Hawaii Prep World will highlight 10 of the best football teams in Oahu history that never earned a division, league or state crown.
For a team to be on this list, it inevitably had to have suffered an upset loss that probably lived with the players and coaches for a long time.
Teams are ranked by positive point differential, excluding the 2010 Kahuku and 2018 St. Francis squads that had games wiped out due to the use of an ineligible player. Add in those teams, and the Red Raiders would be No. 1 on the list and the Saints would be No. 3. They suffered their own kinds of heartbreak, but never on the field.
This time, Darren Hernandez‘s 2003 crew and its point differential of 20.7.
Kapolei hit the ground running as a varsity program, winning its final three games in 2002 and took another step forward in 2003. The Second City won its first nine games of its second season, including a shutout victory at Waianae to open things.
Kapolei was largely unchallenged during the streak, allowing only Kaiser to play it within a touchdown. The run included a 44-24 win over Aiea at Mililani to effectively clinch the top regular-season record in the OIA White. No trophy came with that accomplishment, just the honor of holding the top seed against Na Alii in the playoffs.
Kapolei didn’t even get the home field, playing the rematch at Mililani for television. Both teams had already clinched a berth at the state tournament, but were playing for an all-important bye. Kapolei entered the contest at No. 5 in the Honolulu Advertiser’s rankings for being only other unbeaten team along with Kahuku.
The rematch was a completely different affair, with Aiea stunning the favorites for a 22-15 victory and the OIA White championship. Na Alii safety James Hadley sealed the surprise with an interception in the end zone late in the game.
Kaipo-Noa Keheaku-Enhada ran for 145 yards in the game and passed for 102 more. Jon Medeiros threw for 222 yards in the previous meeting, but didn’t complete a pass in the title tilt. He went 0-for-4 with an interception but did catch three passes for 26 yards.
Kapolei fell again a week after the shocker, losing 20-14 to Damien at Aiea in its state debut with Kaheaku-Enhada limited to 15 yards on the ground.
Aiea with a 29% and all backs against the wall , rallied together to challenge the undisputed undefeated #10 Kapolei. Every down felt like it was the game winning field goal kick to win a game . This goes down in the books as one of the best games ever played