Baldwin Remains No. 9 in State Grid Poll

By Fred Guzman

Baldwin remained ninth in this week’s state high school football rankings as compiled by the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.  The Bears improved to 4-1 overall and 4-0 in the MIL by beating Maui High 42-6 last week.  No MIL games are scheduled this week because of the Maui Fair.

The state’s top-ranked teams, No. 1 Kahuku and No. 2 Farrington,  tangle Saturday in a much-anticipated OIA Red showdown that will not be televised because league officials want to maximize gate receipts.

The game will surely attract a huge crowd to Ticky Vasconellas Stadium at Roosevelt High. Ironically, the OIA put to rest rumors about the game being switched to another venue because of noise and overflow crowds that led to parking conflicts off campus have been issues for years. But the game will stay put and still not be aired on TV.

Leilehua is ranked third, followed by Punahou, Kamehameha-Kapalama, Campbell, defending state champ Saint Louis, Iolani, Baldwin and unbeaten Kaimuki, a D-II team from the OIA.

Punahou faces Kamehameha on Saturday at Aloha Stadium in a game with ILH title implications.

Kamehameha-Maui is ranked seventh in girls’ volleyball, improving its  MIL record to 6-0 last week with a win over Lahainaluna. The Warriors visit King Kekaulike on Thursday.

Punahou is No. 1, followed by Kamehamehaa-Kapalama, Kaiser and Kahuku.  Iolani, Kamehameha-Maui, Mililani, Hawaii Prep and Hawaii Baptist.