Baldwin, Maui High kick off football season

By Fred Guzman

The prep football season is upon us. Two MIL teams kick off their respective campaigns on Saturday, when Baldwin visits Kailua of Oahu while Maui High plays host to Waiakea of the Big Island in a 7 p.m. game at War Memorial Stadium.

There was a Honolulu newspaper report – incorrect, as it turned out – that the Maui High-Waiakea game had been cancelled.

But this much is true: The Sabers have been hard-hit by academic eligibility problems and will have to rely on a substantial number of untested sophomores to fill out the roster on Saturday.

Poor grades have impacted several teams across the state.

For example, Kalaheo was supposed to have helped Lahainaluna celebrate the installation of the West Side school’s new artificial field on Saturday. But the Mustangs pulled out of the game because of academic issues. On Oahu, Nanakuli cancelled its game against Waianae for the same reason.

Next Saturday, the Lunas visit Ke’eau of the Big Island and King Kekaulike plays host to Kwansai Gakun of Japan. On Aug. 26, a Thursday night, Baldwin will challenge visiting San Clemente of California and, n Sept. 4, Kamehameha-Maui plays host to La Jolla of California.

The MIL regular-season begins on Friday, Aug. 27, when Maui High and Kamehameha tangle at War Memorial Stadium and, the next night, Baldwin plays host to Kekaulike.