Matchups Set for State Football Tournament

Hilo and Konawaena now know their potential path to a state championship.

The Hawai’i High School Athletic Association released the brackets for the 2015 First Hawaiian Bank/HHSAA State Football Championships on Saturday night. First round games begin on Nov. 6 and Nov. 7.

Hilo returns to the state tournament for the third consecutive year. The Vikings will open at Aloha Stadium on Friday night against Oahu Interscholastic Association runner-up Mililani at 7:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPN Radio and televised on OC16.

Mililani fell to Kahuku in the OIA championship game on Friday night by the score of 20-7. The Trojans have a week to answer questions about who will start at quarterback in the state tournament game. University of Hawai’i commit McKenzie Milton has missed most of the year due to injury, and backup quarterback Dillon Gabriel, just a freshman, was added to the injury list in the title game after suffering an injury. Sophomore Kaysen Higa threw a pair of interceptions in the loss.

On the other end, Hilo enters Friday’s game with a world of confidence after avenging a regular season loss to Kealakehe, winning the Big Island Interscholastic Federation Division I championship in dominant fashion over the Waveriders on Oct. 24. The Vikings scored 20 points on special teams and defensive touchdowns in the win.

In Division II, Konawaena returns to the state tournament after a year’s absence. Like Hilo, the Wildcats also avenged a regular season loss to Kamehameha-Hawai’i, but won the regular season championship and had secured home field advantage for the Division II championship game on Oct. 23.

Interscholastic League of Honolulu champion Damien will travel to Julian R. Yates field in

First Hawaiian Bank/HHSAA Division II state football bracket. HHSAA image.

Kealakekua to face Konawaena in a Division II opening round game on Nov. 7 at 7 p.m. ESPN Radio will broadcast the game.

Damien already holds a win on the Big Island. The Monarchs defeated Hawai’i Preparatory Academy 41-7 on Aug. 27 powered by four rushing touchdowns by four different players and five sacks.

Konawaena, on the other hand, has defeated an ILH opponent in Saint Francis, the only team to hand Damien a loss this season. The Wildcats defeated the Saints 18-6 in their season opener on Aug. 15.

The championship games will be held on Friday, Nov. 20 at Aloha Stadium

2015 First Hawaiian Bank/HHSAA State Football Championships

Division I (all games at Aloha Stadium)

Friday, Nov. 6

Baldwin (8-3, 8-1) vs. Waianae (8-3, 6-1) – 4:30 p.m. (OC16)

Hilo (7-4, 7-2) vs. Mililani (9-2, 7-1) – 7:30 p.m. (ESPN Radio/OC16)

Friday, Nov. 13

Baldwin/Waianae winner vs.  #1 Kahuku (11-0, 8-0) – 4:30 p.m. (OC16)

Hilo/Mililani winner vs. #2 Saint Louis (8-1, 6-1) – 7:30 p.m. (OC16)

Friday, Nov. 20

Division I Championship – 7:30 p.m. (OC16)

Division II

Saturday, Nov. 7

Kaimuki (7-4, 6-3) at Lahainaluna (6-5, 5-4) – 7 p.m. (Maui’s ESPN Radio)

Damien (6-1, 3-1) at Konawaena (10-1, 8-1) – 7 p.m. (ESPN Radio)

Saturday, Nov. 14

Kaimuki/Lahainaluna winner at #1 Kapa’a (8-0, 6-0) – 3 p.m. at Vindinha Stadium

Damien/Konawaena winner vs. #2 Radford (11-0, 9-0) (at Roosevelt High School) – 5 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 20

Division II championship – 4:30 p.m. (OC16)