The big question heading into last weekend was whether Hawaii high school football's two marquee matchups could live up to their advance billing.
Oh, did they ever.
And the latest edition of our rankings reflects the fallout from a weekend in which No. 3 Kapolei upset previously undefeated No. 1 Mililani, while No. 5 Kahuku rose up to take down No. 2 Campbell. Counting No. 4 Waipahu, none of last week's top five teams remains in the same position it held heading into the weekend.
The biggest shock was certainly Kapolei's win over Mililani, and it wasn't just that the Hurricanes won — it was how they did it, dominating the Trojans 25-7. The loss was Mililani's first of the season, ending what had looked like a potential run to the title with little serious competition. In the aftermath, Kapolei has surged to No. 1, with Mililani settling in just behind the Hurricanes at No. 2.
But it was Kahuku's win that completely blew up the rankings. The No. 5 Red Raiders hadn't delivered a true statement win against a Hawaii opponent since the season opener, when they took down St. Louis 20-12 on the North Shore. Even that victory has lost some of its luster in the weeks since, with the Crusaders stumbling to a 1-6 record.
Kahuku subsequently lost to both Mililani and Kapolei, leaving the Red Raiders heading into their matchup against defending Open Division champion Campbell with one final opportunity to make some noise before the postseason. Had Campbell won, the top three would have been reshuffled, but Waipahu and Kahuku would have remained at Nos. 4 and 5, respectively.
Instead, the Red Raiders kicked off the upset party Friday night by taking down the Sabers 17-14, one night before the Hurricanes knocked off the Trojans. That opened the door for Waipahu — which also beat Campbell 40-17 in the season opener — to climb to No. 3, with Kahuku moving up to No. 4. Campbell, meanwhile, tumbled from No. 2 to No. 5 to round out the top five.
Just one of those upsets would have been enough to shake up the rankings. But we never could have imagined the underdogs winning both games, and as a result, this week's list looks a whole lot different than it did a week ago.
Here's a look at the latest Hawaii High School Football Elite 12 rankings.
PREVIOUS: PRESEASON | WK1 | WK2 | WK3 | WK4 | WK5 | WK6 | WK7 | WK8 | WK9
1. Kapolei
Record: 7-1
Previous Rank: 3
Last Week: Kapolei 25, Mililani 7
Loss(es): Campbell, 17-14
Kapolei made the biggest statement of the weekend, knocking off previously unbeaten Mililani 25-7 to claim the top spot in the Elite 12. The Hurricanes improved to 7-1 with their fourth straight victory and have emerged as a serious threat to challenge for the Open Division championship. Their win sewed up the No. 1 seed in the OIA Open Division as their regular season has concluded.
2. Mililani
Record: 8-1
Previous Rank: 1
Last Week: Kapolei 25, Mililani 7
Loss(es): Kapolei, 25-7
Mililani suffered its first loss of the season, falling 25-7 to Kapolei in a matchup between two of Hawaii's top contenders. The Trojans drop to 8-1, but their earlier victories over Campbell and Kahuku keep them firmly in the championship conversation. Mililani tied atop the Open Division standings with Kapolei, but by virtue of the head-to-head loss, they are No. 2 in the standings with no games left in the regular season.
3. Waipahu
Record: 8-1
Previous Rank: 4
Last Week: Waipahu 79, Radford 8
Loss(es): Kapolei, 50-15
Waipahu continued its strong season with a 79-8 romp past Moanalua, improving to 8-1. The Marauders have won eight of their first nine games, and they'll close out the regular season Friday at Roosevelt.
4. Kahuku
Record: 5-4
Previous Rank: 5
Last Week: Kahuku 24, Campbell 21
Loss(es): Junipero Serra (Calif.), 28-21; St. John Bosco (Calif.), 49-13; Mililani, 28-6; Kapolei, 42-35
Kahuku bounced back from its loss to Kapolei by edging Campbell 24-21 in a significant matchup between two traditional powers. The Red Raiders improved to 5-4, and they'll close out the regular season Friday by hosting winless Kailua.
5. Campbell
Record: 6-3
Previous Rank: 2
Last Week: Kahuku 24, Campbell 21
Loss(es): Waipahu, 40-17; Mililani, 35-30; Kahuku, 24-21
Campbell came up just short in a 24-21 loss to Kahuku, missing an opportunity to add another marquee victory to its résumé. The defending Open Division champions fall to 6-3, and their regular season has concluded.
6. Kamehameha Kapalama
Record: 4-4
Previous Rank: 6
Last Week: Kamehameha Kapalama 40, Punahou 14
Loss(es): Orem (Utah), 16-7; Kahuku, 13-5; Kapolei, 8-0; Campbell, 16-7
Kamehameha Kapalama suffered a 40-14 loss to Punahou, a setback that leaves the Warriors looking to regroup after a difficult stretch of the season. They'll have an opportunity to respond against St. Louis on Oct. 17 in an important ILH matchup.
7. Kapa'a
Record: 4-1-1
Previous Rank: 7
Last Week: Kapa'a 52, Kauai 0
Loss(es): San Clemente (Calif.), 23-8
Kapa'a continued to dominate Kauai competition, shutting out Kauai 52-0 to improve to 4-1-1. It was the Warriors' fourth straight shutout and third in a row against Kauai, a span in which they've outscored their island mates 113-0.
8. St. Louis
Record: 1-6
Previous Rank: 8
Last Week: IDLE
Loss(es): Kahuku, 20-12; Mililani, 42-0; IMG Academy (Fla.), 41-0; Sierra Canyon, 52-0; St. John Bosco, 63-21; Kamehameha Kapalama, 23-3
St. Louis had a bye after earning its first victory of the season, a 13-3 decision over Punahou. The Crusaders remain well below their usual standards at 1-6, but their next matchup against Kamehameha Kapalama offers an opportunity to build on that breakthrough win.
9. Wai'anae
Record: 6-1
Previous Rank: 10
Last Week: Wai'anae 27, Nanakuli 22
Loss(es): Waipahu, 42-14
Wai'anae continued its impressive season with a 27-22 victory over Nanakuli, improving to 6-1. The Seariders have demonstrated plenty of offensive firepower, and it should be on display again Friday at Radford.
10. Konawaena
Record: 5-1
Previous Rank: 12
Last Week: Konawaena 50, Hilo 0
Loss(es): Kamehameha Hawaii, 28-21
Konawaena continued its strong campaign with a 50-0 shutout of Hilo, improving to 5-1. The Wildcats have been one of the Big Island's most consistent teams, and they get a week off to prepare for their regular season finale at Kea'au on Oct. 23.
11. Kalaheo
Record: 7-0
Previous Rank: Unranked
Last Week: Kalaheo 47, Kaimuki 0
Loss(es): None
Kalaheo kept rolling with a 47-0 shutout of Kaimuki, improving to 7-0 and preserving its unbeaten record. The Mustangs join the rankings here just in time to close the regular season Friday at Castle.
12. Honoka'a
Record: 6-0
Previous Rank: Unranked
Last Week: Honoka'a 52, Hawaii Prep 0
Loss(es): None
Honoka'a remains unbeaten at 6-0 and continues to make its case as one of the Big Island's top programs. The Dragons will try to put a bow on a perfect regular season Friday at home against Pahoa.
Final Analysis
The race for Hawaii high school football supremacy is far from settled, with Kapolei leading the way and a talented group of challengers close behind. The Open Division suddenly looks wide open in particular with Mililani, Kahuku and Campbell all showing the potential to win big games, setting up a playoff bracket that could be as competitive as it was a year ago.
Add us as a preferred source on Google