Kahuku football

The Kahuku football team is prominently featured in a Sports Illustrated story on si.com. An in-depth story, written by Austin Murphy, was posted on SI.com Wednesday and can be read here. Murphy calls the Kahuku football program “the most interesting, exotic, surprising football program in the U.S.” And he proclaims it with apologies to Texas, Ohio, Florida and Pennsylvania. There are quotes from Red Raiders head coach Makoa Freitas, assistants Sola Soliai and Faasea Mailo as well as from former […]

Football coordinator Richard Townsend and the others who ruled the OIA in 1999 probably could never have imagined a machine like the current Kahuku program. Kahuku’s success has turned the mercy rule into the norm rather than the exception. Since it was instituted by Townsend and the OIA in the 1999 season, there have been 32 playoffs games that ended under a running clock. Half of them occurred from 1999-2014 and the other half have happened in the last three […]

An OIA three-peat is now within sight for Kahuku. The No. 2 Red Raiders secured their place in the OIA championship game after a convincing 42-7 win over No. 7 Campbell on Friday night at Aloha Stadium. Holding a relatively slim 21-7 lead at halftime, Kahuku coach Makoa Freitas wanted his team to loosen up and stick to the basics in the second half. “I just told the kids to refocus and come out and focus on having fun, and […]

There was just a tiny window of opportunity when Kahuku coach Makoa Freitas graciously spent a few minutes chatting with Hawaii Prep World on Thursday. Freitas is in his first season as head coach and the Red Raiders are unbeaten in Oahu Interscholastic Association Division I play, in the throes of what could be another epic title run. Freitas, the former Indianapolis Colts offensive lineman, is as even-keeled as they go. Not surprising for someone who considers Tony Dungy one […]

The Kapolei Hurricanes were on the verge of a breakthrough after a season of extreme ups and downs. No. 2 Kahuku wasn’t willing to budge. The Red Raiders are in a metamorphosis, a power-running team for decades on end that can turn to sophomore quarterback Sol-Jay Maiava for the quick third-down conversion by air. That happened again and again as the patient Red Raiders patiently imposed their will with sheer force and precise finesse en route to a 35-7 victory […]