Lahainaluna defeated King Kekaulike 42-21 in a Maui Interscholastic League football game Saturday at King Kekaulike Field.

The Lunas’ offense was potent in the contest and, after taking a seven-point lead into halftime, produced 14 more points in both the third and fourth quarters while holding King Kekaulike to half as many.

Lunas’ head coach Dean Rickard said his team is becoming more balanced on offense, and it’s good to see the Lunas increasing the number of passes to advance down the field.

“We kept mixing it up,” Rickard said. “We’ve been one dimensional too long.”

He said the team was also strengthened with the welcomed return of some of the Lunas’ injured players, who had sat out a couple of games but played last weekend.

That’s also a big help because, as Ricard explained, over the last two years after the 2023 Lahaina wildfire, the team has lost about 10 to 12 players who transferred to other schools. Now, the Lunas have 38 players, instead of the usual 45 to 50 players.

Rickard added that the numbers look like they’re improving with junior varsity members coming aboard in the future.

For now, the Lunas and Baldwin are the two Maui teams to beat in Division I competition.

The selection of the Division I winner in the Maui Interscholastic League could boil down to the last game on Oct. 25, when the Lunas play Baldwin at Lahainaluna.

In MIL play, Lahainaluna has a 3-2 record compared to Baldwin’s 2-3 record.

While Baldwin defeated Lahainaluna 42-12 in September, the Bears lost to King Kekaulike 34-2. Playing in Division II, King Kekaulike is now 3-3.

Seabury Hall wins close contest

In Maui Interscholastic League eight-player football, Seabury Hall defeated the Lanai High Pine Lads 19-14 Saturday at Seabury.

In the game, Seabury’s Carson Hollified passed for three touchdowns, including a 19-yard score to Taylor Hammer in the fourth quarter to put the Spartans over the top.

Molokai defeated Hana 48-20 at Hana. Molokai’s Tyson Tamanaha passed for two touchdowns and rushed for a touchdown.

This weekend the Pine Lads will play at Molokai.

Sabers to play Lahainaluna

This weekend, Maui High Sabers play against Lahainaluna at Lahaina on Friday. Baldwin High School competes against King Kekaulike at Kekaulike Field Saturday.