday, August 17
Kahuku vs. Saint Louis at Aloha Stadium, 7 p.m. Coach Torres will not stray from his philosophy of playing everyone (96 players) to gauge their gametime performance. Same as last year, when they could've beaten Punahou, but kept running basic plays with the third and fourth string in. Saint Louis 20, Kahuku 18.
Damien at Kapolei, 7 p.m. New coach, new playbook at Damien. Kapolei has enough returning experience to have a slight edge. Who will step in as a playmaker now that both Santiago brothers have graduated? Mason Koa is a tough option QB, but he can't take a pounding all night. That would not be healthy. Hurricanes 26, Monarchs 20.
Castle at Mililani. Knights have speed. Trojans have a new offense, but Rustin Funakoshi is in his third year at QB under the tutelage of Darnell Arceneaux. Mililani 17, Castle 13.
Farrington at Waianae. Postponed to Saturday.
Kaimuki at Aiea. Bulldogs have a big turnout and decent size, but learning a new system under Darren Johnson will take a little time. Na Alii have speed to burn, plus its entire starting LB and DB corps back. Aiea 29, Kaimuki 19.
Kalaheo at Nanakuli. Mustangs have Cody vonAppen back at QB and some momentum under second-year coach Chris Mellor. Nanakuli's young coaches have a solid group together. This could be the most competitive game of the weekend. Golden Hawks 20, Mustangs 19.
Leilehua at Kailua. Lot of promise coming out of the Windward side. Mules have a tough defense but may miss former DC Rod York. Leilehua is also adjusting to a new QB. Mules 24, Surfriders 20.
Pearl City at Moanalua. Chargers have numbers. Menehune have numbers. Interesting matchup. Difference-maker is Moanalua QB Jordan Monico, who is strong as most linebackers and fast as most receivers. Menehune 31, Chargers 27.
Roosevelt at Campbell. Rough Riders don't have a lot of size, but always have the potential to upset bigger teams thanks to a wide-open system. Sabers have that Wing T, which can be a headache for any opposing DC. Sabers 24, Rough Riders 22.
Keaau at Kauai at Vidinha Stadium, 7:30 p.m. The visiting Cougars will face the four-time defending KIF champions on Kauai. Red Raider fans support their team well, which makes this inter-island matchup an advantage for Kauai. New coach, same system for the Red Raiders. A lot of mixed feelings on the Kauai side with former coach Kelii Morgado ousted by adminstration. Kauai 34, Keaau 21.
Saturday, Aug. 18
Hawaii Prep at Kapaa at Vidinha Stadium, noon. Kapaa, the black sheep of KIF football, tends to play well against the BIIF. HPA has not been the same in recent years after playing at a high level for decades dating back to the 1960s. Warriors 33, Ka Makani 26.
McKinley at Punahou, 3 p.m. Debut for many new Buffanblu starters, but all eyes will be on RB Dalton Hilliard and LB Manti Te'o. Tigers can't be underestimated; they upset Kahuku last year. Depth is on Punahou's side. Buffanblu 32, Tigers 18.
Kohala at Anuenue at Kaiser, 6 p.m. A great matchup between two true Division II schools. Kohala always has speed, but lacks size. Anuenue is only in its second season at the varsity level, but returns everyone from last year's team with the exception of a single graduated senior. Na Koa are beefy, but not deep. Na Koa 41, Cowboys 34.
Waimea at Waiakea, 6 p.m. Menehune have a proud history and could begin their comeback campaign with an off-island win. Won't be easy to travel across the state. If this game is at Wong Stadium and the rain falls, this could be a miserable night for the passing games of both teams.Waimea 21, Waiakea 16.
Honokaa at Waialua, 6 p.m. Honokaa rarely travels to Oahu for preseason games, so this is a treat. Bulldogs lose Caleb Fore, their outstanding QB, to graduation. This is a toss-up. Home team gets the edge. Bulldogs 22, Dragons 21.
Hilo at Konawaena, 7 p.m. Before you wonder why BIIF teams are playing league games, Hilo is in Division I and Kona is D-II. Wildcats lost two key players, including QB Kawai Kanuha, to Kealakehe in the off-season. New coach, new system, time will tell what happens here. Hilo has the benefit of a veteran staff under Albert Kawelu. Basic, power football. Viks 20, Wildcats 6.
Farrington at Waianae. Game originall scheduled for Friday. Governors won in nonconference play last year, 37-0. Seariders haven't forgotten. Farrington lost experience and talent at the skill positions, but returns a ton of talent on defense. Same goes for Waianae, but they have QB Ben McQuown back. Seariders 19, Governors 8.
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