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The Maui News
The Erdman Invitational Maui Rugby Tournament will run today and Saturday with the state's top clubs and several college coaches in attendance.
Play starts today at 3 p.m. and Saturday at 8:20 a.m. at the Central Maui Regional Sports Complex.
The tournament will offer age-group competition at the under-8, under-10 and under-12 age groups competing in flag rugby. Three divisions for boys and girls will be held in the 14, 16 and 18 age groups.
"This is our big one for kids all over the state," Maui Rugby Union administrator Jack Breen said. "We have people from all over the state coming."
The headline matches are at the 18 age division. The sevens championship matches will be 10:20 a.m. for the girls and 11:40 a.m. for boys on Saturday.
Also in the 18 age division, Maui and Kahuku will play regulation 15-per-side matches at 1:30 p.m. for girls and 2:30 p.m. for boys.
"The Kahuku girls are the defending national champion and our girls in the first meeting with them lost a close game 17-12," Breen said. "I'm very proud of our girls for that and we're looking forward to a very fiery game with them."
The Maui 18 boys are currently ranked No. 1 in the state after they defeated Kahuku, Hilo and Kona on Oahu in the first tournament of the series.
Kahuku is making the trip to Maui for the first time in 12 years, traveling with four teams.
"Kalihi's been here, Waimea's been here, but Maui hasn't lost on Maui, so until someone beats us on Maui we're not conceding that we're not the top dog," Breen said.
Coaches from Central Iowa, the small college national champion, Harvard and American International from Boston will be in attendance.
Sione Lolohea, Mitchell Hirose and Viliami Makoni, all football players for Maui High School, are among the top boys from Maui. Rugby-specific athletes Mason MacDonald and Matthew Vaea are also among the top Mauians.
Rugby Sevens Magazine will be live streaming the tournament online, according to Breen. Admission to all of the matches is free.