MaxPreps 2015 Hawaii preseason high school football Fab 5, presented by the Army National Guard

Video: Punahou (HI) defensive highlights vs. Kahuku
See the top-ranked team in Hawaii during a game last season.


1. Punahou (Honolulu)
Coach: Kale Ane
2014 finish: 8-1
Team preview

The Buff n' Blue will come into the season with a full head of steam and a nasty taste in their mouths after closing out last season with a loss in the state title game. For opposing teams, coach Ane's boys might not be the easiest team to go helmet to helmet with on Friday nights. As usual, the Buff n' Blue offense will be a strong point and will attack from all different angles. Both Ephraim Tuliloa and Wayne Taulapapa, who play quarterback and running back, respectively, are both back for their final campaign on the gridiron and they could likely be the state's best offensive combo.

The defensive unit will be highlighted by Patamo Soa, a-305 pound nose guard who will be a load for any offensive line to handle. Complementing him will be linebacker La'akea Look, cornerback Aaron Woo and safety Justin Matias.



The pieces and experience are present for Ane to lead the team back to the state championship game and come out on the winning end this year. A matchup with Del Oro (Loomis, Calif.) early in the season will provide a great test and could set the tone for the entire season.

See the Top 5 teams with the most all-time Hawaii state titles

2. Mililani
Coach: Rod York
2014 finish: 13-0
Team preview

The Division I state champions showed up in big way last season, proving that they belong in the same conversation with commonly known state powers Punahou and Kahuku. Defending a state title is never an easy task, and coach York will have to have his boys step up to do just that. The Trojans offense will be the talking point, with a trio of signal caller Mckenzie Milton (who racked up 35 scores through the air as a junior), running back and Oregon commit Vavae Malepeai and wide receiver Kalakaua Timoteo. An inexperienced offensive line will need to jell quickly for the offense to hit its full potential, but Milton will likely be able to create offense while the chemistry builds.

Defense might be the biggest question mark for the Trojans, but defensive end Kaimana Padello is back to lead the unit. The Trojans enter the season with teams gunning for them and they will be out to prove that last season was not a Cinderella story.

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3. St. Louis (Honolulu)
Coach: Cal Lee
2014 finish: 6-4
Team preview

Coach Lee put his boys to the test last season with possibly the toughest schedule of any program in Hawaii. The Crusaders started off the season playing two state powers as well as one of the best teams in California in St. John Bosco. While the season didn't end with a state title, last season may have prepared a young St. Louis team for a championship run this fall.

Tua Tagovailoa, back under center, may be the state's highest-touted recruit and is entering his junior year after a very solid sophomore season. Tagovailoa possesses impressive athletic ability and dangerous playmaking ability which will likely translate into a high-octane offense for the Crusaders. Cal commit Drew Kobayashi (6-foot-2) may be Tagovailoa's top weapon and the duo should be fun to follow.

After sitting out a season due to transfer rules, Isaac Slade-Matautia will be a welcome sight for coach Lee and his defensive unit. At 6-1, 220 pounds, Slade-Matautia will be an absolute force from the linebacker position and be the anchor for the Crusader defense. Along side him at the linebacker position will be Jordan Iosefa, who has plans to continue his football career at USC following his final season of high school football.

On top of that, Tagovailoa's best friend will be Nate Herbig, who stands at 6-4 and tips the scale at 320 pounds and has committed to be a part of Stanford's offensive line in the fall of 2017.

The team will be tested early when it opens the season against defending Division I state champion Mililani.



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4. Kahuku
Coach: Vavae Tata
2014 finish: 10-3
Team preview

A new regime has begun for the Kahuku Red Raiders, and it will be led by first-year head coach Vavae Tata. Tata takes over a program with a rich history of success and will look to continue to build that history in his own manner. Along with his head coaching duties, he will be leading the defensive unit, which may be the calling card for the Red Raiders this fall. Safeties Keala Santiago and Hirkley Latu will bring leadership and experience to the defensive unit that may turn out to be the backbone of the Red Raiders in Tata's first season.

The offense will be highlighted by smash-mouth running back Kesi Ah Hoy who should see a lot of action in the pro-style offense that will be implemented this coming fall. Tata has a tall task in front of him, but it's still Kahuku, a team that is likely to be circled on many teams' calendars.

See last season's Hawaii football computer rankings

5. Kaiser (Honolulu)
Coach: Cameron Higgins
2014 finish: 6-3
Team preview



Second-year coach Cameron Higgins believes his team can be even better than last year and offer tough competition for other powers in Division I. Backing Higgins' assumptions will be a handful of experienced returners who have thoughts of a deep playoff run in mind. Quarterback Justin Uahinui returns under center after missing his sophomore season with a broken collarbone. His most potent weapon will be Jensen McDaniel, who lines up in the backfield and is coming off a season where he broke the 1,000 yard mark and notched 22 touchdowns on the ground. The most impressive aspect of the offense will likely be the boys lining up in the trenches. The offensive line is headed by Michael Eletise, who comes in at 6-4 and 305 pounds, and boasts offers from nearly 40 Division I schools from across the nation.

The Cougars' defense will be anchored by Parker Higgins and Nic Tom, who play linebacker and safety, respectively. Coach Higgins will need the leadership from Higgins and Tom, as the defensive unit welcomes new faces.

In their second year at the Division I level, the Cougars are out to prove that they belong, and that they can compete with best of the best.