Monday Morning MIL: Lunas welcome Farmers to 11-player football in more ways than one

As Lahainaluna football head coach Dean Rickard prepared to take a lead role in the chow line, he kissed his granddaughters good night, smiled and rolled up his sleeves to start serving his opponents. 

Mike Kahale, head coach of the Moloka‘i team that the Lunas had just beaten, couldn’t imagine it any other way.

It was a scene that is familiar and welcome in the Maui Interscholastic League — potluck dinner for all players first and then basically everybody else — but it was a unique scene on Saturday night on the Lahainaluna High School campus.

Lahainaluna welcomed Moloka‘i to the MIL 11-player ranks with a clinical 59-0 decision in front of a packed Sue Cooley Stadium. The teams had barely finished shaking hands in the post-game line before the veteran head coaches went to work rounding up their kids into the locker rooms to shower and then prepare for dinner.

Sharing a feast, breaking bread, taking care of the kids, by whatever name or label, it is inherently local tradition here after some of the bigger games, cross-country races or matches to sit down to a post-competition meal. 

When it comes to Moloka‘i and Lāna‘i, it is a necessity in nearly every sport they play in the MIL simply because they live on different islands. While the Lunas haven’t played the Farmers in a varsity football game like Saturday’s since at least the 1960s, the scene was no different, albeit a lot larger than most of the MIL potlucks.

Rickard was asking each of the first-in-line Farmers if they wanted “beef or curry” stews as he stood behind two giant, steaming-hot pots. Further down the line, one of the most colorful desserts was a strawberry crumble cake that Teani, Dean’s daughter, made for the occasion.

The impressive line of food was put together largely by the Lahainaluna coaches’ wives or other family members. 

“I think it’s great for team morale and just the camaraderie that can be shared,” Rickard said of the tradition. “Kids will be kids and it’s good for them to show that bonding. I think that’s what is important, that despite what went on in the game, after this we can sit down, share a dinner and just talk about things, maybe other than football.”

It was especially meaningful for the two communities to gather after Moloka‘i residents came to Lahaina’s aid following the deadly wildfire on Aug. 8, 2023. A heartfelt thank you message was read by public address announcer Walter Chihara during the game, thanking Moloka‘i folks for their immediate response and help delivering supplies via boats to West Maui. 

“I think it’s awesome, you get to break bread with those guys and talk story with those guys,” Kahale said. “The boys, they left it out on the field, and now they can build relationships. They are going to see each other in other sports, they might even be playing on the same college team or against each other at some point. So, I think it’s cool.”

During the game, the Lunas played all 40 of their available players, but the Farmers hung tough through one quarter when the Lunas led 10-0 at the end of 12 minutes of play. Lahainaluna’s five-touchdown explosion in the second quarter pushed the game to the 35-point mercy rule that calls for a running clock for the entire second half. 

Michael Rayray scored on touchdown runs of 11, 10 and 9 yards, while Joseph Arcangel was 7-for-7 on extra points, added a 27-yard field goal and scored on a 10-yard run. Kyle Thomas scored on runs of 14 and 5 yards, while Kua Bacalso and Tristan Badua scored second-half touchdowns.

Arcangel had 75 yards on eight carries and Thomas had 74 yards on five carries — 13 different players recorded a rush for the Lunas. 

“We told our kids ‘we cannot take this team for granted,’ ” Rickard said. “And they showed it because they were are physical as any other team in the MIL.”

Moloka‘i quarterback Kahakoi Lopez connected with Kinohi Kaupu three times for 32 yards through the air. Lopez, who added 10 yards rushing on five carries, also had a 2-yard completion to Makena Kahale.

Mike Kahale lamented some first-game mistakes and jitters, adding “I thought the boys played tough there in that first quarter. It was (10-0) and I think one of those touchdowns came on a mistake that we had where they had it deep in our territory, so I felt like we were competitive there. We’re a little bit low on numbers, but it is what it is. … ‘Welcome to the MIL, mahalo Lahainaluna.’ ”

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Baldwin wins again, Kamehameha Maui handles Maui High

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Baldwin High School won its second straight game, 14-0 over King Kekaulike Saturday night at War Memorial Stadium — it was the Bears’ first MIL win since Oct. 23, 2021, when they beat King Kekaulike 22-0.

Last week, Baldwin broke a 22-game overall losing streak with a 13-7 win over Kaua‘i.

On Saturday, Baldwin’s Tyler Antonio scored on a 7-yard run in the first quarter and Brock Toma dove in to the end zone from a yard out in the fourth quarter. Kili Kamakeeaina made both PAT kicks for the Bears.

Kamehameha Maui beat Maui High 38-10 on Friday. Warriors’ backup quarterback Bransyn Hong threw touchdown passes of 1 yard to Frank Abreu and 33 yards to Kaonohi Casco. Hong also ran for two touchdowns of 16 yards and 3 yards. Tevyn Apo had an 89-yard kickoff return for a touchdown for the Warriors, who also got five PATs and a 20-yard field goal from Kayden Yap.

Maui High, playing its first game of the season after last week’s preseason contest at Kea‘au was canceled due to weather concerns, got a 90-yard kickoff return from Siosiua Filikitonga and a 21-yard field goal by Nathaniel Russell.

Two 1-0 teams in the MIL — Baldwin and Kamehameha Maui — will play Friday at Kana‘iaupuni Stadium, while Saturday will see Maui High host Moloka‘i at War Memorial Stadium and Lahainaluna travel to King Kekaulike.

*HJI’s “Monday Morning MIL” columns appear weekly on Monday mornings with updates on local sports in the Maui Interscholastic League and elsewhere around Maui County. Please send column ideas — anything having to do with sports in Maui County — as well as results and photos to rob@hjinow.org.