Lahainaluna quarterback Lyrik Kahula releases a pass during practice at South Maui Community Park on Sept. 7. The Lunas and Sabers have agreed to swap home dates for their two games, meaning Maui High will be the host team when they meet Oct. 7 at War Memorial Stadium, and Lahainaluna will host the game on Oct. 28 at Sue Cooley Stadium. The Maui News / MATTHEW THAYER photo

Lahainaluna High School’s athletic department, in collaboration with the Maui Interscholastic League, announced a slight modification to the schedule for the upcoming football games against Maui High School on Oct. 7 and Oct. 28, the school and league announced in a news release to The Maui News on Tuesday.

The Lunas and Sabers have agreed to swap home dates for their two games, meaning Maui High will be the host team when they meet Oct. 7 at War Memorial Stadium, and Lahainaluna will host the game on Oct. 28 at Sue Cooley Stadium.

Lahainaluna also announced that it will field a junior varsity team this season — the changes come to the delayed scheduled that became necessary in the wake of the Aug. 8 wildfires that devastated Lahaina.

“These changes are being implemented in the interest of safety for our student-athletes, spectators, and the community in the aftermath of the recent wildfire in Lahaina and the reopening of school on Lahainaluna’s campus.” The news release said.

“State and federal agencies have been actively involved in ensuring the safety and security of our facilities, and we appreciate their dedication to this important cause. The adjustments to the schedule will allow for thorough inspections and necessary safety measures to be taken to guarantee a secure environment for everyone involved in the games.”

The Oct. 7 game between the two teams at War Memorial Stadium will have a JV game beginning at 4:30 p.m. and the varsity slated to start at 7.

On Oct. 28, at Sue Cooley Stadium on Lahainaluna’s campus, the start times will be the same.

The Lunas football schedule will now be as follows, with JV and varsity games beginning at 4:30 and 7 p.m. each week: Sept. 30, vs. Baldwin at War Memorial Stadium; Oct. 7, vs. Maui High at War Memorial Stadium; Oct. 14, vs. Kamehameha Maui at War Memorial Stadium; Oct. 21, vs. Baldwin at Sue Cooley Stadium; Oct. 28, vs. Maui High at Sue Cooley Stadium.

The Maui High vs. Baldwin varsity game on Oct. 13 and the Kamehameha Maui vs. Lahainaluna game on Oct. 14 will be televised on OC-16 TV. Both take place at War Memorial Stadium.

The Lunas’ games against fellow MIL Division I foes Maui High and Baldwin will count for state tournament selection and a playoff game, if necessary, will be held either Oct. 3 or 4 at War Memorial Stadium.

The Lunas had about 80 players at practice on Saturday in Kihei, where they are practicing as they physically attend Kulanihako’i High School campus in Kihei as a “school within a school” in state Department of Education terminology. The Lunas are set to return to their campus in mid-October.

“We are excited to announce the addition of a JV football team to our schedule, providing an opportunity for younger talents to showcase their skills and develop their passion for the sport. The JV games will precede the varsity games, with kick-off at 4:30 p.m. We acknowledge that the decision to introduce a JV football team this season may have unintended consequences,” the news release said. “Initially, we planned for a single team due to uncertainty about the number of participants. However, with nearly 80 kids now involved, we believe that incorporating a JV team is advantageous.

“This move is aimed at ensuring our younger athletes remain active and engaged, promoting their social and emotional well-being.”

The news release concluded: “Lahainaluna High School is committed to providing a safe and enjoyable experience for all our student-athletes and fans, and we appreciate your understanding and support during these necessary adjustmentments to our schedule.

“Lahainaluna’s athletic department would like to recognize the flexibility of Maui High School to make this happen for the Lahaina community and team, as we are excited to have the ability to play in front of our community on our home field.”

* Robert Collias is at rcollias@mauinews.com