The turn of the millennium in 2000 basically served as the launching point for Kahuku’s run of championships that has lasted 17 years.
The Red Raiders won the first of what is now eight state titles, ending Saint Louis’ incredible 14-year streak of championships (13 Prep Bowls, one state title) with a 26-20 victory in the D-I state final.
Coach of the year Siuaki Livai and defensive player and lineman of the year Chris Kemoe’atu, a 6-foot-5, 330-pound monster in the middle, led the way for the Red Raiders.
The year 2000 was also the final season for back of the year and offensive player of the year Pesefea Fiaseu of Saint Louis. The 5-foot-11, 220-pound running back joined Mark Atuaia, Mosi Tatupu and Joe Igber as the only players in Hawaii to top 3,500 career rushing yards and he finished with 51 career rushing touchdowns.
Kahuku placed eight players on the Star-Bulletin All-State team and 10 on the Honolulu Advertiser team. RB Marcus Salanoa and WR Saia Hafoka were the two left off the Star-Bulletin’s offensive squad. The Advertiser went with three running backs on its team while the Star-Bulletin put Kaimuki’s Justin Faimealelei ahead of Hafoka. Faimealelei was a utility selection by the Advertiser,
Kamehameha junior defensive lineman Brandon Ala was the only underclassman on the Star-Bulletin’s defensive team and Waianae defensive back Kekoa Reyes was the only underclassmen on the Advertiser’s defensive’s starting 13. The Advertiser had 25 players on its team but did not include a kicker, punter or returner. The Star-Bulletin had 27 but included those three positions.
(EDIT: Kahuku defensive lineman Jonathan Mapu made the Advertiser first team as a junior but is listed in the newspaper as a senior.)
For a listing of all prep football all-star teams over the years that have been posted, click here.
Doubleclick the images to zoom in.
Subscribers to the Star-Advertiser can search full-page archives going back two years for free (pages are not available on the archive for 30 days after publication) at Newspapers.com. To access digitized newspapers from farther back — all the way to 1840 — subscriptions to staradvertiser.newspapers.com are available for $7.95 per month or $29.95 for six months.
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