Tonga ignited Kahuku surge

After a quick stumble out of the starting gates, the Kahuku girls volleyball team broke into its stride and never looked back, racing all the way to a share of the O'ahu Interscholastic Association Red Conference Eastern Division title.

The Red Raiders, who finished 11-1 and tied for first with Moanalua after losing to Na Menehune in the season opener, swept top postseason honors as 6-foot-1 senior middle blocker Amanda Tonga was named Player of the Year and Uila Fotu Vendiola was named Coach of the Year.

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Kahuku seeking 6th state crown

Although Kahuku is the winningest team in the 11-year history of the First Hawaiian Bank State Football Tournament, the top-ranked Red Raiders return to the title game for only the first time in three years when they play No. 2 Kamehameha Friday at Aloha Stadium.

The Division I championship starts at 7:30 p.m.

Two-time defending champion 'Iolani will be seeking its fourth overall Division II title when it meets Kaua'i at 4:30 p.m.

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Mercado gives Kahuku a leg up

Kahuku High School senior Cameron Mercado is not intimidated by long distances, whether it's 50 yards or 5,000 miles.

Mercado, whose three field goals — including a 49-yarder — lifted the Red Raiders to a 9-6 victory over Farrington last night, transferred to Kahuku from Boca Raton (Fla.) High School in January. His sister had been attending Hawai'i Pacific University, and he was looking for a change in scenery.

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Crash kills ex-Kahuku star

Posted on: Monday, November 16, 2009

LA'IE — Waika Carvalho, Kahuku High School's former standout quarterback and the nephew of Kaua'i Mayor Bernard Carvalho, was killed Saturday night in a single-truck crash that injured four other young men.

Carvalho, 23, of Hau'ula, played on the 2003 Red Raiders squad that stormed to an undefeated 14-0 record and the O'ahu Interscholastic Association championship and state title. The Red Raiders beat Saint Louis at Aloha Stadium that year to win the state prep crown.

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Kahuku shows uncanny ability to pull out wins

Along with their red T-shirts, red-and-white pom poms and glittery poster board signs, the thousands of Kahuku High School football fans making the trek to Aloha Stadium for tomorrow's state semifinal game against Farrington should remember to pack one more thing:

High-blood pressure medicine.

Because if the 4 p.m. showdown is anything like the Red Raiders' past three games, hearts will be racing in the fourth quarter.

Kahuku, the state's only Division I unbeaten team at 11-0, has reached this point only after an O'ahu Interscholastic Association playoff run that included a goal-line stand in the closing seconds against Mililani, a game-winning touchdown with 27 seconds remaining vs. Castle and a fourth-quarter, two-TD rally to edge Leilehua in the championship game.

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North Shore woman chosen Miss Hawaii USA

Renee Mokihana Nobriga, from Oahu's North Shore was crowned the 2010 Miss Hawaii USA last night at LEVEL4 in the Royal Hawaiian Center in Waikiki.

Nobriga, 25, is a model and works in sales. She is the daughter of Kealoha and Iwalani Nobriga, lives in Pupukea and graduated from Kahuku High School in 2002. Nobriga has an associate's degree from the University of Hawaii at Manoa in liberal arts.

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Kahuku's D-line loves to pressure

Kahuku football coach Reggie Torres is a man with high expectations. But that hasn't been a problem for a trio of Red Raiders' defensive linemen.

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Kahuku rallies late to topple Leilehua, 24-20

Hauoli Jamora achieved a lineman's dream by scoring a touchdown, but he'll take the five sacks that helped top-ranked Kahuku rally past No. 3 Leilehua 24-20 last night at Aloha Stadium to win its second consecutive and 14th O'ahu Interscholastic Association football title since 1970.

Punga Vea's 44-yard touchdown run on an end reverse with five minutes, six seconds left in the game was the second of two fourth-quarter TDs to help the Red Raiders come back from a 20-10 deficit after three quarters.

Kahuku (11-0) draws a first-round state Division I tournament bye and plays in one semifinal Nov. 27 at Aloha Stadium.

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