Saint Louis is declining an invitation to a national bowl game, the school announced to Hawaii Prep World today.
The Crusaders (11-0) — No. 7 in the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 and No. 15 in the USA Today Super 25 — were invited to the Geico State Champions Bowl Series.
UPDATE: Rashid Ghazi, who helped create Paragon Marketing Group, which created the GEICO Bowl Series, told USA Today and confirmed with Hawaii Prep World that Saint Louis had originally agreed to play in the event.
“The package we were providing Saint Louis was all expenses paid, including flights, hotels, meals, accommodations and ground transportation for a traveling party of 75 plus a cash rights fee for the school and one for the HHSAA,” he said.
The timing is not right for Saint Louis to make the trip for the Dec. 22 event, according to Glenn Medeiros, the president of Saint Louis School.
In a prepared statement, Medeiros wrote, “After winning the Open state football championship, the school considered participating in the Geico State Champions Bowl Series. Although it would be an honor to be involved, coaches Cal and Ron Lee, co-athletic directors Ryan Blangiardi and Gerald Welch spent the last few days considering if this trip would be in the best interest of our students. Although traveling is a wonderful way to educate students about the world around them, proving more exposure for our athletes, this particular game takes place during finals week. For this reason, students attending would have to miss their final exams. Additionally, not all players would be able to make the trip, given certain limitations which include the number of hotel rooms available and the cost associated with travel that the school would subsidize (and) families being responsible for assisting financially.
“Moreover, several families have already made plans to travel or make visits to colleges or simply take family vacations during this time. Furthermore, this game does not represent a playoff game, where a national champion is crowned. It is simply an exhibition game against a nationally ranked opponent, similar to those of which we play each year at the beginning of the season, when academics is not adversely affected. Finally, participating in this game would mean that athletes already committed to other sports would have to abandon those teams during the month of December.”
The Crusaders wrapped up their third straight top-tier state championship on Saturday at Aloha Stadium, defeating Mililani 38-17. They have won 26 games in a row.
Cal Lee was reached via cell phone and asked about Medeiros’ statement.
“The timing was not right,” Lee said about the decision to not take the trip. “It’s finals week at the same time. Players have family vacations. Players are playing other sports, such as basketball and wrestling and those sports have already started. It would have been a great opportunity. I wish I could have made it work for the kids’ sake.”
Chris Chun, the HHSAA executive director, said the HHSAA has been working closely with the Bowl Series for the last few months trying to get Hawaii’s state champion into the game.
“We wanted to give our state champion the opportunity to participate in this event,” Chun said in a statement to Hawaii Prep World on Wednesday. “The HHSAA respects Saint Louis School’s decision to decline the invitation for the reasons mentioned.”
The field is not set for the Dec. 22 Bowl Series. Four teams will be picked for a doubleheader out of the six state champions from Arizona, Utah, Florida, Washington, Maryland and Georgia. Most states crown their champions in December.
Saint Louis has defeated Narbonne (Calif.) each of the last two seasons at Aloha Stadium and has won three straight games against mainland opponents since losing to St. John Bosco (Calif.) in 2014 at Aloha Stadium.
The Crusaders haven’t traveled to the mainland for a game since beating West High in Salt Lake City in 1999.
Such a wrong move by the school. Those boys deserve the national spotlight and would bring so much more exposure not only to St Louis but to all the football Athletes in Hawaii. Why not test our best vs other states best? Possibly bring in more recruiting trips to the Hawaii boys. The team can always take their finals the week before, and as far as other sports, there are maybe 2 or 3 kids max playing Varsity Basketball? in which the program is not a very good under Sol Batoon. So why even use that as an excuse? And wrestling can also be put on hold temporarily… but I guess respect their decision. Although its a wrong one.
Hahaha Typical! We will never know I promise you will get your ass handed Cal not dumb! You take the best kids from the whole island an beat up on the other schools, an your number #1 Helloooo you better be! Stop playing the rubbish show your pride! You nothing in the mainland #5 will drop I promise lose money! At least play top 10
With finals for the players and families already made other commitments, it would be hard to gather everyone already. For St. Louis to represent the 808, they need the full team and push finals till later. Too bad the timing was not there for St. Louis. And why California is not in the mix. They have 3 or 4 of the top 10 teams in the maxprep rankings.
Hopefully in the future, the schools that wins the State title can attend this bowl, knowing before hand that this opportunity is available for the state champs, so that families can possibly prepare for this bowl game. And hopefully the HHSAA can help to fund raise to sponsor a team to travel?
yes it’s unfortunate for the other sports to be missing a key player, teammate, but what an opportunity it would be for those that had the chance to show what Hawaii Football is all about.
STL administration is the problem. They could’ve made this work. They need to get rid of Ryan Blangiardi. He brings nothing to the table and is a terrible AD. The guy is living off Daddy’s legacy. Wake Up STL adminstration. Without football your school shuts down. Let the boys get as much exposure as they can, not to mention exposure for the school. Instead of running useless ads in the paper and on TV, use that money for what’s brings in the money….football. When Cal leaves the school is going to be broke, again.
Hahaha. Oh wait for the 1st time in a few years the odds were stack against Cal Lee crusaders. the players wouldve loved this opportunity, but Cal Lee dont want to play on mainland Soil against these mainland teams who already hitting their strides. Everytime St. Louis faced a mainland team it was in the beginning of the season. Ahhhhh wouldve loved to see it happen. Sad bc this was one of his best Squad he had in years…
Crusaders can not travel, last trip to mainland was a disaster.
Just from the responses of #1 & #2 it’s apparent that academics means a lot more to private schools than public schools. St. Louis doesn’t have to prove anything to anyone especially to haters. They’ve had to put up with that BS for the last 30+ years. Yet it hasn’t changed anything, they’re stilling winning, still producing national champs and Heisman trophy winners. Cal Lee doesn’t even care what people think about him or his program. He’s to busy polishing all of his trophies and preparing to put them in their new multi-million dollar gym and locker room. I guess the rich do get richer. Don’t be J there’s always another way, to shut down Lou Lou, just beat them. Have a Merry Christmas.
If you let the parents vote, I bet it would be 99.9% for the kids to play. Almost any parent would cancel their plans, take out a loan if they couldn’t afford it and make this ONCE in a Lifetime trip happen…
But like I said before, CAL will kindly beat up on Hawaii high schools but Tuck his Tail when it’s time to travel & play other Top 5 schools that also Recruit.
Timing and Money is a terrible excuse! Half the island would chip in money to see this game happen. Can’t wait to hear all the STL Academy Alumni excuses coming soon!!
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
So a few years ago they were talking about playing a national schedule, what happened that was all smoke and mirrors.
I’m an alum and already stated how I feel. It has nothing to do with a travel ban. Most of the administration now weren’t even around when the Vegas trip happened in 98. It has everything to do with the school administration. As far as top five teams none from California will be there.
Typical responses from people who have really no interest or connection with St. Louis. So fake and transparent, they don’t actually want to see how St. Louis does against a mainland team. They just want to see St. Louis get beaten by someone, something that 26 public and private schools haven’t been able to do. Don’t feign concern about the students opportunities to prove themselves and how parents can take out loans if they really cared. A big BS, all you trolls can say the same thing when another Hawaii high school is invited…oh, that’s right, that ain’t going to happen. Lose Money !!!
Be real, Cal Lee and his boosters run that school and if Cal really wanted to he could snap his finger and Blangiardi and Medeiros would be gone!! Without Cal & Ron STL school would shut down like it almost did when he went to UH.
???
Youre on a roll. Lol… Yessah Blessah 🤣🤣🤣
Coach York and also Kahuku wouldn’t hesitate to make this trip happen!!
Hopefully all the kids and their parents see how STL Academy just screwed their kids once in a lifetime trip at basically a High School Super Bowl.
This will cause some kids to transfer (Guaranteed)
A lot of the mainland teams have just started their seasons. Most wont get done till mid December. I think this is why they play the mainland teams in the beginning or mid season. Would be tough to keep the kids going with no one else to scrimmage. Just my input.
Brah…….you are the worst one on here…you are so one track minded. You are an idiot. That’s it. Just stop.
Student athletes… Academics first.
OK, so start planning for next years trip, because the Crusaders are going to be 4- Peat CHAMPS, BETTAH NOT BE EXCUESS NEXT YEAR THIS TIME FO NOT LETTING DA BOYS PLAY, FO SURE, G2G. Crusader Strong!!!
The HHSAA has been talking with the Bowl Series the past few months to get the “state champion” into the game? There’s NO WAY that team would have been anyone but St. Louis. If Mililani won, they wouldn’t have been ranked high enough to make the bowl. Guarantee that talk was about getting St Louis into the bowl game as long as they won out, and that was it. I don’t think there was an invite for Mililani, regardless of the outcome of the Open Final. Everybody calling St Louis scared clearly got spanked by them the past 2 years, and is just hating, as always, on a bunch of kids #loozas
Student athletes?
Lol
Good one.
@#18 Real
Student athletes… Academics first.
You obviously not a STL alumni😂
HHSAA was working on this for months… and didn’t tell a soul that there maybe an option for a bowl game for the winner? How hard would it have been to months ago announce. Hey the winner of the Open Division could be invited to a bowl game so be prepared… Sounds like HHSAA Is good story.
???
Take out a loan? For a high school game? The only loan I’m taking out for my family is a home loan! I’m not gonna put myself in debt for a High school game and I hope other parents wouldn’t either. It’s expensive enough just trying to live here! They will have many more life experiences that are once in a lifetime! It doesn’t matter the reason…they ain’t going! They still won what matters the most. The State of Hawaii Open division. Isn’t that what all teams in Hawaii play for. Whether they played on the mainland or not they won what they were supposed win! They need to start fundraising now so that money is no excuse next time and schedule a trip in the preseason. I hope that you would cheer for the Hawaii team if they did go!! Wishful thinking!
???
I don’t see anyone on this thread offering to chip in anything. So that half the island comment was false.
@Afan
The school gotta agree to go first and then the donations would start flowing in. Blangiardi’s Dad, Duke Aiona and June Jones alone can pay for that trip… AHHH C’MON
UPDATE: Rashid Ghazi, who helped create Paragon Marketing Group, which created the GEICO Bowl Series, told USA Today and confirmed with Hawaii Prep World that Saint Louis had originally agreed to play in the event. “The package we were providing Saint Louis was all expenses paid, including flights, hotels, meals, accommodations and ground transportation for a traveling party of 75 plus a cash rights fee for the school and one for the HHSAA,” he said.
@Afan
I’m glad you’re not my parent !!
I would definitely pay for my son/daughter to play in a game like this. Anyway, the parents never said no; it was Cal & the Admin….
blah blah blah this isn’t a 1 game trip like kahuku took to get demolished from Bishop Gorman…(they basically went up there just to do their haka)…lol…… to take 80+ players and coaches to the states for couple of weeks paying for travel and lodging….then feeding these beast atleast 4 times a day, finding a place to practice,transportation, laundry etc…….. psh forget it
Saint Louis ranked in the top10 is a joke. Who have they played this season or let alone the last several seasons? Nobody! This was an opportunity to show that you truly deserve the ranking. Don’t deserve the ranking.
????
You would be yourself in debt for a high school game! Crazy!!! Fundraise and play the game at the beginning of the year. All you concerned about is high school! I’ll be happy going to watch my kids play at the college level!
The administration along with some of the coaches made a decision based on what they feel was in the best interest of the students. Although I don’t agree with their decision, I didn’t apply for a coaching position this season nor did I apply for a facility/administration position either. So unless you are embedded in one of those two groups, feel free to voice your opinion then hurry back to your Netflix and Pizza Hut. Leave the decision making to the men in charge. 😉 PROUD STL PARENT
Great move by the Administration. There’s nothing left to prove and this bowl game will not include any of the top (CA) teams so just another money grab. Haters just want to see STL play another mainland team to see if they can stop STL. Well they can wait another year as the Crusaders will be even better and will receive more national recognition when the 2nd Heisman comes to Kalaepohaku.
An amazing opportunity they should have tried to do it. It would have put saint Louis and it’s players on the map. And also the whole Hawaii would have benefited, but it is what it is. Tag Mililani in, I’m sure they would jump on it.
cal is scared and ducking a challenge. when the ILH can’t stack the rules in their favor, they run and hide. pathetic!
Coming from a former teacher, I saw it first hand that academics is second to football. When good football players transferred to St Louis and were special ed in public school but all of a sudden admitted into a private school cause they are good in football 🤔
C’mon people. It’s a high school football game which doesn’t really mean anything in the end except bragging rights. Therefore, why risk your seniors getting injured when they have their college careers ahead of them? People need to be proud that a Hawaii team was invited and just stop hating on SLS.
Academics first?😂😂. Biggest joke so far. Finals week? Send a couple academic advisors and have them administer final exams on the road.
Come on man THE TOP TEAMS IN THE COUNTRY NOT PLAYING!!!!! Can’t win with you guys ,if they did play and win you all be saying the top teams didn’t participate…. Congratulations AGAIN Stl great year . SAINTS SAINTS SAINTS….
So many trash talkers and liars. I’m here to tell you that you can lie, trash talk, all you want. At the end of the day, there’s still a new banner to be hung in the gym, another name on the koa trophy. You can come to these boards with your sad lives while they celebrate yet another championship.
Even though some of the top teams wouldnt play in the this tourney. Its the exposure on a national stage. It would be a win-win situation even if they lose, because they would have been the first team from Hawai’i to play in this showcase. And maybe could open the door for teams in the future.
Crusaders finish on top again. Cleaned out the whole state and Narbonne.
Narbonne is currently in the 1-AA seminfinals and projected to go all the way. They have three losses this year (STL, LB Poly, and Centennial) with the Crusaders ROUTING them the worst of all three.
Job well done Gentlemen!
Charles Amai
Narbonne isnt in the top division in the state of California. Div 1aa is the same as Div 1 in Hawai’i. And that game where Narbonne flew in, they had numerous of starters who didnt play due to the transfer rule. SJB and Mater Dei are the teams CAL Lee needs to schedule. Enough with the excuses if OIA teams such as Kahuku can schedule in 2016 #1 gorman and this year Mililani played #1 Bosco. STL definitely can schedule bosco or mater dei next year. Those school arent afraid, they play elite competition on a yearly basis.
Great move by STL and even better public announcement to try and change the culture of football over academics. By reading the posts above, a lot of you could benefit from basic grammar and spelling and should probably retake HS, to be honest. Second, even if finances were all accounted for, who really benefits from this game? ADULTS are living vicariously through their children to measure who has the biggest junk. Third, as a teenager, playing 12 or 13 football games is incredibly stressful on the body especially coming off an emotional win and season. College football plays the same amount of games because of the maturity of the body. Fourth, read a little on leadership and mentorship because that’s what HS coaches are for, not to stroke their own ego by winning at all costs and under-developing the maturity of a young adult. Sometimes you have to take the hard right over the easy wrong. Last, it’s time for Hawaii to progress and realize there is more to life than “island style”. Get an education and shoot for the stars, stop promoting mediocrity.
Izzz Statue….Time to introduce you to YOUR LANE.
Check the number of D1 athletes Narbonne produces every year and tell me if they look anything close to Waipahu? Also let me know how stink your foot taste while you at it.
STL cleaned HOUSE….Bottom Line
Did Kahuku no good playing Gorman pre season and same thing with Bingham…In fact they got worse and no State rings.
You are an expert at being SALTY and dats about it….Kick Rocks…DEUCES
wait, if they were getting an all-expenses paid trip to play, why is St. Louis bringing up finances and the inability to fund a trip? lol.
Eye Witness
Just curious. Do you know if any of those public school special ed players who transferred to St. Louis went on to play college ball?
So why there aren’t any California teams participating?
YOU CAN’T JUST EXCEPT AN INVITATION THIS LATE IN THE SEASON FOR THE HAWAII PLAYERS, THIS GAME WAS JUST MENTIONED A FEW DAYS AGO THAT THEY MIGHT BE ELIGIBLE AFTER THE SEASON FROM THE MAINLAND TEAMS WHICH FINISHES THERE CHAMPIONSHIPS IN DECEMBER, AND THE ADMINISTRATION IS CORRECT ON WHAT THEY ARE DOING, BECAUSE OF PLAYERS ALREADY IN OTHER SPORTS AND OF ACADEMIC REASONS, AND SOMEONE MENTIONED IF IT WAS KAHUKU OR MILILANI THEY WOULD GO, COACHES MIGHT WANT TO GO, BUT I’M SURE THE ADMINISTRATION WOULD HAVE NOT ALLOWED IT TOO IN THE OIA. COACH CAL LEE CAN’T MAKE THE CALL ON THIS DECISION, BUT I’M SURE HE RESPECTS THE DECISION BY THE ADMINISTRATION AT SAINT LOUIS.
YOU EVER HEARD OF THAT KID–WHEN THE COACH SENT HIM INTO HIS FIRST FOOTBALL GAME & TOLD HIM TOO GO GET VICIOUS!! AND HE CAME SRINTING OUT OF THE GAME NEXT PLAY & SAID COACH COACH”WAT NUMBER IS VEE–CIOUS!!! YOU ISLAND BOYZ ARE VEECIUS!!THE GAME OF FOOTBALL IS ALL ABOUT MONEY & GREED NOW!! GIVE CREDIT WHEN ITS DUE…YOUR FAMILY,PLAYERS,ACADEMICS WILL ALWAYS COME FIRST–FOOTBALL SEASON PAUHANA–COACH LEE HAS ALOT OF TALENT ON HIS TEAM BUT THE OLD BALL COACH IS THE MOST TALENTED!!GIVUM HELL COACH & GO DOGGIES#$