Cordeiro, Mauga take Star-Advertiser’s top honors

Seniors brought the lumber in the 2017 edition of the Honolulu Star-Advertiser’s All-State football teams that were released on Sunday.

Seniors took 20 of the 26 spots on the first team led by Players of the Year Chevan Cordeiro of Saint Louis and Waianae linebacker Kana’i Mauga.

It is their first time on the first team, something they have in common with 17 other seniors. Only Saint Louis linebacker Noa Purcell repeated from last year after Waianae running back Rico Rosario slipped to the second team.

Arasi Mose and Faatui Tuitele of Saint Louis have a chance to repeat next year, along with fellow juniors Akoni Tom-Makue of Leilehua and Kahuku’s Miki Ah You.

Pokii Adkins-Kupukaa of Campbell and Kahuku’s Kaonohi Kaniho are the only sophomores on the first team.

Cordeiro continues an impressive streak for the Crusaders. In the school’s long history of great quarterbacks, they have had the top quarterback in the state for the last three years, with Tua Tagovailoa taking it in 2015 and 2016. Saint Louis has not been able to say that since 1999, when Timmy Chang, Jason Gesser and Darnell Arceneaux won it each year between 1994-99. The last Crusader senior to land on the first team without being on it before was Marcus Mariota in 2010.

Saint Louis has had at least one offensive player named first-team All-State every year since 2004 and had at least one player ever year since 1982, a stretch of 35 years. The last time the Crusaders failed to land an offensive lineman on the team was 2009.

Mauga joins an impressive list as well. He heads to USC knowing that he joins George Kauwalu (2006), Chris Paogofie (1995), Derrick Mahaulu (1982), Kurt Gouveia (1981), Max Maneafaiga (1979), Nathan Fletcher (1977) and Tom Tuinei (1975) as Seariders who were judged the best defensive player in the land.

Here is a list of every All-State first teamer for a newspaper over the years: