They're Playing for Real

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

Courtesy: MGhelmets.com

The Fire and Ice Bowl is now a tradition when it comes to the start of high school football in America.

For the second straight year, the high school football season kicked-off off the mainland with Alaska taking on Hawaii.

Last year it was one game, this year it was two on Friday night in Hawaii.

Courtesy: MGhelmets.com

Punahou, which finished runner-up in Hawaii's Division I, won the first game of the year with a 48-0 shutout of West High School from Anchorage.  Hawaii made it a clean sweep of the Fire and Ice Bowl with a 23-15 victory by Leilehua over defending Alaska Big Schools champ Service.  Last year, Service and Leilehua battled to a 34-34 tie in the inaugural Alaska vs. Hawaii game.

The Alaska Daily News reported that Punahou was led by sophomore wide receiver Kanawai Noa, who caught four touchdown passes in the first half to lead the Buff and Blue to a 34-0 halftime lead.

In the Leilehua/Service match-up, the Mules jumped-out to a 23-7 halftime lead on their Alaskan opponents.  According to the Anchorage Daily News, Service drove to the Leilehua 30-yard line with 10 seconds left, but fumbled on the last play of the game.

Click here to read the Punahou/West game story.

Click here to read the Leilehua/Service game story.

However, I should point-out those weren't the only games this weekend as many other Alaska and Hawaii schools also began their regular seasons.

Below are all of the first week's scores:

Friday Scores -Alaska

East  42  Kenai  7
Lathrop  44  Nikiski  41
Lathrop JV  60  Seward  8
Leilehua (HI)  23  Service 15
North Pole 32  Dimond  14  Click here to read game story
Punahou (HI)  48  West  0

Friday Scores - Hawaii

'Aiea  35  Kaimuki  21
Campbell  34  Kaiser  6
Kamehameha  30  Castle  7
Kamehameha - Hawaii  25  'Anuenue  6
Kapolei  28  Pearl City  7
Kealakehe  12  Kailua  0
Mililani  31  Moanalua  21
Waiakea  26  Waimea  14

Saturday's Scores - Alaska

Colony  56  Skyview  7
Eielson  26  Valdez  0
Juneau-Douglas  45  Thunder Mountain  7
Monroe Catholic  16  Barrow  0
Palmer  27  Soldotna  7
Sitka  30  Ketchikan  8
South  68  Eagle River  6
Wasilla  21  Bartlett  14
West Valley  35  Chugiak  12

Saturday's Scores - Hawaii

Damien  31  Kalaheo  0
Farrington  37  Wai'anae  23
Kapa'a  42  Kalani  21
Kauai  43  Waialua  0
'Iolani  43  Konawaena  40
Pac-Five  26  Waipahu  13